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Week 13

  Reflection: This week I learned the importance of being physically and spiritually self-reliant.   When I am self-reliant I am better able to serve others around me.   Response to a reading: There was a certain part in Elder Joseph B Wirthlin’s talk that helped me build upon a testimony that was gained last week for me.   He said, “Do you love the Lord?   Spend time with Him.   Meditate on His words.   Take His yoke upon you.   Seek to understand and obey…When we love the Lord, obedience ceases to be a burden.   Obedience become a delight.   When we love the Lord, we seek less for things that benefit us and turn our hearts toward things that will bless and uplift others.”   He spoke of things that will lead to blessing others:   loving the Lord and obeying.   These are principles of self-reliance and last week I was able to use them to understand that perfecting those skills here on Earth will be of most benefit when I leave here and live with Father in Heaven once again.   And
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Week 12

  Summary: This week I learned how self-reliance and microcredit can come together in a possible way to end poverty.   Add a change in mind-set of humans and we could create a different kind of world for those once in poverty.   Lastly, I was reminded that we live in a unique day and age where there is a real capacity to make social changes, in things like poverty and meeting the basic health needs of all the world’s children, and it be sustainable.   Response to a video: Watching the video “Bonsai Trees” of Muhammad Yunus likening a small Bonsai tree to those living in poverty (having a stunted growth because of the small flowerpot it was planted in) validated my feelings in past lessons learned about disadvantaged people.   Whether it be the color of someone’s skin, disabilities, or sexual orientation, certain people have and are discriminated against.   Yunus put it perfectly when he said, “ Simply society never gave them the space and never gave them the base on which to grow
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Week 11

  Summary: This week I learned about impact investing and how it differs from giving to charity.   Though impact investing has changed in definition over time, today it represents people and organizations who want to make social and environmental impact through profitable, long-term sustainable solutions.   I also learned ways that everyone can get involved (not just the rich) from conscious consumption to spending money within my own community. Response to a reading/video: The last section of the article “Impact Investing, just a trend or the best strategy to help save our world” and the end of the video, “Impact Investing:   Your money doing good in the world – and your wallet” sparked interest for me.   The article gave good advice on the need to make investments that are aligned with our values.   This seems like obvious advice, as I do not know a lot of people who just give their money freely to organizations without finding out the mission first.   However, to take it a ste
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Week 10

  Summary: This week I learned about Hyrbrid organizations, the Seven Principles of Social Business, and effective altruism.   I learned how I was developing the qualities that David Bornstein spoke of in how to be a successful social entrepreneur.   Response to an activity: The application activity for this week focused on thinking of ways to solve problems within the social issue we have chosen.   My social issue is suicide.   Thinking of my own platform to help within this issue was difficult.   But when I finally came up with an idea and ran with it, it was kind of fun!   This activity was inspiring me to think outside of the box and come up with ways to help make change happen.   Weekly prompt:   What is it about hybrids that make them so successful? I think one of the aspects of a hybrid organization that makes them successful is that it falls in between for-profit and non-profit organizations.   If someone wants to be a part of social change but does not like certain a
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Week 9

  Summary: This week I learned that funders’ unrealistic expectations, underfed overhead, and misleading reporting lead to an unstable infrastructure within non-profit organizations.   I also learned the difference between a movement and an organization, and the areas of discrimination within those organizations.   Finally, I learned how to do an audit of a non-profit organization to see if it is truly socially innovative. Response to an activity: This week’s application activity opened my eyes to non-profits that are actively doing good vs. being socially innovative.   Researching for the activity opened my eyes to the organization that I donate my time and money to every year:   American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.   After my research and scoring them on what I found, I realized that this organization is doing great.   They are making a difference, for sure.   However, like most organizations, some improvement is needed in some areas.   AFSP is in the middle of a 3-year
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Week 8

Summary: This week I learned what Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is and what falls under it:   sustainability, Triple Bottom Line, and B-Corps.   I also learned how to rethink capitalism by turning those for-profit companies into a company who practices CSR by driving corporate growth through social impact. Response to a reading: When reading The Broken “Buy One, Give One” Model:   3 Ways to Save Toms Shoes,  I felt it was easier to believe that their charitable act of giving a free pair of shoes to those in need was indeed broken or flawed because of a documentary I had watched a few years ago.   Toms Shoes was actually mentioned in this documentary, Poverty, Inc.   One of the interviewees recognized the reasonings behind companies like Toms Shoes wanting to make a difference in the world of poverty.   She said, “I’m glad people want to help.   It comes from a good heart.   People give us food, they dig us wells, they bring us shoes, they encourage others to give.   The p
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Week 7

  Summary: This week I learned about Lean Startup and Business Model Canvas.   I also learned about the differences between Nonprofit Organizations, Social Businesses, and Corporate Social Responsibility.   Response to a video: This week was the presentations on our social innovation organizations.   I learned the most from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) video on Burt’s Bees.   I do not think that I really understood what practicing CSR in a company really meant prior to this week.   Really, it seems to me that any company can be conscious of their impact on social, economic, and environmental issues.   I had not thought of that until I watched this presentation.   I also learned that Burt’s Bees does not just support human and honeybee health but they also give grants and donate money to nonprofit organizations, thus growing their business in a way where they are able to give back to society in monetary means.   This presentation helped me put CSR companies in a categ
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