Ashoka's Changemakers' First Asia #SocEntChat on Social Entrepreneurship

Save the date! Ashoka’s Changemakers® will host a #SocEntChat for the Asia community on Tuesday, May 31, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. IST (yes, that’s Indian Standard Time!). #SocEntChat participants will have the opportunity to discuss the state of the global economy, as well as the latest market innovations around lasting economic growth in Asia.This #SocEntChat comes on the heels of the successful May 17 discussion about market-based solutions to create economic opportunity for disadvantaged populations. The chat featured nearly 50 active participants and over 400 tweets.

Wait. How does it work?

A #SocEntChat is a real-time, Twitter-based discussion on social entrepreneurship focused around specific issues, areas, themes, and events. It is designed for current and aspiring social entrepreneurs, funders, journalists, and supporters to share ideas, discuss the state of the field, identify the latest innovations, and pinpoint areas requiring deeper exploration.

The #SocEntChat is open to anyone with a Twitter account—if you aren’t on Twitter yet, visit twitter.com to sign up. Registration is quick and free.

Here are a few simple steps to join the chat:

1. Visit TweetChat at www.tweetchat.com.
2. Click on "Sign in," and enter your Twitter account name and password. Authorize TweetChat by clicking on "Authorize app, when prompted.
3. In the box marked "Enter hashtag to follow," type in #SocEntChat.
4. Click "Go" and join the conversation!

Hashtags are Twitter’s way to set apart keywords, messages, or topics in any given conversation. Once you’re following the #SocEntChat hashtag, you will be able to see every tweet from the #SocEntChat, even if you’re not yet following any users on Twitter.

At 1 p.m. IST, @changemakers will let followers, listeners, and participants know that the #SocEntChat is underway. Those who are following along will be asked to introduce themselves.

After a few quick introductions, @changemakers will ask the first question and play the role of moderator during the chat.

Enter the discussion at any time, just be sure to include the #SocEntChat hashtag, otherwise your tweet will not be seen by other chat participants. (If you're using an application like TweetChat, you can type your message without worrying about adding the #SocEntChat hashtag—many programs will do it for you automatically!)

Do you have friends or colleagues that might be interested in participating? Share this blog post on Facebook or spread the word on Twitter. Here is a sample tweet:

Join @changemakers on May 31 1-3PM IST for our 1st #SocEntChat in Asia! Topic: #EconOpp. Spread the word & save the date!

Looking forward to chatting with you, changemakers.

To learn more about the Powering Economic Opportunity: Create a World that Works competition, or to submit your entry, visit www.changemakers.com/economicopportunity! Entries must be submitted by June 15, 2011