I am currently involved in a social enterprise fellowship called Startinbloc. For those of you who have not heard of this organization, it “educates, empowers and connects emerging leaders to drive positive social change across sectors.” It does so through intensive fellowship programs that provide prospective social entrepreneurs with the tools to become effective in their quest to achieve the so-called “triple-bottom line.”
This type of program also encourages a peer community of social entrepreneurs who share best practices and provide support while in the process of launching a social venture.
As part of the fellowship I was given a business problem that I need to resolve with a group of colleagues, similar to a management consulting assignment. Most specifically, I’m helping a social enterprise develop an effective volunteer program. I hope that my previous experiences at Junior Achievement and coordinating Global Youth Service Day will be helpful!
Posted by davilalu on February 25, 2008 | Posted in corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurship, social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, young people, youth, Youth and Social Entrepreneurship |
Youth and Social Entrepreneurship
After months of research I have finally decided to fully launch my blog! I will comment on my experiences in youth engagement in sustainability, international development, corporate social responsibility and entrepreneurship!
Youth have had a lot of media attention these past few days! There is an Op-Ed article by Nicholas Kristof where he talks about youth social entrepreneurs attending Davos, and a great series of articles at the Financial Times focusing on investing in young people.
I think both articles showcase the importance of fully supporting the work of young people to better their communities. In the case of Mr. Kristof, he mentions some familiar names; Jennifer Staple is a winner of the Global Youth in Action Award that I helped to coordinate while at the Global Youth Action Network, while Soraya Salti is the leader of Injaz – the Arab counterpart of Junior Achievement, my current employer.
I believe that the main issue facing young social entrepreneurs is not lack of passion or conviction, but difficult access to resources and support. In the case of the World Economic Forum, I would challenge the organization’s leadership to bring more young people and expand its Young Global Leaders program. This would help all young social entrepreneurs (especially those from developing countries) become successful and access networks usually not accessible to them.
I am convinced that more support structures will help young people succeed as entrepreneurs promoting social change in their communities.
Posted by davilalu on January 28, 2008 | Posted in Youth and Social Entrepreneurship |
