Youth Entrepreneurship

Session 4

September 14, 2009

Today’s Session

• Why Youth?• What Youth Want?• Engagement First!• Youth Attraction Second!• Youth “E” Strategies Third!• Stories from the Field

Youth Impact…

Youth – Your Secret Weapon

Change is hard for most rural communities. In this culture entrepreneurship can be challenging.

But in our rural culture youth enjoy a remarkable freedom. They can open the door within our communities to allow an entrepreneurial culture to root and grow.

Youth Are Critical to Rural Vitality!• 3:1 positive impact upon population• Educated Workforce• Major Consumers• New Energy & Skills• Retention of Generational Wealth

Future Community Entrepreneurs

The Big Picture…

What Youth Want?

We can not assume we know what our youth really want from us or our communities unless we engage in a dialogue where this understanding can emerge and be clarified.

Craig Schroeder – Youth DirectorRUPPI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship

But, What Are Youth Saying?• I’m waiting to graduate, then I will…• Other than sports, we get negative attention.• Adults seem desperate to keep us here.• Why is it adults always want to build a new

community building? We’d like a theater, or…• I would like to take an entrepreneurship class.• We want to help pick the color!• If there was a good job here, I’d come back.’

Rural Kansas

Plan toAttend College

Picture Living in Home Town

Want toOwn Business

OwnBusiness Now

Atwood 85% 52% 37% 15%

Onaga 89% 48% 35% 16%

Sedan- Cedar Vale 74% 47% 44% 19% Overall N=6,059 86% 51% 44% 14%

Holt County, Nebraska

Plan to Attend College

Desire to Return Home

Want to Own Business

Own Business Now

Atkinson Pop. 1,380 96% 66% 57% 14%

O’Neil Pop. 3,852 98% 55% 64% 12%

Stuart Pop. 650 100% 66% 60% 14%

Make youth a priority...Engage them

• Really listen to them• Participate in their activities – Seek out youth

with entrepreneurial ideas• Ask them about plans after graduation• Demonstrate interest - Support their ideas• Find out what they need to be successful

Support youth programs

• Job shadowing and internships• Scholarships and apprenticeships• Education on personal finance• Peer networks and adult mentors• Leadership skill building for youth

Develop economic and educational opportunities

• Generational business transfers• Micro-lending fund; Grant making by youth• Entrepreneurship courses• Business incubator and support services• Youth council• Community leadership positions• Link aspirations to opportunities

Model service and pride in your community

• Demonstrate your heart for community service & invite youth to serve with you

• Recognize youth already serving in your community

• Lead community youth groups• Be a youth mentor in your community

Promote positive attitudes and conversations

• Change your dinner conversations• Promote your community’s strengths• Be honest about realities• Explore how youth could make a difference• Explore career alternatives to being an

employee

How do communities involve youth?

Do to Youth Do for Youth Do with Youth

Skateboard Zoning

Trash Cleanup

Focus on Stars and Ignore Other Youth

Teen Center

College Scholarships

Tell Youth the Right Way to Do Things

Youth Events

Decision Making

Listen and Support Youth Discovery

Building a Youth Engagement System©

Positive Community

Attitude and Support of

Youth

Quality Economic

Opportunities & Education

Heart for Service and Pride in Community by Youth

First: Set A Goal!

Youth Attraction

Making your community a more attractive choice for young people!

Youth AttractionEngagem

ent

Attraction

Entrepreneurs

Renewal

19

YouthEntrepreneurship

Strategies

Youth Centered Entrepreneurial Development System

Identifying E-Youth• May not immediately come to mind• Can be introverted to very engaging• Creative and enjoy experimenting• Find them in the workshop or craft room• May not be high academic achievers• Often have one or more mini-businesses• May talk about markets more than sports e• They are wired differently

Consideration…

YouthEDS

AreaEDS

Consideration…Youth Safety/Well Being

• Youth with Youth• Youth with Adults• Youth on the Move

Consideration…YouthMost are Aspiring &

Startups

Aspiring and Startups

Characteristics:•Motivated to Change Life

•An Idea (exploring an)

•Unsure, Afraid•Secretative•Don’t Know How to Proceed

Needs & Wants:• Moral Support• Ideal Processing• Self-Awareness• Risk Assessment• Framework for

Going Forward

Good Personal Choice

Viable Concept

Stories:• Lilly Warren• Cody Foster• Shirley

Williams• Rah Trost• Brenda Emery

Strategies:• REAP – NE• Sirolli – KS• WV Options –

WV• NC Real

Enterprises – NC• Shenandoah, IA

Best Practices:• Listener• Coach or Facilitator• Sorting Out

Framework Business

Planning Eship

Course Feasibility

Study Counselin

g

Why?• Moral Support• Opportunity• Equity• Diversity• Pipe Line• Creativity

Elements of a Youth EDS

BuildingBlocks

Consideration…Three Journeys

Personal Knowledge Action

•Orientation•Preferences•Goals•Realities

•Maturity•Management•Finance•Production

• Action Learning

• Success & Failure

• Evolutionary Success

A Progression

IdeaGeneration Community

Needs

BusinessPlanning

Businesses

Exposure FeasibilityCompetitionBusiness

GamesFinancialConcepts

FinancialLiteracy

K Elementary Middle High School

Consideration…Think About This

Experiential LearnersEntrepreneurship

Connection

Consideration…Importance of Place

Rural LifePreference & Choice

Entrepreneurshipas a Career Choice

Stories…

Message: There are no limits!

Welcome Back Home Exercise

Ord’s Young Entrepreneur Fair

The Vision: 100’s of Young

Entrepreneurs! Nancy GlaubkeBusiness Development

Coordinator

First E Class…

The Fair…

McCook, Nebraska

• Area Trade Center• 9,000 Residents• Very Rural• Losing Population• Loss of Young People

The FlipSide of theBrain Drain

McCook, Nebraska

Brookfield, Missouri

Brookfield, MissouriYouth Entrepreneurship

Summit

ResourcesFor

Communities

4-H Entrepreneurship Investigation

4h.unl.edu/esi

Local Resources:• Teachers and School Organizations• Youth Programs and Leaders• Young Adults• Successful Entrepreneurs• Parents and Grandparents• Service Providers• Volunteers

A Final Thought…

Cycle

of Progress

Valley County, Nebraska