The following four short lessons will help youth examine the importance of making a difference, take the first steps to forming a Venture, receive feedback and encouragement from their peers, and see their Venture plan take shape. Click the title of each Session in the list below to jump that lesson. Click here to download the entire Curriculum.
- SESSION 1: Dream it. Do it. Workshop - What is social entrepreneurship, how to come up with an idea, getting a team together.
- SESSION 2: Reflect and Share Ideas (recommended the week following the Dream it. Do it. Workshop).
- SESSION 3: Getting Started (recommended the week following session two).
- INDIVIDUAL MEETING: Teacher meets individually with each Venture Team (recommended the week following session three).
- SESSION 4: Marking it Real (recommended two to three weeks following individual meetings - prior to panel).
Session Goals
- Students learn what social entrepreneurship is, how it differs from regular entrepreneurship
- Students will connect with other students to form a team based on common interests.
- Students in teams will connect their passions with problems they see around them to formulate a Venture Idea.
- Students will be encouraged to share, refine and expand their ideas.
15 Minutes - Social Entrepreneurship
- Define entrepreneurship (Wikipedia), have students list entrepreneurs.
- Define social entrepreneurship (Wikipedia), discuss the difference between entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship, have students list social entrpreneurs.
- Ask students why it is important for youth to become involved in changing the world. Allow this to foster discussion. (Note: with some youth, this discussion can be very short, with others, it can be very long and involved. Don't be afraid to let this discussion go on as long as the youth are engaged.)
10 Minutes - Passions
- Have the students list activities they engage in for fun; activities they engage in with friends; skills they have; activities they feel they excel in. Begin by listing the most common on the board. Then have students write their top three on a piece of paper.
- With the students holding their lists up, have them walk around the class in silence, reading the other students' lists. Ask the students to form groups of 3-4 around their interests. (Note: it is a good idea to encourage the students to form these groups outside of their normal circles, if at all possible.)
- Discuss why it is a good practice to begin any project from a place of comfort, i.e. begin with something students already do for fun.
10 Minutes - Problems & Ideas
- In their groups, have the students discuss issues or problems they see in the world, the community or the school. Begin by listing the most common on the board, then have each group discuss and find one problem they would like to address.
- Ask the groups to start connecting this problem with the interests they listed in the last exercise. Begin by providing them with examples of other Venture Teams, social entrepreneurs and service projects. You can find Venture Team examples here. (Note: this can be the most difficult step. Allow the youth to discuss as long as needed, and be ready to offer advice when they seem to be stuck. Making this leap, identifying what they can DO to address a problem, is one of the most important steps in the Youth Venture process.)
Next Steps
Have the youth repeat this exercise by themselves, or in groups of their own choosing. A strong idea can make or break a Youth Venture. Ask them to come prepared with an idea to the next session.
Session Goals:
- Students reflect on the Dream it. Do it. Workshop, reinforcing the importance of making positive change in the community
- Students share their own Venture ideas, explore the reasons for their choice, and review their three steps to launch.
- Students receive positive reinforcement from their peers and instructor.
10 mins - Workshop Reflection
- Ask a volunteer to give an overview of the Dream it. Do it. Workshop.
- Lead a short discussion using the following questions as a guide:
- What are some examples of Ventures?
- What did you find most interesting about the workshop?
- What is the message you took away from the workshop?
- What do you like about the idea of starting a club, business, or organization to help our
community? - How would our community be different if everyone was a changemaker and worked to make a difference?
10 mins - Venture Ideas
- Have a few young people share their possible Venture ideas and three steps to launch with the whole group. Positive affirmation!
- If students have not defined their action steps, ask them to think of three things they would need to do in order to get their Venture up and running.
- Questions to deepen the conversation:
- What gets you excited about your Venture idea?
- How do you see your Venture benefiting the community?
- What do you see as the biggest challenge to completing your Action Plan and launching your Venture?
- What can we do to help you overcome that challenge?
Next Steps
Ask youth to work on their three Action Steps to launch. Let them know you are available as a resource and remind them to visit www.GenV.net for more ideas.
Session Goals:
- Students revisit their three steps to launch and receive suggestions and offers of assistance from the group.
- Students discuss a Venture idea in more detail, introducing SMART GOALS.>
- Students forecast the Team’s Action Plan process and the timeline towards launch.
- Students are encouraged to start their Action Plan, specifying how their Venture will be planned and implemented step by step.
5 mins - Three steps to launch
- Ask one or two student to share an experience trying out one of their Action Steps.
- What went well?
- What was challenging?
- What are some ideas the group has to help name of student out?
10 mins - SMART GOALS
- Write on the board:
- Specific: Is the goal detailed enough that someone who isn’t a part of your team would know what needs to be done and how?
- Measurable: Is there a clear way to measure success? How will you know when you’ve reached your goal?
- Actionable: Is there a clear series of steps to take to accomplish your goal?
- Realistic: Is it possible to reach this goal considering the resources available to your team?
- Timely: When will the goal be accomplished?
- Walk through the sample SMART Goal:
10 mins - Ask each student to create one SMART Goal for their Venture idea.
- Have a volunteer walk through his/her SMART Goal for the class.
Next Steps
Make sure students have a copy of the Action Plan (contact Youth Venture for copies). Ask youth to complete their Action Plan at least three days prior your individual meeting. Schedule individual meetings with students interested in launching a Venture. Contact Youth Venture for tips on reviewing the Action Plan.
Session Goals:
- Students receive feedback on their Action Plan and positive reinforcement from their instructor.
- Students feel prepared to present their idea to their classmates.
5 mins - Check-In
- Talk to the student about how they are feeling about their Action Plan and about their Venture idea.
10 mins - Review Action Plan
Prior to the individual meeting, review the Action Plan according to Youth Venture critieria (see the Rules & Guidelines). For more information on evaluating the Venture on the criterion visit this page.
- Look closely at the SMART Goals. Student SMART Goals tend to be one of the weakest parts. Generally, they are not specific enough. Review the SMART Goals worksheet as well as the information within the Action Plan.
- Look closely at the Budget. It is important that budgets are thorough and include ideas for cost savings. Remind students to seek out donations whenever possible. This, along with proper pricing research, can have a significant impact on the budget.
- Make sure to highlight areas of the Action Plan that the student completed particularly well. A little postive reinforment goes a long way at this stage.
Next Steps
Ask student to prepare a five minute presentation on his/her Venture idea. Emphasize that the Mock Panel is an opportunity for the student to share their work with their classmates and receive postive reinforcement from his/her peers. It’s not about judgement.
Session Goals:
- The student presents their Action Plan to the class in a mock panel to build confidence in presenting for panel.
- Class provides positive feedback and support to the Venture Teams.
10 mins/student - Presentations
- Students give up to a five minute presentation of their Venture idea, covering the major topics in the
Action Plan.
- Teacher provide positive feedback and asks the class what they like best about the Venture idea.
- Thank the Teams for sharing.
Next Steps
Individually, the teacher should meet with each presenter to suggest presentation changes. Encourage the student to submit their revised Action Plan. Ask the student to let you know when their Selection Panel is taking place. If at all possible, attend and prepare to be amazed at what young people can accomplish.
Contact Us
While you are working with youth on the Action Plan, or if you have any other needs that Youth Venture can help with, we're here for you. Click the "Contact" button below to get our information.
