Highlights of Youth Entrepreneurship Camps 2009
2009 was an exciting year for REAL Youth Entrepreneurship Summer Camps in North Carolina. There were 15 camps held across the state, with over 300 young people between the ages of 10 and 18 learning about entrepreneurship while having fun. At a REAL Entrepreneurship Camp, participants hear from local entrepreneurs, take part in hands-on activities to learn about assessing their community, assessing their own skills, and creating a business idea. Throughout the week they complete activities that stimulate creativity, and work in teams to complete a business plan including the marketing, financials, and operations. They create a commercial for the business and present their business plan to a panel of local community judges. Beyond being a wonderful introduction to entrepreneurship, they build teamwork skills, presentation skills, and self-confidence.
A remarkable trait of all the camps was the partnering that took place across the community to make them happen. Several community partnerships included community colleges, public schools, and local 4-H Cooperative Extension. Eight of the camps were held on community college campuses, three at Universities, and four at community organizations. In Ashe County (located in the western part of North Carolina), 4-H Cooperative Extension, Ashe County Government, Wilkes Community College-Ashe Campus, Ashe County Public Schools, and local area businesses partnered together to sponsor the camp. (Get a glimpse of the Ashe County camp through a YouTube video here ) In Carteret County (in the eastern part of the state) Carteret Community College partnered with the Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts, and the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum to deliver two camps for area youth.
What makes these camps special for the young people and the adults alike is the creativity of the students. From the very beginning of the camp participants are encouraged to think like an entrepreneur by being creative and taking risks. The teams quickly become competitive about who has the most creative and sometimes most outrageous business ideas. By the end of the week, even the most quiet and reserved student is taking part in developing the business. Unfailingly the adults who serve as judges for the final presentations are impressed by the creativity of the ideas, the quality of the presentations, and the engagement of the students. Some of the business ideas have included: Helping Hands- a business that provides help and runs errands for older people; Huka Muka- a Hawaiian themed shop; a custom designed shoe factory; a service that helps free boats stuck on sand bars. The business teams are encouraged to think about what their community needs, what they are good at, and what interests them.
Trainings
If you are interested in starting a youth entrepreneurship camp in your community consider attending the next Youth Entrepreneurship Camp training. It is a two-day training that covers the camp curriculum and how to deliver the camp program. It also includes advice and time to plan the camp from recruitment to fundraising. Participants leave with the camp curriculum, planning tools, support network, and a strategy for implementation. The next camp training will be January 21-22, 2010, in Raleigh, NC. Please contact Malinda Todd at malinda@ncreal.org for more information.