The labour market in Africa is largely informal, creating both risks and opportunities for young people. Because the labor market and entrepreneurship landscape remain largely unregulated, there is little protection or promotion for young people engaging in employment or business start-up. In light of this dynamic, young people have resorted to mixed livelihoods, sourcing their income from multiple sources such as agriculture, business projects and wage activities (MasterCard Foundation, 2017). To support young people in ensuring a sustainable livelihood and creating a social impact on their communities, they require a mixed skills palette.
In the previous session you learned about the 6Cs, the 21st century skills young people need to navigate the complex labor market. In this session you will learn about specific business and employability skills that can help young people succeed as leaders and entrepreneurs.
Globally, prominent education organizations and networks are researching what the current and future livelihoods of young people in Africa look like, check out a few resources below:
We have revamped our skills map in line with recent studies on developing business and employability skills. Below is the new edition of the Educate! skills map of Business and Employability skills. In session B) you have already learned about part I of the Educate! skills map.
Sales and marketing
Creatively shape marketing, distribution, product design and impact to create profit and a positive and sustainable impact on people and planet.
Business modelling
Formulate assumptions about business processes and actively test these through prototyping, customer research, financial modelling and personal & team reflection.
Resource mobilization and Finance
Identify financial and other resource needs, creatively use available resources, mobilize additional resources and use these efficiently and transparently.
Project and self management
Set goals, evaluate possible strategies, plan and execute business processes and professionally work as an individual and as a team to meet goals.
Product making
Make products that are resourceful, marketable, environmentally friendly and solving community problems.
Opportunity identification
Analyze needs and resources to identify opportunities to start and strengthen (social) enterprises.
Throughout the Design Academy you will learn how you can design sessions, modules and program models that will create deep learning and acquisition of the target skills. As you have already learned in session A) Educate! likes to do things a bit differently regarding entrepreneurship and leadership development. Based on the Educate! way we like to share the following design suggestions. You will notice that these suggestions are different from the 6Cs which can be integrated in any lesson or Skills Lab. For these skills you may need to run content-specific sessions to fully develop the skills. However, we like to encourage you to research other approaches as well.
Business modeling
Note: Acumen+ offers online courses on business modelling. In March 2019 they will start a new online module on business models for social impact, check it here.
Product making
Note: Educate! has developed a product making skills bank, check it out here (coming soon)
Opportunity identification
Project & self-management
Resource mobilization & management
Sales and marketing
Choose one of the following group activities pulled from the Skills Lab Starter Kit and make at least 3 changes to boost an Entrepreneurship skill of choice.
Note: Stay within the time allocated and work towards the lesson objectives.
Submit a 1 page document including:
Note: The improvement should include at least 3 significant changes to the activity.
LWBAT:
Group activity (35 minutes)
The teacher assigns each of the groups with one business growth strategy below.
He /She moves around the groups guiding the discussions and supporting learners accordingly as they answer the given questions.
LWBAT:
Group activity (35 minutes)
Scenario: Given that the school business club wants to inform its customers about its new products and how special they are.
Learners in their groups will discuss how they can use the given means of communication to effectively communicate to the customers (customers can be from school or non-school community).
The teacher assigns each of the groups with one of the forms of effective communication below.
He /She moves around the groups guiding the discussions and supporting learners accordingly as they answer the given questions.
LWBAT:
Group Activity Practice: (40 Minutes)
Teacher gives students fifteen (15) minutes to practice the scene before the actual presentation.