+ Engaging Entrepreneurs Through Action Learning Malinda Todd Associate Director, NC REAL Who Is NC REAL? NC REAL is a non-profit organization that works with all.
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Transcript + Engaging Entrepreneurs Through Action Learning Malinda Todd Associate Director, NC REAL Who Is NC REAL? NC REAL is a non-profit organization that works with all.
+
Engaging Entrepreneurs
Through Action Learning
Malinda Todd
Associate Director, NC REAL
Who Is NC REAL?
NC REAL is a non-profit organization that works
with all levels of education in communities to
provide entrepreneurial training
NC REAL’s Mission Statement:
Developing entrepreneurial talent and fostering
the creation of sustainable enterprises
NC REAL Believes….
•
•
•
•
Entrepreneurship education should be available to
all
On-going support and professional development
for educators in entrepreneurship education is
critical
Experiential, student-centered learning
provides the best means for students to accomplish
work that is relevant to them and their communities
Entrepreneurship education must build upon and
be supported by the needs of communities
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, COMMUNITY FOCUSED
How Does REAL Work?
REAL operates on a Train The Trainer Model
Community
College
NC REAL
K-12’s
Community
Organizations
REAL
Graduates
What Makes NC REAL’s
Curricula Unique?
The Experiential Learning Process
“Tell me, and I
forget,
Show me, and I
remember,
Involve me, and I
understand.”
Application
Experience
Expansion
Reflection
+ The REAL Story… Then and Now
•
REAL started 27 years ago in Georgia and North
Carolina working with High School students
•
NC REAL expanded the offerings of REAL by
creating the adult curriculum
• REAL now has 3 adult curricula and 4 Youth
curricula
Today REAL Entrepreneurship is offered in:
• Over 40 Community Colleges
• Over 50 K-12 Schools
• Over 30 Community Organizations
•
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REAL Curriculum Development
and the Community College
Early 1990’s schools began to use REAL as a curriculum
course for Business
Mid 1990’s schools begin to incorporate REAL into their
continuing education courses often through the Small
Business Centers.
NC REAL partners with community college instructors to
develop courses and seminars to meet the needs of their
students.
2010-2014- Development of Agriculture, Healthcare and Craft
Artist Entrepreneurship Curricula
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Partnership with Community
Colleges- the cornerstone of REAL
Lisa Rolan- Small Business Center
Director of South Piedmont
Community College
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Ways We Partner- Facilitator Trainings
Community
College instructors learn how to use
the REAL curriculum and teach experientially at
REAL Workshops
Each
instructor develops a course plan on how to
use the REAL curriculum for their students–
seminars, courses, workshops
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Ways We Partner- Joint Projects
NC REAL or partners apply for grants to carry out community
and regional projects
Projects include trainings for the local instructors
Usually involve courses,
workshops and competitions
for youth or adults
Partnered with Robeson
Community College to create
agricultural entrepreneurship
course and business plan
competition
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Ways We Partner- Curriculum
Development
NC REAL often works closely with colleges to develop
courses that meet the needs of their students
Community college faculty serve on curriculum teams
New courses are often tested at colleges
Currently working with Haywood and Western Piedmont and
other western community colleges to develop a craft artist
entrepreneurship curriculum
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Ways We Partner- System of
Feedback
Use In-Service Seminars to solicit feedback and to role out
new products
Hold conference calls with partners when in development
Hold beta tests with partner clients
REAL Online developed based on feedback from partners and
currently in testing with clients from New Generations
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REAL Uses a Community Focus in
Entrepreneurship Education
The goal of REAL is to create local businesses that fuel the
economies of our communities
Incorporated throughout curriculum- core feasibility activity
is Mix and Match
Through our close community partnerships we have found
that specialized courses– Agriculture, Healthcare, Arts,
Construction can lead to better outcomes.
Business Opportunity
Community
• population
• geographic size
• demographic profile of residents
• existing industries and businesses
• competition
• values and lifestyle
• needs (existing and potential)
Resources
• financial (cash, investments)
• human (family members, employees,
advisors)
• natural (climate, terrain, etc.)
• manufactured (buildings, infrastructure,
equipment)
• location (proximity to other resources)
Entrepreneur
• skills and abilities
• training received
• financial requirements
• hobbies and interests
• values, work ethic
• time available
• age, maturity level
• drive, ambition
• personality
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Specialized Curriculum has Many
Advantages for Locally Focused
Entrepreneurship
Able to target a desired or growing industry
Easier recruitment- partners provide individual invitations
Smaller market leads to more strategic marketing
Word of mouth is more effective
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Specialized Curriculum has Many
Advantages for Locally Focused
Entrepreneurship
Teaching marketing can be more specific to the field
In Healthcare Entrepreneurship students work as a group to
map all the healthcare businesses in their community to
figure out where the need is.
In Agriculture Entrepreneurship, local market
representatives present to the group and share how to access
the various markets in their community
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REAL Online incorporates Action
Learning and Community Focus
Incorporates local mentor component
Interactive lessons with other students
Shares stories from other entrepreneurs from rural
communities
Maintains Business Planning Journals on site
Students develop business plan and business presentation
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Upcoming Trainings
REAL Agricultural Entrepreneurship Facilitator
Workshop
October 28-29, 2013, Raleigh
REAL Institute
February 24-28, 2014, Wrightsville Beach
June 23-27, 2014, Blowing Rock
REAL Health Care Entrepreneurship Training
March 13-14, 2014, Western Piedmont Community
College
More
upcoming trainings available at
www.ncreal.org
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Come Join Us!!!
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Contact Information
NC REAL Entrepreneurship
Shannon Gallagher
Eastern Regional Associate
Malinda Todd
Associate Director
3739 National Drive, Suite
100
Raleigh, NC 27612
3739 National Drive, Suite
100
Raleigh, NC 27612
919-448-8015
[email protected]
919-781-6833 ext.126
[email protected]
Tonya Wilson Snider
Western Regional Associate
3739 National Drive, Suite
100
Raleigh, NC 27612
919-491-7572
[email protected]