iVALUE Entrepreneurship Programme is a school enrichment programme that involves 20 grade 10 learners per school following them to grade 11 in a process that will enhance their entrepreneurial spirit. This structured programme that is facilitated after school promotes entrepreneurship skills, a sense of responsibility, personal development and life skills. Valued Citizens Initiative ensures a high return on investment on this programme and therefore the selection of 20 grade 10 learners with an entrepreneurial character per public high school amongst 50% is achieved through meeting the educators in charge.
What skills and resources were you able to draw from the community for this project?
At University level, with the Department of Management at the University of Johannesburg, 5 students from the Department of Business Management supports the growth of a group of 20 learners by mentoring them every once a week. At school level the Life Orientation teacher and the principal organise venues and transportation for the learners and supervise their businesses once they are established. Valued citizen organise the start-up capital with sponsors, the food for learners after school and the transportation for the main event. There is also a dedicated facilitator who educates the learners once a week afters school and is also responsible for organising bank accounts for the learners and finalising the business plans for the pitching of their ideas.
The challenges
Only 7% of grade 12 learners in South Africa are successful to find employment in the formal sector. The future of our economy depends on how we raise and educate our youth. Therefore, the investment in education and skills transfer should begin as early as possible.
Addressing the challenges
Valued Citizens desire is to work with the learners who are entrepreneurial minded and highly motivated to participate in such a programme. Strate, which is South Africa’s licensed Central Securities Depository, works in conjunction with partners of the initiative like Aurik Business Incubator who will help mentor the students and assess business plans to shortlist them to five feasible projects. The aim is for learners within the programme to use their newly acquired skills and compete to be afforded an opportunity to implement their business ideas successfully, while being exposed to the real-world experience of running a business making the right connections.
The achievements
In 2015, After grooming and advising the pupils they managed to pitch their businesses in front of the judges and secured R8000 start-up capital for two of their business. Twenty learners started and 18 completed the programme successfully. In 2016, two schools enrolled on the programme. Five businesses were awarded the start-up capital of R5500 each and 55 out of 60 learners completed the programme. Four schools benefited from the programme in 2018.
Johannesburg, South Africa