Empowerment Group

programs | youth entrepreneurship program
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Empowerment Group partners with area organizations to provide youth in grades 4-12 with hands-on after-school and summer courses on how youth can start their own business. Youth learn about what goes into starting and running a business while actually planning and running their own venture. Students explore how they can incorporate their skills and interests into a business venture, perform market research, learn about industry research, price their goods and services, and sell to their target customers. They gain important practice in public speaking and effective communication as well as learn the importance of keeping good financial records.

The Youth Entrepreneurship Program operates three unique initiatives: After-school and Summer Courses, ELITE Group Courses, and Youth Business Expo Courses.

After-school and Summer Courses
Through our dynamic After-school and Summer Courses, Empowerment Group provides students with a basic introduction to entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Empowerment Group’s After-school and Summer Program goes on-site to schools and youth groups and challenges the students to work in teams to create a business plan. Through our partnerships with schools and after-school programs, we work to offer more opportunities for youth to gain skills and get involved in their communities.

Students get to present and practice their skills throughout the course, as well as through student business expos (student businesses selling from one location), and spring and summer selling days called market days, where youth-led businesses sell their products and services.

The curriculum is adaptable to the needs of any program site and its students. Empowerment Group serves organizations throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. Our instructors travel to organizational and student sites to deliver our program services.

ELITE Group Course
The ELITE Group is an advanced entrepreneurship program for high school students in grades 9-11. The aim of the ELITE curriculum is to help students start sustainable, socially responsible businesses.

The ELITE Group Crouse is a package of events, activities, field trips, workshops, business trainings, in-school instruction, networking opportunities, and financial incentives. This 16-week Course begins with a kick-off conference of students from 10 local schools and culminates in a final competition for win start-up funding ($5,000 for first place, $2,500 for second place, $1,500 for third place and $1,000 to all other teams). Ten different Philadelphia public schools each support a team of 6-10 participants, developing ten businesses for the competition.

For students, what they learn in the classroom will come to life in new and fresh ways as they apply their knowledge to the real-world through hands-on entrepreneurship training and action.

Kick-Off Conference Field Trip: Begin to THINK and BELIEVE entrepreneurially as you generate new business ideas and get feedback and suggestions. Meet other teams and network with your peers.
Weekly Business Trainings: After school, teams participate in 12 weeks of on-site (at their schools) business trainings and activities that will help teams to: think critically about their ideas, write business plans, and prepare PowerPoint presentations for the competition.
Business Competition: Each team submits their ELITE Group business plan and Powerpoint presentation to a panel of professionals. Awards: Grand Prize--$5,000; Second Place—2,500; Third Place--$1,500. Runners-up can apply for a non-competitive grant of $1,000.

Youth Business Expo Course
Empowerment Group brings a 5-week financial literacy curriculum to local schools. Our instructors work with students to create a for-profit business venture and help them prepare for a school-wide Youth Business Expo. At the Expo, students have the opportunity to sell their product while learning important skills in business planning and financial management. Students enrolled in the Youth Business Expo receive a turn-key program for schools and youth serving organizations that jumpstarts their micro-economy. As business owners selling to their fellow students and community members, students generate business revenues and then reinvest in their school.

After completion of the 5-week curriculum and Youth Business Expo, the students will arrange for 10% of the total earnings to go to the local cause of their choice. By instilling the virtue of giving back to the community to our young entrepreneurs, Empowerment Group hopes to create positive financial habits that will last a lifetime.

Feedback from students reinforces the effectiveness of the program and provides insight into the ways students view the information they are taught. From one student in April 2007: “It taught me to be more outspoken and shoot for my dreams.” From another student: “We are selling hot dogs, juice and snacks. We also saw that no one was selling water, so we bought 2 cases last night… that is called a competitive advantage!”

Contact Information
Mail: Youth Entrepreneurship Program, 2111 N. Front Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122
Telephone: 215-427-9245
Email: kmayson@empowerment-group.org