Social Entrepreneurship

Resources

We invite you to explore the following learning materials relating to social entrepreneurship. Here you can find valuable insights and information from the various initiatives and projects we’ve undertaken to promote this thematic area.

“Build your Future” Introduction VIDEO Module 1-5

Module 1: Background

In this First Module, it is important to set the context. Understanding what role entrepreneurs have been playing in society and what areas of economy and society they have influenced can be helpful to identify yourself as a (future) entrepreneur. Who are the (social) entrepreneurs you feel inspired by, you look up to or are your role models? If you don’t know yet, then this is where your discovery begins.

In this Module it is also useful to understand the different types of entrepreneurship and most importantly to analyse where your interests, skills, experiences, aspirations and passions lie. If you want to be a successful (social) entrepreneur, you need match those interests, skills, experience, aspirations you are most passionate about to a social issue or problem and that combination of heart and mind will nurture the seeds of success to grow!

Module 2 – Idea Development

In Module 2 we will look at how to come up with entrepreneurial ideas and how to further develop them. Creativity and Innovation skills are in demand and required for entrepreneurs to spot opportunities. This module will introduce creative techniques and their application to generating ideas and creating opportunities as well as to identifying and solving social problems with business tools.

Module 3 – Marketing

In Module 3 we will look at how to develop a business concept and think of your idea in relation to key components of markets. Marketing fundamentals include a basic understanding of markets of customers and key industry players like competitors and potential partners.

The marketing 5P’s of product, price, place, promotion and people also commonly known as the marketing mix will be reviewed. You will learn about market research, how to establish a marketing strategy and develop effective promotion and sales techniques. Also, the Business Model Canvas will be introduced as an effective tool to further develop your (social) business concept.
There is no opportunity if “it”, the product, service or experience is not valued by a customer. Module 3 will focus on staying close to the customer and/or beneficiary to create desired benefits and be able to deliver better than the competition or other alternatives.

Module 4 – Operations, Resources & Testing

In Module 4 you will learn how to look for necessary resources for your entrepreneurial idea such as start-up funding, investors or partners. Before launching your product or service it is also important to test your idea through prototyping and pitching your idea to people (like potential customers, employees, partners, investors) in order to get feed-back and/or missing resources. We will be looking at how to articulate a (social) value proposition and how to focus on what value potential customers get through your product or service. We will also look at communication techniques and how to establish a communication strategy.

Module 5 – Impact: Starting, sustaining and scaling your business

In this Module you will learn about the importance of having a business plan and how to write it. You will learn what legal structures are available for your (social) entrepreneurial idea so you can chose the one that fits best. In this Module you will also learn how to assess risks and reflect on ethics and the impact you want to create on people such as stuff and partners as well as the environment. While planning how to sustain and scale your business, you will also learn how to reflect on increasing overall organisational performance and how to acquire resources for growth from external sources.

(Social) Entrepreneurship Training Part I

Simon Joachim from the Berlin-based Stiftung Entrepreneurship speaks at the Social Entrepreneurship Workshop organised by YEPP IRC in Berlin in May 2014 with 50 young people and youth leaders from 9 countries.