2017 Step up 2 a Start-up youth entrepreneurship programme launched

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The programme is aimed at learners in grades 9 – 11 and this year’s theme, ‘Seeking Opportunity, Connecting People and Creating Sustainable Value’, will focus on social entrepreneurship. Standard Bank is the key sponsor of the programme.

“Sustainable economic development is only possible through small business development and new venture creation, and not enough young people are entering the entrepreneurial space which will be the lifeblood of job creation moving forward,” said Martin Sweet of Primestars Marketing, another sponsor of the programme.

“Instilling a culture and mind-set of entrepreneurship and wealth creation in the youth is crucial to the future development of South Africa’s economy, but too little is being done to nurture entrepreneurship from a young age.”

“We live in exciting times. The world is changing rapidly, with technology leading this change. However, for some the pace is too fast, too much and they risk missing such opportunities. For others, the brave and innovative, the pace provides an endless wave upon which to ride, a plethora of new ventures and business opportunities to explore, with no boundaries. While all of this is going on around the world, South Africa runs the risk of being left behind.

“For our youth to realise their potential, they need to be exposed to the endless possibilities available to them as entrepreneurs and we need to provide them with the necessary skills and tools to succeed.”

“Just as entrepreneurs change the face of business, social entrepreneurs act as the change agents for society, seizing opportunities others miss to improve systems, invent new approaches and create solutions to change society for the better.”

Film journey

On 12 August 2017, learners begin their journey into the world of entrepreneurship through the movie titled ‘Vukuzenzele’, which will be screened at 15 Ster-Kinekor cinemas nationwide over a period of five weeks. As part of the programme, each learner will receive a toolkit, which will assist them in implementing the skills learnt and developing their own business ideas and models. Learners will be given the opportunity to compete in an entrepreneurial competition by submitting their business model canvasses for assessment and adjudication by a panel of industry professionals and sponsors.

During this process, at least nine top business models will be identified and the teams responsible will be invited to attend a boot camp in Johannesburg. This will hone and polish participants’ skills, as they start to think more about developing and starting their businesses based on the ideas they submitted, and will culminate in a prestigious gala dinner and awards ceremony where the winners will be announced.

“I have no doubt that this new initiative to nurture and grow young entrepreneurs will produce real results in a short space of time. It is imperative we instil the right mind-set for growth and provide essential support to develop ideas that will grow into highly successful businesses of the future. At Standard Bank, we are committed to youth entrepreneurship and enabling the youth to achieve their next big dream,” said Jayshree Naidoo, head of the Standard Bank Incubator.

“The sky is the limit for the youth of tomorrow, if they get the support needed to take that first crucial step on their journeys to success. After all, the greatest businesses start with a simple idea. We hope to provide the foundation that will assist the entrepreneurs of tomorrow to reach for the stars,” concludes Sweet.