R.E.A.C.H. Through Skills Training
- Business
- Community development
- Economic development
- Education
- Youth development
- Youth leadership
- Social enterprise
Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.
Briony
Irving
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Idea phase
[ I graduated from the Jamaica Theological Seminary in Kingston in 2006. I then went to the United States to work for eight (8) months. I was convinced however that I should come back to my country and try and make a difference there. I have always had a sense of feeling responsible to create changes in my community and country and large. Convinced I was that my place was in Jamaica, I returned home with high hopes and expectations. Before I went to seminary in 2002, I had worked before (from 1995 – 2001) and I had never had a problem with getting jobs before, therefore when I decide to come home, I never thought that I would have problems with getting a job. To my surprise however it was extremely difficult and hard to get a job. Week after week I bought the career paper and sent in resumes after resumes. Over a period of three years I sent in more than 3000 resumes and cover letters (not exaggerating). I also got engaged in several business opportunities but could not get off the ground because of a lack of funds. I was highly frustrated and discovered, but I also learned that I was not alone. There were several other persons, both young and old alike who were searching for jobs and couldn’t get any.
D During this time I became very discouraged and had to dig deep within to encourage myself. I then decide to create this project
ROJECT HAS NOT STARTED AS YET
More than 10,000
SUSTAINABILITY
The Barriers to success are mainly working capital finance, marketing to target audience and network reach. With the execution of working capital start up the following measures will be employed:
1. This is a social business innovation/project idea that will have appeal because of its social enterprise nature.
2. To initiate this project it will first be reviewed by high-end stake holder in the ministry of education.
3. Based on their support/endorsement of the project the project will kick start by the end of August 2011, that is, the video-taping and marketing engagements.
4. To start the initial stage of the project, that is the video-taping and marketing, a grant will be sought from relevant funding agencies that currently fund such economic projects in the island.
5. The endorsement from the relevant stakeholders in the Ministry of Education will give credibility to the project in the eyes of the funding agency.
6. Teachers will be invited to cross train in this project implementation to facilitate the video-taping process.
7. The project will then be marketed to schools and teachers through the Ministry of Education, Jamaica Teachers Association and Peer Networking.
8. A Demand for the product will be created such that
• An initial engaging sample of the product will be made available to teachers through an online engagement.
• 5 Teachers who purchase the product will have an opportunity to win a 3 week writing vacation where they will create their own curriculum review strategy using the PBL approach.
• They will then submit this to the organization and based on the viability of what they have written; material will be taken for publication from which they will receive a bonus.
• Teachers who did not win the three week writing vacation can still submit review strategies for PBL projects. Strategies that are viable will be published and teachers whose strategies are accepted will win a 3 month free subscription to an online community of PBL strategies.
• Teachers who purchase books will also receive a month free subscription to the online community for PBL Strategists. Here they will be in a community where they will learn several strategies for their classroom.
• The online community will be engaging because it will be a network of PBL thinkers where new ideas are often added.
• Through this online community with the purchase of the video teachers will receive the opportunity to participate in the community in various interactive ways.
• A demand for the business model of the product which will be marketed to the public will be created through the sale of a business model book where persons will receive a 1 month subscription to this greater online community of strategic business ideas that are updated regularly. The title of this book is “Turning Creativity into Employment.” The book is currently finished but additions may be made to it.”
• Through the sale of this book, the PBL strategy will be advertised to University/College graduates who will then realize an opportunity for investment through buying the video and getting a chance to be part of an online community.
7. This sustainability of this project is viable because the individual teacher may purchase for her class. There are currently over 20,000 teachers in the Island of Jamaica, discounting college and university lecturers, and student graduates who may purchase this project for their own special purpose. If this project in the initial stage should sell for $2000.00 Jamaican Dollars and each teacher should purchase for her class that is forty million ($40,000,000.00) dollars. (For the initial engaging project a (6) six month – two (2) year time line could be set.)
8. An online community of PBL strategist that is created could spear head a website with on-going PBL strategies that teachers could integrate into their core curriculum areas. Teachers could subscribe to such a website and if a possible 20,000.00 teachers subscribe at $1000.00 per month that is $20,000,000.00 Jamaican dollars in revenue for the online community. (A 5 year time line for this could be set.)
9. There are also the by-products of this business venture such DVDs/CD-ROMs/books/magazines that could come out of this business. (A two to five (2-5) year time line for this could be set.)
10. The value added products from this project is enormous when one considers there are at least six (6) curriculum areas for each grade in primary schools and there are six grades at the primary level. At the high school level there are 13 – 16 curriculum areas. The scope for expansion and replicability is therefore enormous.]
• The partners will we seek to engage are government and private primary (elementary) and secondary high schools, local, regional and international universities and colleges, university and college graduates locally and regionally as well as technology corporations such as the Digicel Foundations as well as small and medium size micro financial institutions.
• Although the project has been sent to a educational leaders for review, the idea has been endorsed by family and friends in terms of the long term sustainability, viability and reach of the project. Everyone so far believes it is a great innovative idea
• ]:
PROJECT SUPPORT
The following strategies may be employed to support the project.
1. PBL Strategists could also create many business ideas about using skills and creative talent that the ordinary youth can utilize. Subscriptions from the youth population will also generate revenues. If over a period of time at least 500,000.00 Jamaican youths subscribe to such a website for a cost of $500.00/month, that will be two hundred and fifty million ($250,000,000.00) Jamaican dollars per month or two million five hundred thousand ($2,500,00.00 US) dollars per month. (A two (2) year time line to achieve this target could be set based on advertising potential.) An approximate growth plan of 12 years is therefore set as the target for the local market.
2. The Caribbean market is being looked at in terms of reach and replication possibilities. As an initial engaging project after the start-up of the local project, the video presentation of the possibilities of the PBL strategies will be presented to the Caribbean community. A five (5) year target plan is set for this project.
3. This project will be spear headed through network of the local Ministry of Education. Replication will not be a problem as some Caribbean countries uses the same integrated curriculum in the high schools as in Jamaica.
4. An initial engaging customer base of 30,000.00 teachers in the Caribbean community is expected.
5. Should this initial project be marketed to them for the same $2000.
Please select up to three in order of relevancy to your project.
PRIMARY
Lack of skills/training
Lack of visibility and investment
Other (Specify Below)
If yes, please check up to three potential pathways in order of relevancy to you.
PRIMARY
Grown geographic reach: Multi-country
Influenced other organizations and institutions through the spread of best practices