Use your skills to help decrease the likelihood of future vulnerabilities in Gambian youth
Gambian Youth Business Training & Mentorship Program
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Virtual Business training for aspiring Gambian Youth
Background
In the Gambia, youth exit school early or do not pursue post-secondary education for a host of reasons, one being the lack of affordability of post-secondary education or other financial challenges (school fees, cost of books, etc.)
During community mobilization sessions, entrepreneurship has come up as a viable path for youth out of school or post-secondary school. However, there is a lack of relevant business resources and mentors to support youth business creation which has increased barriers for entrepreneurship to be a viable career path
Our goal
Our goal is to increase access to resources, decrease youth unemployment, and decrease the likelihood of future vulnerabilities for Gambian youth.
Program Begins:
June 21, 2021
This is a pilot skill-based virtual volunteering initiative. Your involvement and feedback are essential in helping us develop in this area.
Program Schedule
Training Session 1: Idea Generation
June 24 from 9 – 11am Pacific
Mentoring Session 1
July 1 from 9 – 10am Pacific
Training Session 2: Building Your Business Model
July 8 from 9 – 11am Pacific
Mentoring Session 2
July 15 from 9 – 10am Pacific
Training Session 3: Marketing & Sales
July 22 from 9 – 11am Pacific
Mentoring Session 3
July 29 from 9 – 10am Pacific
Training Session 4: Executing Your Plan
August 5 from 9 – 11am Pacific
Mentoring Session 4
August 12 from 9 – 10am Pacific
Who is needed & What you'll be doing
4-8 Business Trainers
We are looking for volunteers with idea generation, marketing, sales, financial, and other business skills to develop and lead or co-lead one of the interactive training sessions. In addition to leading the session, you will also give assignments and resources to the participants to further cement the concepts you taught.
Anticipated Commitment: 2-5 hours to design and prep and 2 hours to lead your training session
10 Mentors
Mentors will be paired with 2 Gambian youth and will have 1 hour together every other week. In that time you will review their assignments, answer any questions youth may have, share any additional wisdom, and provide your mentees with any additional resources or tasks you think they would benefit from.
Anticipated Commitment: 1 hour on July 1, 15, 29, and August 12
About our partner
The Nova Scotia Gambia Association (NSGA) has been working in the Gambia since 1985 delivering programs and projects focused around health and education. In 2019, the NSGA transitioned to a fully Gambian staff and Board of Directors, supporting the association’s ability to work directly with end beneficiaries.
At present, NSGA’s work is focused in three core areas: Peer education to support health and life skills development for youth in an out of school, ending child marriage and female genital mutilation, and delivery comprehensive sexual education in schools.
Our Program particpants
You will be working with Gambian youth ages 16-35 who have little or no businesses training or experience but who are interested in starting their own businesses. When asked why they wanted to start their own business, many expressed a desire to help people, to turn a volunteer passion into an income, and to uplift their families and communities.
Want to get involved?
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Frequently Asked Questions
I'm interested in being a mentor, but I cannot commit to all 4 mentoring sessions. Can I still participate?
Ideally, we would like you to commit to all 4 sessions so that the Gambian youth have a consistent mentor. But regardless of your ability to commit, email bryanna@venture2impact.org to communicate your interest in participating.
Can I invite a friend or colleague to participate?
Absolutely! But please keep in mind virtual projects are a new initiative for V2I. As long as they know they are part of our learning journey, helping us to improve our virtual volunteer options, they are most welcome.