Page 164 - 1-Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Development by Norman Walzer (z-lib.org)

The Difference Makers: Entrepreneurial Young People 153

Figure 8.1. Integrated Youth Engagement System

To help tie these concepts to one’s own community work, stop at this
point and draw this diagram on a large piece of paper. Think about specific
programs and activities that a community and school offer within each cir-
cle that support entrepreneurial development among youth. Write down
these items around the outside of the diagram in the appropriate location.
If a program or activity addresses more than one topic area, record it once
in an area that touches the appropriate circles.
After completing the exercise, stand back and look at the output. Where
is the most activity? Is there a lack of activity in one or more areas? Are some
activities and programs interconnected or is the diagram filled with discon-
nected elements?
Bring others into the discussion and begin to develop youth engagement
goals and supporting activities with youth program leaders, young people,
school administrators, civic leaders, and the business community. Consider
what outcomes are to be achieved during the next two to five years, and de-
termine how key elements on the diagram can be linked and support one
another in a systematic approach to reaching the stated goals. Identify and
secure additional resources and programs needed to fill gaps in the youth
engagement strategy.
This integrated approach may be as straightforward as providing an en-
trepreneurship curriculum in the local school tied to apprenticeships with