The NGO “Adult learning and education center “South”, with the support of international partners and the Mykolaiv Development Agency, has launched the Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator, a training course where 20 participants will gain the necessary knowledge to create or develop their own social enterprise.
The training is designed to last 50 hours. During the first lessons, mentors explained the difference between commercial and social entrepreneurship, trainers taught how to evaluate business ideas and conduct a SWOT analysis, and helped to create a business model for their social enterprise and test it. The participants also learned about possible markets for social business promotion and the specifics of its positioning.⠀
The students are from not only Mykolaiv, but also from four neighboring communities (Voznesensk, Bashtanka, Halytsynivka, and Shevchenkivska).
“The training started last weekend. As a result, participants will develop business plans for their social enterprises under the guidance of mentors. And the 5 most diligent participants will be able to receive funding to implement their business ideas,” said project manager Anna Nikulina.
Students have already started sharing their first impressions of the course:
“The course is perfectly structured. Lectures and practical assignments helped us to better understand how to create and develop businesses that not only make a profit but also have a positive impact on society and the environment. I would especially like to mention the teachers and mentors who have extensive experience in this field. Their advice and support were invaluable. They not only shared theoretical knowledge, but also talked about real-life cases, which added even more value to the learning process,” said Yulia Uchen, a representative of the Shevchenkivska community.
After the training, all participants will receive mentoring assistance in developing high-quality business plans for social enterprises. Upon completion, a competition will be held among them, and 5 winners will receive funding equivalent to $10,000 to implement their mini-projects. The winners will also have the opportunity to visit several successful social enterprises in Kyiv to learn from their experience.
