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Craig Schroeder Senior Associate Engaging and Attracting Young People to Rural Montana January 15, 2008 Montana Rural Community Conference Billings, MT
Craig SchroederSenior Associate
Engaging and Attracting Young People
to Rural Montana
January 15, 2008
Montana Rural Community Conference
Billings, MT
Agenda:
Making the CaseEngaging ‘E’ Young PeopleSystem for Youth EngagementModels and ResourcesNext Steps for Your Community
Background…
HomeTown Competitiveness
Leaders
Charitable Donors
Entrepreneurs
Young People
Economic Development Economic Development RealityReality
? GrowingPoverty
NaturalResourceIndustries ?
?Business
Attraction
Out-Migration
LocalBusiness
Development
ExternalSubsidies
Critical Issues
Generational Wealth Transfer
Historical Youth Out-Migration Trends
Loss of Farms, Industry and Small Businesses
Erosion of Leadership and Civic Capacity
Impact Upon Citizen Satisfaction
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Family
Faith
Friends
Health
Education
Career
Community
Job Opp.
Income
Fin. Sec.
Rural Poll, CARI
8% 4%
88%Uncertain
Yes
No
Still, Few [Adults] Plan to Leave
Rural Poll, CARI
“Youth may be 20% of our population, but they are
100% of our future!”
U.S. Senator Ben Nelson
Gallup Poll Results
Seven out of 10 (69%) high-school students are interested in starting their own business, but 86% rated themselves as very poor to fair on their knowledge of business and entrepreneurship.
85% of these students thought it was important or very important to receive entrepreneurship education in schools.
Gallup Organization, Inc. 1994
Targeting Youth “E” Talent…Youth currently in your community may well represent your greatest resource for
economic growth and community sustainability.
The challenge is to: engage these youth, equip them with the skills and knowledge
to be successful, and then support them and their
enterprising ventures.
New Opportunities– Entrepreneurship– Information Technology– Biotechnology
Youth Perspectives– Family and Community– Quality of Life and Civic Engagement– Entrepreneurship – a preferred career path
We need to rethink our options and learn from history…
Learning From History:
Not that long ago, 9 in 10 Americans were
self-employed.
They knew how to create and sustain entrepreneurial
communities.
How Did They Do It?
Focused on entrepreneurs and commerce Captured growing regional markets Invested wealth back into creating more wealth Sought skilled individuals to build businesses Used wealth to improve their quality of life Built for the benefit of future generations Encouraged children to carry-on business
Your Entrepreneurial Heritage?
Then Came Industrial Age Impact…
Shift from “Colonial” to National Economy Shift from local processing to bulk exports Shift to buying finished goods externally Shift from business ownership to employee Major job creation around urban factories All this led to out-migration and loss of wealth Result: declining economic & social capacity
The Economy is Changing
The Industrial Age is passing away…
…and the future,
much like our past, will be…
…Driven by Entrepreneurship!
Examples of Change:
Entrepreneurial agriculture is expanding 70% of economic growth and new jobs now
attributed to entrepreneurship More youth seeking business ownership path Internet is overcoming geographic barriers Hand-crafted valued over mass-produced People seeking quality of life and quality career
Youth Are Critical to Rural Vitality!
3:1 positive impact upon population Long-term business and career goals Educated workforce for expanding businesses Substantial consumers of goods and services New energy, skills, ideas and resources Support and use public institutions Retention of local generational wealth
Youth Attraction
Making your community a more attractive choice for young people!
Sampling of Youth Survey Results
Plan toAttend College
Desire to Return Home
Want toOwn Business
OwnBusiness Now
Atkinson Pop. 1380
96% 66% 57% 14%
O'Neill Pop. 3,852
98% 55% 64% 12%
Stuart Pop. 650
100% 66% 60% 14%
Survey of all high school (9-12) students, 2005-06
Survey QuestionsCambridge
Pop. 1,041McCookPop. 7,994
ColumbusPop. 20,971
Garden County
Pop. 2,292
Rate your community (1-10) 6.6 5.3 5.1 6.2
Interested in owning your own business in the future? 47% 41% 43% 51%Have a business right now? 17% 9% 7% 19%Picture yourself living in the area in the future? 47% 48% 49% 49%
More Youth Survey Results
Survey of all JH and HS (7-12) students, 2007
But, What Are Youth Saying?
I’m waiting to graduate, then I will… Other than sports, we get negative attention. Adults seem desperate to keep us here. Why is it adults always want to build a new
community building? We’d like a theater, or… I want to take an entrepreneurship class. We want to help pick the color!
Exercise:
Youth Engagement
Community Capacity Questionnaire
How do communities involve youth?
Do to Youth Do for Youth Do with Youth
Skateboard Zoning
Trash Cleanup
Focus on Stars and Ignore Other Youth
Teen Center
College Scholarships
Tell Youth the Right Way to Do Things
Youth Events
Decision Making
Listen and Support Youth Discovery
Challenges in Education
Engaging Youth
Seek young people with entrepreneurial ideas Ask them about their plans after high school Ask them to show you what they’re working on Be patient and actively listen to them Show them they are valued and important Find out what they need to be successful Make it happen one youth at a time!
Tools for Youth Engagement
Listening and encouraging by adults Scholarships and apprenticeships Personal finance education Micro-lending fund Business incubator and support services Peer networks and adult mentors Generational Business Transfer
Partners in Youth Engagement
Schools (E-curriculum & programs) Entrepreneur clubs/projects (4H, FCCLA, FFA) Community (learning laboratory) Economic Development Group Resource Providers Entrepreneurs Others?
Identifying E-Youth May not immediately come to mind Can be introverted to very engaging Creative and enjoy experimenting May find them in the workshop or craft room May not be high academic achievers Often have one or more micro-businesses May talk about markets more than sports, etc. Usually know they are wired differently (1:10)
Young Adult ‘E’ Indicators Own a business or express this desire Have a micro-business on the side Might find them drawing ideas on napkins Engaged in creative hobbies – talent or gift May be involved in non-profit or civic roles Taking a marketing class at an area college Come up with creative ways to solve problems May have put their dream on the back burner
Cody Foster
Artistic Entrepreneur
Haley KilpatrickStudents helping students…
Community Support of
Youth & Enterprises
Entrepreneurial Education &
Career Development
Youth Involvement & Leadership in Community
Engage
Equip
Support
Youth Engagement System
Desired Short-term Results
Greater community involvement with youth
Entrepreneurship and hands-on learning
Stronger school-community partnerships
More young people planning to stay or return to the community as young adults
Bringing Their Career Home
Longer-term Results
Community attracting more young families
Greater local investment in community priorities
New and expanding businesses
Revitalized civic institutions and leadership
Exercise:
Community Support of
Youth & Enterprises?
Entrepreneurial Education &
Career Development?
Youth Involvement & Leadership in Community?
Engage
Equip
Support
Models…
…Putting All the Pieces Together!
Best Practice Research:
CFED
AEO
Aspen Institute
CFED REAL – Big Stone Gap, VA
Paul Kuzcko, REAL Director
CFED REAL – Virginia7 high schools in 4 communities plus Tech. college24 teachers REAL certified over past 8 years23 social programs contribute fundingE-ship throughout school curriculum Workforce Investment dollars pay students
-Bush Mills – renovation, tours, corn products-Bluegrass CD of local artist, old photographs-Bat houses for West Nile carrying insects-Beauty Parlor, Catering, Plasma Cutter
• Blended Curriculum:
National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)
Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (REAL)
Lincoln County, Oregon Youth Entrepreneurship Program
Activities:
Kayak rentals
Guided tours
Bike rentals added in 2006
• Results:
$12,000 profit
6 student summer jobs
Community support
Lincoln County, Oregon Youth Entrepreneurship Program
KnoxCounty
Valley County
Two HTC Case Studies…
KnoxCounty
Case Study #1:
Thinking Outside the Box Event
Youth Chamber of Commerce
Inventors Club
Community Foundation
Leadership QuestBusiness
Project
Group Project
Individual Project
Community Focused
11th Grade Summer E-ship
Program
Nebraska Business Development Center
Community College Campuses
Host Communities
Invitation to Get Involved!
Valley County
Case Study #2:
Ord’s Young Entrepreneur Fair
The Vision: 100’s of Young
Entrepreneurs!Nancy Glaubke
Business Development Coordinator
Resources: Innovation Center
Tool Kit for Youth & Adults In Charting Assets & Creating Change(Formerly part of National 4H Council)
www.theinnovationcenter.org
Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education Clearinghouse of entrepreneurship education resources
www.entre-ed.org
The Rural School and Community TrustResources for rural schools and community-based learning
www.ruraledu.org
Local Resources:TeachersYouth Program LeadersYoung AdultsSuccessful EntrepreneursParents and GrandparentsService ProvidersVolunteers
Mobilizing the Community
Find Several Champions
Engage School Administration Early
Look for Youth Organization Partner(s)
Core Mobilization Team:Youth and Young Adults
School Administration and Key FacultyYouth Organization Leaders
Youth Strategy Suggested Action Plan Elements
a. Identification and engagement of entrepreneurial young people
b. Leverage partnerships among community, school, organizations and resource providers
c. Support of youth-led entrepreneurial and community development projects
d. Peer networking among youths and adult mentors
e. Evaluation of outcomes and refinement of youth engagement strategy
Vehicles to Consider
4H
Jr. Achievement
FFA, FCCLA, FBLA, DECA
Youth Action Groups
Young Adult Groups
Simple Things You Can Do
Scholarships/Internships
Annual Table of Honor
Welcome Home Party
Classmate Calls
Alumni Presentation
Key Points Today… Youth Attraction is really about making your
community an attractive choice for young people.
Many young people want to come back, but too few pathways are available to them.
Successful engagement occurs one young person at a time.
Listening and positive encouragement are critical to success.
Our heritage is entrepreneurial and our future must be as well. Youth are vital to this shift!
Center Resources
Center for Rural Entrepreneurship www.energizingentrepreneurs.org
RUPRI www.rupri.org
