"Train the Trainer" Model Elevates Minding Our Business Progams to a National Level

TRENTON, N.J. - Oct. 27, 2017 - PRLog -- "Train the Trainer" Model Elevates Minding Our Business Entrepreneurship Progams to a National Level

Trenton, NJ – October 24, 2017 – Minding Our Business (MOB), serving the community since 1997, encourages low-income youth to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams by supporting, mentoring and educating student participants through its Summer and Service Learning Programs. The Summer Program provides approximately 35 youth with the opportunity to start and run a business over a five-week period throughout the summer. Students participate in entrepreneurship training, learning to build and operate a business with the assistance of mentors, who guide them through each stage of the process. The training emphasizes academics to strengthen students' communication, reading and math skills, and students have the opportunity to showcase their business concept at Market Fair days and through a Business Plan competition, which is judged by a panel of local business and community leaders. The Service-Learning Program is a 15-week after-school program that serves approximately 135 students each spring, who are divided into teams and attend twelve 90-minute program sessions. College student mentors guide student teams through the process of starting and running a business, from concept to business plan, start-up loan, and grand opening. Their efforts also culminate in a Market Fair Day in which they put their business acumen to the test. To date, more than 4,500 students and mentors have participated in MOB's entrepreneurship programs.

"The Summer and Service Learning Programs teach students about starting and running a business—developing business ideas, crafting a business plan, identifying start-up funding and launching their product," said MOB Executive Director Kevin Wortham. "Students participating in the Business Plan competition develop a PowerPoint presentation that outlines their business concept, goals and objectives; describes marketing and communication plans; and details financial strategies that include start-up and operating costs, budgets and income statements", says Wortham. The Business Plan Competition is part of the training and learning experience and provides students with the opportunity to hone their public speaking skills and join together as a team to prepare and deliver a professional-level presentation to senior-level executives.

In an effort to create a model that fosters sustainability, scalability and replicability that will enable MOB to offer its programming on a national level, a "train the trainer" component has been developed. This model allows program facilitators; civic, community, faith-based, corporate, and business leaders; government officials; subject area specialists; and educators to provide training for students. MOB will train interested persons in the art of facilitation in leadership, a team-based approach to mentoring and entrepreneurship  At the conclusion of a three-day training, each participant will have the needed tools to actively engage students in a unique and creative way. This "train the trainer" model provides the opportunity to replicate MOB programming in multiple schools and/or designated settings on a continuous basis for each school year.

The "train the trainer" model is highly recommended for high school and college students who are interested in service learning and community engagement. In fact, some high schools and colleges require credits be fulfilled for a service learning experience. For more information about Minding Our Business and the "train the trainer" model for the Summer and spring Service Learning programs, please visit MOB's website at www.minding-our-business.com or contact Executive Director, Kevin Wortham at kevin@minding-our-business.com or by phone at 609-731-9311.