Craig Schroeder Senior Associate

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

craigs@neb.rr.com