YOUTH IN USA: DEVELOPING ENTREPRENEURS & SOCIAL INNOVATORS OF THE FUTURE
Example: Social Innovation Youth Incubator
GOODdler Social Innovation Youth Incubator is one of the first accelerator programs that help youth explore what it takes to redesign entire social realities for a better world using system-based approaches. This unique program puts social entrepreneurship in a larger context and reveals often overlooked possibilities to address systemic root causes of local and global issues. With the growing recognition of systems-change initiatives as a necessary alternative to failing models in philanthropy, policy, and social entrepreneurship, we need to connect youth with cutting-edge thinking and practical experience of redesigning social realities for a more just, sustainable, and flourishing civilization.
Inspire to lead:
We are working on developing a new type of a leader - who is able to catalyze and empower collective action among others to achieve a shared goal, rather than controlling or directing the action. Using systems-change approaches as a foundation of our curriculum, we are creating Systems Leaders, able to face complexity and uncertainty of the times. Participants get support in identifying, understanding and building on their strengths using CliftonStrengths Assessment and developing some of the Compassionate and Evolutionary Leadership Competencies. Equipped with the knowledge of their dominant strengths, they will consider their unique strengths within the context of others’ strengths, identify key partnerships that are essential to individual growth and team performance, and explore how the team can use its collective talents to maximize performance and productivity. A Strengths-Based, Systems Leadership Development curriculum allows youth to thrive.
IDEA HACKATHON:
The purpose of the Idea Hackathon is threefold: to set shared norms and expectations for the weeks ahead, to select ideas that will be explored by participants during the program, and to form teams around those ideas. This 2-day process will allow participants to choose whether they want to work on building a socially responsible business, make a social impact through a social enterprise, or start an evolutionary initiative that uses entrepreneurship in combination with other activities to catalyze systemic change.
BUSINESS MODEL GENERATION WORKSHOP:
The purpose of the Flourishing Business Model Generation workshop is to get an understanding of the role of business models in entrepreneurship and social change and to start designing business models based on the stakeholder discovery research conducted by the teams.
On the first day of the workshop teams present their research to each other and to their mentors, do exercises that help participants learn and embody key insights they need to design relevant business models that consider all ecosystem actors, learn useful conceptual frameworks and study cases of real-world businesses, social enterprises, and systemic change initiatives.
On the second day, participants are guided through a step-by-step process of designing the first iteration of their business model using the Flourishing Business Model Canvas - a cutting-edge framework that expands the conventional Business Model Canvas to include the systemic approach to the role of an entrepreneurial venture in social and environmental context. Teams then present their canvases and receive guidance on the next phase of the program: Testing.
TESTING:
In the weeks after the Business Model Workshop participants refine their business model, build a prototype, roll the sleeves and work in the community, testing the prototype with customers, civic, nonprofit and corporate partners, and other stakeholders. As teams gather feedback on their prototype, they adjust or even completely redesign their business models based on that feedback. During this phase, teams continue to receive support from their Curators, leadership mentors, advisors, and other teams.
STAKEHOLDER DISCOVERY:
Stakeholder Discovery corresponds with the Customer Discovery Phase of a conventional business accelerator. Having a great idea and even having an extensive experience with the issue does not guarantee that your idea is relevant. Many people think that this rule does not apply to them for one reason or another, but, with rare exceptions, everyone has to learn to challenge their assumptions - either deliberately or after a hard clash with reality. In traditional entrepreneurship, everything starts with finding and studying prospective customers and their needs. The goals of this program require a more challenging approach: to find and study different stakeholder groups including those who do not necessarily have the power or resources to impact your venture but might be significantly affected by what you do. We also ask participants to look behind the perceived needs and find out what worldviews, cultures, and institutions created those needs and identify potential solutions or interventions that could address those needs either directly or through changing their context.
Each team does this work in the weeks after the Idea Hackathon supported by weekly calls or meetings with the Curator as well as flexible advisory relationships with established entrepreneurs, investors, professionals, and thought leaders that the team was able to get interested in supporting their idea. Some of such advisors attend GOODdler hackathons to select their mentees while others can be identified and approached independently with the support of the Curator. Teams also have a chance to check in with each other during a peer mentoring call.
GO TO MARKET/COMMUNITY STRATEGY WORKSHOP:
This 1-day workshop helps teams prepare for the launch of their venture. Teams that got traction with their stakeholders during the testing phase design strategies they can start implementing right away. Teams that had to pivot or otherwise abandon their original ideas without confirming a fit with the market & the community, learn frameworks and principles they will use once they get traction with their prototypes.
PITCH WORKSHOP:
The 1-day Pitch Workshop is offered right after the Go To Market/Community Strategy Workshop and guides teams through a step-by-step process to design their pitches using an appropriate pitch canvas. At the end of the day, teams present their pitches and get initial feedback from advisors and mentors.
PITCH MASTERY & RELATIONSHIP BUILDING:
During this phase, teams focus on perfecting their pitches while identifying potential contacts they would like to present their project to or invite to the Demo Day. This phase features intensive interactions within and across teams, with advisors, track curators, and potential supporters to get feedback on multiple iterations of the pitch and make sure teams are ready to give the best possible presentation on the Demo Day.
DEMO DAY & GRADUATION:
In the first part of the day, participants have an opportunity to reflect on their GOODdler journey and map out their personal and professional evolution, and articulate tangible takeaways from the program. After lunch, teams present to a panel of investors, social impact experts, and thought leaders in the field of systemic change. The judges give feedback to the teams, evaluate presentations, and select one team that demonstrated the most outstanding achievement in the program. That team will be invited to pitch at the GOODdler Social Innovation Youth Summit together with other teams selected by the GOODdler Foundation through a rigorous selection process. The Demo Day ends with a graduation ceremony. After graduating from the program, each participant receives a personalized leadership development report with notes from their Curator and mentors.
EVENTS:
Demo Days. Presentations of proposed solutions to the audience of philanthropists, social impact investors, and global civic and corporate leaders.
Gooddler Social Impact Youth Summit. The annual Gooddler Social Innovation Youth Summit is a vibrant forum for university and high-school student leaders advancing global development to learn, challenge, grow, and connect with a global community of the changemakers. (FALL 2025, TBD)
Trip to one selected event based on the interests of the group
When: SUMMER/FALL, 2025
(all dates are subject to change and will be confirmed at the acceptance to the program)
Time commitment:
6 intensive virtual training sessions
Must be able to attend at least 3), weekly virtual meetings by teams led by expert advisors, independent work 6+ hours/week.One-on-one in person and/or virtual meetings with project appropriate leaders, CEOs of startups and industry experts (as needed).
Social Innovation Youth Summit. Selected projects will get a chance to pitch to an audience of the Summit.
Where:
Hybrid
Who:
13+
No tech experience is needed.
Cost:
$5500/per person*
A limited number of scholarships are available.
* Gooddler Foundation is a 100% volunteer organization; 100% of revenue goes to cover the cost of programs.
Leadership Cohort:
What:
What does it take to be a Systems Leader, able to take on complex challenges that require systems thinking? An additional opportunity is available to a small, selected group of youth to join our Gooddler Social Innovation Youth Incubator Leadership Cohort. It includes: an executive leadership development, one-on-one coaching and mentoring; co-facilitation of Gooddler youth programs; 1 trip to a global event as a Gooddler Intern; participation in meetings of an organizing committee of the Social Innovation Youth Summit.
Who:
Youth with some formal or informal leadership experience (a president of a club, a founder of a business, etc)
How:
Please, apply to join the Gooddler Social Innovation Youth Incubator and mention your interest in our Leadership Cohort under "Is there anything else you would like to share with us?". We will reach out to you.
Request More Information:
VISION
Inspire youth to become a part of a solution to the most pressing local and global issues.
Goals
To help youth explore what it takes to redesign entire social realities for a better world using system-based approaches
To develop in youth qualities of an evolutionary leader, a designer of an alternative economic future
To provide youth with an awareness of and exposure to entrepreneurship: How to see problems as opportunities
To present a wide spectrum of social challenges, share effective strategies and innovative methods of solving them
To connect the next generation of entrepreneurs, educators, activists, philanthropists, impact investors, and innovators
When:
SUMMER/FALL 2025
Time commitment:
6 intensive virtual training sessions
Must be able to attend at least 4), weekly virtual meetings by teams led by expert advisors, independent work 6+ hours/week.One-on-one virtual meetings with project appropriate leaders, CEOs of startups and industry experts (as needed).
Trip to an event (based on the interests of the group
Where:
Hybrid
Who:
13+
No tech experience is needed.
Cost:
$5500/per person
A limited number of scholarships are available upon request.
Space is limited. An admission to the program is on the rolling basis. Secure your spot now.
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* Gooddler Foundation is a 100% volunteer organization; 100% of revenue goes to cover the cost of programs; a portion of the cost ($7000/per person) is subsidized by the Foundation)