·  The Need  ·  Workshops  ·  Community Projects  ·  Community Intervention Program   SHARED VISIONS   Monica Knight formerly Coneys has taken her African hive model of intrapreneurship and used it as a basis for educating and preparing youth for the workplace; and as future entrepreneurs. Over the past seven years, Monica has toured schools and customized delivery of experiential workshops to a variety of young people. She is passionate about working with this country’s ‘youth with potential’.   Shared Visions includes both short and long term learning programs and events which are available for implementation in communities, schools, as well as, individual or corporate groups. This experiential business development concept is delivered to young people in a non-traditional but very effective way. While different techniques are used, the concepts still maintain a culturally supported learning style.   Shared Visions is designed to reach youth at an elementary and high school level via workshops to plant the seeds for future intra and entrepreneurial activities. Shared Visions also works with young people ages 18 to 30 who may not be employment ready via community projects.   Monica  introduces young people to the concept of Ubuntu in its most essential form via her “intrapreneurial hive” model. Success of the central hive enterprise feeds and nurtures the potential success of all associated enterprises. The spirit of cooperation and mutuality that underpins a hive structure is Ubuntu.     Download More Info on the Concept of Intrapreneurship   Download More Info on the Concept of UBUNTU                                                                                                               back to top  x   WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR SHARED VISIONS?   Research indicates that young people display entrepreneurial qualities early in life.Many want to be business owners so they can have the freedom of being their own boss or express their creative talents. United States research discloses that minority youth have the highest expectations of entrepreneurship, but research also shows that they have little access to the training programs which could help transform their desire into achievement.   In Saskatchewan, a large disparity remains in the proportion of Aboriginal business owners compared to their non minority counterparts. One way to close the gap is by teaching Aboriginal youth the risks, rewards, and skills of entrepreneurship; at an early age. In a study done about a decade ago by Marilyn Kourilsky of the UCLA School of Education, it was found that youthful entrepreneurs are characterized by traits which emerge early. As pre-schoolers, they showed a taste for risk-taking, a talent for creative problem solving, and high achievement motivation. As many as one-fourth of kindergarten pupils displayed  such entrepreneurial qualities. They were also characterized by a sense of controlling one's own  destiny that lends itself to entrepreneurial ambitions. If these traits are not nurtured in some positive  manner, they tend to atrophy or they are redirected into deviant behavior.   What motivates youth at a later age? Emmanuel Modu of the Center for Teen Entrepreneurs (New Jersey USA) conducted a survey of high school students, mostly minorities, who attended a 1990 entrepreneurship conference. He asked questions about how they became interested in business ownership and what they considered to be the most important goals concerning that occupation. A large majority of respondents indicated they were encouraged to consider entrepreneurship as a career by business owners in their community, including their parents or other relatives who ran a family business; the influence of positive role modeling was clearly present. Almost half the respondents said they wanted to be entrepreneurs because it would allow them to express their creative talents. About one-third emphasized a related reason: they liked being in control of their work situation with the freedom those options bring. Some had their community's well-being in mind, declaring a desire to create services benefiting community residents. Very few were motivated by the prospect of "making lots of money."   In Saskatchewan, about 20% of youth leave school before completing Grade 12. While many return to school at a later date, some do not - and of those who graduate, 60% do not immediately undertake post secondary or skills training. Many are not employment ready. It is well documented that many successful entrepreneurs tend to be low achievers in a traditional educational environment and often have not graduated from high school.                                                                                                               back to top  x   WORKSHOPS   Half day or longer workshops are a key delivery vehicle for Shared Visions whereby Monica illustrates the basic precepts and ideology of starting a business and incorporates interactive activities to illustrate the intrapreneurial model.   Monica brings hands-on, practical and inspirational learning experiences to workshop participants that moves beyond the textbook approach, to engage youth in a realistic vision of the future.   This program reinforces life skills such as: team building; negotiation; thinking outside the box; working under pressure; and conflict resolution. A drum making activity is often integrated into the workshop. Constructing a drum symbolizes the role of an entrepreneur in a community. Involving other group members in design and decoration of the drum reinforces the value of a network & the strengths of being part of a greater whole.                                                                                                               back to top  x   LONG TERM COMMUNITY PROJECTS   The objective of this program is to provide a practical, realistic experiential learning experience for groups of young people from a community or First Nations reserve. This program supports and emphasizes community based development and retention of youth in rural areas. At the end of the program, these young people will have practical management and skills experience in business development.   Project success is linked to the foundational tenets of ‘cooperation and mutual support’ which greatly reduces the traditional risk associated with starting a business or any new endeavour. Most importantly, participants will gain self-esteem and confidence to launch their own business through an active process of mentorship by supporting partners and organizations in the community.   Specific outcomes include: Exposure to the ‘entrepreneurial attitude, which can also be incorporated into the traditional workplace environment as an employee.   Concept and business plan development by participants, and exposure to business systems which are actually working.   Participants will be positioned for the future using vibrant, opportunity focused concepts and methodology.   Participants and their sponsors will experience first hand, an integrated community based approach to economic development and nurturing of our youth.   Life skills development include: team building; negotiation; thinking outside the box; working under pressure; and conflict resolution. Monica Knight has implemented long term community projects in Mortlach, Wakaw and North Battleford Saskatchewan with the assistance and support of the communities and the Government of Canada. All participants in her long term community projects have enhanced their employability skills and many have returned to further post secondary education.                                                                                                               back to top  x    COMMUNITY INTERVENTION PROGRAM   IS YOUR COMMUNITY READY FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE?   IF SO, MONICA KNIGHT’S COMMUNITY INTERVENTION PROGRAM MAY BE THE RIGHT STEP AS YOU SET YOUR ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE.   As a successful Community Economic Development (CED) Practitioner who has worked on both short and long term community projects in a number of Saskatchewan communities, Monica advocates action from within the community to create change.   As a catalyst for transformational change, Monica facilitates the CED process by immersing herself in a community or region and using knowledge and resources embedded in the community to spearhead rejuvenation and sustainable growth. The key to community economic development is ensuring that the process is inclusive and participatory. Results of community economic development may include developing entirely new businesses or industries, adding value to existing sectors, strengthening capacity, and improving local infrastructure to help communities achieve their full economic potential.     Download More Info on Monica's Community Intervention Program                                                                                                               back to top  x