Providing the spark
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 5:29 pm
Communities must encourage entrepreneurs
By Dennis Kahl
UNL Extension Educator
Over the past several years I have noticed a very positive change in attitude in Butler County. Communities are learning to accept that change will happen whether we may want it to or not. But if you look at some of that change, it is very positive.
To become more inclusive like the Butler County Area Foundation and Butler County Chamber of Commerce have been has opened up the doors for new resources to flow into the region.
Butler County is on the map with several examples of being the community to watch.
As new leaders emerge, whether from the Butler County Leadership program or otherwise, it is important to ask and involve our future generations, including high school students.
UNL Extension has included Aquinas in a new pilot program this year that we hope will be sustainable in the future.
Right now we call the program "Community Connections".
Aquinas teacher Tony Smith and Stephanie Dubbs, director of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce, are local coordinators for the program. This pilot project includes Milford and Thayer counties in addition to Aquinas. Three of the goals of the program are
1. Linking high school students with local business mentors as they study the community, learn new skills and resources that will help them identify potential new entrepreneurial opportunities in the area.
2. A new business will open in Butler County by July of 2010.
3. Create a stronger awareness of the need to focus on supporting new entrepreneurs wanting to start a business or move a business to Butler County.
The second is a pretty lofty goal but it is doable if we put the heads of youth and adults together to do some research.
The students and adult business mentors meet once a month for a three hour period during the school day to learn such things as what they like about their community, what assets the community has, what would they like to see as businesses in the community, narrowing down to potential business ideas, developing a business plan and starting a new business. This past week the three Community Connection groups met in York for a face to face experience in an Intergenerational Dialogue. They learned more about various generations' values, shopping preferences, financial resource needs, and interest in community.
Watch for a report in the paper from the Aquinas class.
I hope you'll keep up with what's going on with Community Connections and become a strong supporter of our innovative, entrepreneurial youth strengths.
