Facilitator guide for
Entrepreneurial skills
Table of contents
© ReadytoWork 2015
An introduction to ReadytoWork
3
Facilitating face-to-face ReadytoWork sessions
4
Tips for facilitators
6
Overview: Module 4 – Entrepreneurial skills
9
Topic 1. Considering self-employment
10
Topic 2.
Key things new business owners should know about the marketplace
14
Topic 3. Setting up your business
18
2
An introduction to ReadytoWork
Thank you for your willingness to facilitate the ReadytoWork
programme. We appreciate your expertise and the time you
will be taking to help upskill young people.
ReadytoWork provides a valuable bridge between the worlds of school, college
or university and that of work. This job preparation initiative enables school leavers
and college or university graduates to explore and develop the skills required for
a successful transition into employment or self-employment.
ReadytoWork is uniquely African. With stories and examples from an array of young
people in Africa as well as learning material that is tailored to the needs of a vibrant,
young and ambitious African market, this curriculum is written by Africans for Africans.
With learning modules that address work, people, money and entrepreneurial skills,
young people will be able to broaden their employability skill set. In each module
there are learning topics written in the form of articles that have been designed
to speak to young people – the information is bite-sized, the learning is short
and to the point and the material is young, trendy and engaging.
© ReadytoWork 2015
3
Facilitating face-to-face ReadytoWork sessions
Face-to-face sessions give facilitators the opportunity to engage and interact with
young people by sharing stories, introducing activities or encouraging discussions.
Using the learning topic as a supportive learning tool, the facilitator can expand
on and enrich the learning material.
These workshops are intended for young people to:
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Meet others who are in similar circumstances as their own
Share ideas with peers
Be inspired by insight from the facilitator
Receive guidance and support
Ask questions and clarify understanding
Facilitating a face-to-face ReadytoWork session requires preparation.
When you are standing in front of a room full of young people to facilitate a topic,
you are seen as a representative of ReadytoWork. A broad understanding of the
ReadytoWork initiative, its objectives and the learning material design approach
will enable facilitators to conduct effective sessions, drawing further interest from
young people.
The following preparation steps are key:
Preparation step 1:
Read through the ReadytoWork background information, facilitation tips
and other information contained in the facilitator guide well in advance
of the sessions.
Each topic has its own facilitator guide, which is broken up into two
main parts.
Part 1 provides an overview of the topic and learning objectives,
as well as the resources required to facilitate the session effectively.
Part 2 provides practical facilitation guidelines and suggested activities.
Preparation step 2:
Where possible, ensure that young people have access to the learning topic
in advance and are encouraged to read through it before the face-to-face
ReadytoWork session.
Preparation step 3:
Work through the learning topic(s) you will be facilitating very carefully, taking care
to highlight key learning areas or important points. Reading through other related
learning topics and visiting the ReadytoWork website is also encouraged, to ensure
a contextual understanding of the skills being imparted.
© ReadytoWork 2015
4
Learning design approach
In order to facilitate the material effectively, it is helpful to understand the approach
used in developing it. The ReadytoWork learning topics are designed to engage and
inspire young people. The way in which the learning information is crafted into the
topic articles is different to traditional learning material, but it follows a clear, simple
and effective format.
Use a learning topic to identify this format.
Format guideline
Explanation
What you may see
in the topic
Youth mentor personalisation
A youth mentor or young
person who is knowledgeable
and experienced in this
matter, shares his/her views.
There is a youthful African
narrator who is more
experienced and tells
the story.
Discovering the topic
Participants are allowed to
discover this topic, look at
how it could influence them,
why it is important, and what
could happen.
Real-life exploration of each
topic opens the topic and
explains why it is important
and relevant.
Learning
Some basic learning points
are presented.
Learning points, definitions
and steps to follow are
shared.
Application
Using the discovery and
learning to the advantage of
the participant.
There are always activities
and ways in which the
participant can apply or use
the information that has been
provided.
Captivating theme
A story or theme that
underscores the learning
and is repeated or referred to
during the article.
Written and visual referral
to the theme of the article,
creating interest with the
young audience.
Remember:
Young people who are attending a face-to-face ReadytoWork session should read
the learning topics on their own, prior to attending the workshop. However, you
may take a few moments at the beginning of your workshop to create context
and refresh their memories by giving an overview of the main points.
© ReadytoWork 2015
5
Tips for facilitators
Follow these handy facilitation tips:
• Set ground rules upfront
• Remember participants’ names; it is easy if you have a sketch of the room
setup. As individuals introduce themselves, add their names to your sketch
• Begin to use participants’ names as soon as they introduce themselves.
It helps participants to feel welcome and helps you to remember their names
• Tell participants that this is their learning room and that you want it to be
comfortable for them (temperature, lighting, noise, distractions and so forth)
• Set a goal that everyone will speak at least once during the session
• Act upbeat, even if you are not up to par on the day
• Never underestimate the power of enthusiasm;
it is infectious. Humour adds to an enthusiastic atmosphere
• Facilitation requires good communication skills: attending,
observing, listening and questioning
• Be aware of your non-verbal behaviour
• When participants share stories or problems, take note
and remember to use them as examples later on in the session
Add fun to function during large group discussions:
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Encourage repeated audience responses, such as cheers
Get participants involved to demonstrate your point
Ask for a show of hands in response to questions
Ask for people to sit or stand in response to questions
Use a humorous anecdote or read a cartoon that brings
your point across
Tell a story, recite a poem, or quote someone important
Follow these questioning techniques to enhance your facilitation:
When facilitating, it is useful to use questioning to involve participants in the
learning process. One-sided learning, where people are just listening and nodding,
is less effective than an interactive, discussion-rich learning experience.
When we ask questions and give participants the opportunity to reflect and discuss,
the following benefits are experienced:
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© ReadytoWork 2015
Participants learn as you involve them on mental, sensory and emotional levels
A group discussion gets participants to collaborate and share
Participants have the opportunity to listen to each other’s insights
Meaningful, interesting discussions take place
6
Below are the types of questions you can use to facilitate learning – remember
them by using the acronym ORID:
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Objective questions
Reflective questions
Interpretative questions
Decision questions
Objective questions: Facts, data and senses
Objective questions are used to draw out the facts and data about a particular
situation or event. These types of questions teach participants about the different
perspectives of reality relating to the senses. Examples of objective questions are:
• What do you remember about the scenario?
• Which people or ideas stuck with you?
• What caught your attention and why?
Reflective questions: Head, heart and hands
Reflective questions relate to the emotional domain – the affective responses.
Examples of reflective questions include the following:
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What effect did this have on you?
Were you worried at any time?
Were you shocked at any time?
How did the group react to this situation?
Interpretative questions: Critical thinking
The participants are invited to consider the worth, significance or meaning
of an event for them. Examples of questions that allow them to do this include:
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What was your key thought?
What is the most meaningful part of this activity?
What can you take away from this experience?
What have you learnt from this activity?
How does this relate to your workplace/current reality?
Decision questions: Now what?
This type of questioning can be used where individuals and groups have to make
decisions about outcomes and determine future resolutions and/or actions.
Examples of such questions include:
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What will you change about your behaviour as a result of this experience?
Has this experience changed your thinking?
What was the importance of this experience in your life?
How will you apply what you have learnt in future?
Through using the ORID questions you can encourage participant discussion,
involve them on multiple levels and keep sessions interesting, involved and fun.
© ReadytoWork 2015
7
Consider these tips about the size of the group:
For effective facilitation of a topic, there should ideally be no more than
15 people in a group. However, if there are more than 15 people, consider
using the following facilitation techniques:
• With larger groups, small errors are overstated. Therefore, if you are not
adequately prepared, you could be setting yourself up for failure. Ensure
that you have prepared an agenda for yourself and follow the instructions
for managing each activity meticulously
• You may have more than one facilitator present. Sharing the workload
and the group interaction may be helpful and should encourage participation
• Walk around the room, ensure that participants understand the directions
and are not getting side-tracked, and determine how much more time they
need to complete a specific task
• Create opportunities for participants to discover knowledge by themselves
• Debrief all activities; consider using the “what?”, “so what?”
and “now what?” model.
Overview: Module 4 – Entrepreneurial skills
ReadytoWork Module 4 provides young people with the skills they need to venture
out on their own as an entrepreneur. By starting, setting up and growing their own
businesses, they can enhance their chances of self-employment and prosperity.
Before young people set out to open their own businesses, it is important that
they consider whether they are suitable, both personally and professionally,
to be an entrepreneur. By identifying suitability gaps and setting out into the
entrepreneurial world with realistic expectations, they can apply the skills
needed to grow into capable business owners who can fund their own income.
The Entrepreneurial skills module addresses these and other learning needs,
helping young people to apply entrepreneurial skills to the creation of business
opportunities.
Entrepreneurial skills consists of three learning topics, namely:
• Considering self-employment
• Key things new business owners should know about the marketplace
• Setting up your business
© ReadytoWork 2015
8
Topic 1: Considering
self-employment
1
Part 1: Prepare
Topic summary
While the option to be your own boss, work independently and not have to answer to anyone
may be a favourable one, the amount of work it takes to successfully execute a business
idea is often underestimated by graduates and school leavers. Entrepreneurship should be
encouraged, but the realities involved in the decision to start your own business must be
understood before embarking on the journey.
This topic outlines important things to consider when contemplating self-employment and
provides young people with the opportunity to reflect on the suitability of self-employment
as an option.
Learning objective
By the end of this topic, young people should be able to identify whether self-employment
is suitable as a career path.
Key learning points
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What is self-employment?
Golden rules of self-employment
Self-discipline
Business knowledge
Practical facilitation guidelines
Time required
It will take approximately 55 minutes to facilitate this topic, allowing
for activities, discussions, group work and sharing of examples.
•
Resources
required
Preparation
required
Application
or assessment
overview
© ReadytoWork 2015
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Printed or electronic version of ReadytoWork learning topic 1.
Considering self-employment, made available to all young people
for reading well before the face-to-face session
Information, pictures or reference material to support the facilitator
Paper cups and beans for young people to complete the icebreaker
and activity
Prepare for the session by reviewing the topic and steps suggested
in this facilitator guide
Research the concept of the entrepreneurial mindset and the qualities
that make successful entrepreneurs
At the end of this topic, learning is applied through an activity
This activity requires reflection and asks young people to think
about what needs to be taken into account when considering
becoming self-employed
9
Topic 1:
2
Part 2: Facilitate
Step 1: Break the ice with idea 1 or 2
5 Min
Icebreaker idea 1:
List the following items on a whiteboard: stapler, watch, wool and knitting needles, pen,
coat, cellular phone charger, yoga mat, music CD, hair brush, scissors, mouse pad, bicycle.
Ask the participants to divide into groups and select any three items from the list. In their
groups they must identify ways in which they could make repeat business with these items,
i.e. they cannot simply sell the items as they would not have a business after the sale.
Learning lesson: Encourage participants to get creative. It does not matter how crazy the
business solution is – the idea is to encourage creative thinking, entrepreneurial thinking
and to change participants’ perspectives of the way in which they view things.
Icebreaker idea 2:
Give the participants two paper cups each, one filled with beans and one empty. When two
participants meet, they introduce themselves and share something unique about themselves
– the more unique, the better and the more impressive. If the participants were impressed with
one another’s story, they have to put a bean in the other’s empty cup.
Learning lesson: Encourage the participants to learn to sell skills and build confidence.
Step 2: Introduce yourself and provide a brief overview of the topic
5 Min
Introduce yourself to the participants by sharing the following:
Introduction
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Your name and surname
Your current position and what it entails
The reasons why you volunteered to facilitate a ReadytoWork session
Your personal reflection – how your entrepreneurial skills have grown
Provide a brief overview of the learning topic by touching on the following:
Overview
•
•
As part of the Entrepreneurial skills Module of ReadytoWork, this
learning topic will assist young people in considering self-employment
In particular, this topic will help young people to understand what
is involved in entrepreneurship
Step 3: Discover and explore the topic
10 Min
Describe the topic opening theme
Topic opening
© ReadytoWork 2015
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The learning topic opens with the story of Ryan Markson, and how
his mother taught him invaluable lessons about entrepreneurship
at a young age
He describes how his mother’s hard work taught him motivation, determination and the will to make things happen against all odds
10
Topic 1:
2
Part 2: Facilitate
Step 3: Discover and explore the topic
10 Min
Pick up on the topic opening theme by using one or more of these ideas:
Facilitator
opening
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Discuss why motivation and determination are important
characteristics of successful entrepreneurs
Share an experience of your earliest lesson learnt with regard
to entrepreneurship
Ask young people to share their ideas of self-employment
and what they think it will be like
Ensure that the topic discovery is completed by discussing the following:
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Self-employment should be carefully considered – while there are
many benefits, there are also many realities that need to be understood
Anyone has the ability to become an entrepreneur, provided they
have a suitable product or service and the characteristics required
to be successful
Step 4: Facilitate learning
Facilitate key
learning point 1:
What is selfemployment?
Facilitate key
learning point 2:
Golden rules of
self-employemnt
© ReadytoWork 2015
20 Min
• Refer the group to page 2 of the topic
• Review what self-employment is
• To be self-employed, you would need to make money selling
either a product or a service. Key points to keep in mind:
• You must make your own money
• You must ensure your own job security
• You need a head for business
• Ask the group to identify an entrepreneur who they admire, someone who seems to have gotten the recipe right and displays successful characteristics
• Share a personal experience about someone who you look up to –
share their success story and why they decided that self-employment
was for them
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Refer the group to page 3 of the topic
Highlight the four golden rules of self-employment
Ask the group to self-reflect in relation to each of these four rules and identify how suited they are to self-employment. Those who
are comfortable can share their ideas
Ask group members to consider the individual whom they identified in the previous section and discuss how they fare in relation to the golden rules of self-employment
11
Topic 1:
2
Part 2: Facilitate
Step 4: Facilitate learning
Facilitate key
learning point 3:
Self-discipline
Facilitate key
learning point 4:
Business
knowledge
© ReadytoWork 2015
20 Min
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Refer the group to page 4 of the topic
Highlight the concept of self-discipline – the importance of motivation, innovation and creativity
Ask participants to think about an entrepreneur that displays a lot of creativity and innovation – this could be any business or individual that they are aware of
Share your experiences on applying innovation and creativity to improve something, as well as the self-discipline required to fulfil the role of both boss and worker
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Refer the group to page 5 of the topic
Discuss the idea of gaining business knowledge
and acquiring relevant skills required for the business world
Ask the participants to consider where and how they
can attain the necessary business knowledge
Share your experiences on gaining the knowledge
required to make your business a success
12
Topic 1:
3
Part 3: Support the application of learning
15 Min
ACTIVITY
The activity at the end of this topic asks young people to think about what
needs to be taken into account when considering becoming self-employed.
[Read each of the scenarios and allow the group of young people to
discuss each response.]
Ryan explained the four golden rules of self-employment. Read the
scenarios below and choose the most suitable responses for a budding
entrepreneur.
SCENARIO 1:
A friend of Ryan’s has been sitting at home as he is unemployed. Ryan
knows he has great technical skills and is brilliant at fixing cellphones.
The friend expresses his frustration and asks Ryan for advice.
How should Ryan respond?
Topic application
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Spend time with his friend discussing self-employment
so that he can create his own opportunity using his technical skills.
Look into the potential opportunity he has to set up a repair business using his technical skills.
Make your own opportunities.
SCENARIO 2:
Ryan’s friend is very excited about the thought of being self-employed and
wants to get started the next day.
How should Ryan respond?
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Congratulate him on his enthusiasm but remind him that ‘failing
to plan is planning to fail’.
Encourage him to spend time planning; his friend is more likely
to make a success of the business.
SCENARIO 3:
Ryan knows that self-employment is not very easy – he knows this from
running his own business. Being motivated and having technical skills
will not be enough to guarantee his friend’s success.
What questions should Ryan ask him?
• Why do you want to be self-employed?
• Why are you looking to be your own boss?
• What drives you?
© ReadytoWork 2015
13
Topic 1:
3
Part 3: Support the application of learning
15 Min
SCENARIO 4:
After spending time planning and understanding what drives him, Ryan
advises his friend that there are key skills he is going to need when selfemployed.
Topic application
Which skills should Ryan highlight?
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Self-discipline
Innovation
Creativity
Business knowledge
Courage
Commitment
Ambition
Support the application of learning by:
Facilitator
application
© ReadytoWork 2015
•
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Allowing young people to discuss their answers in pairs or small groups
Allowing young people to share their answers and the reasons for these answers with each other
Encouraging the discussion of answers and sharing of learning
in the group
14
Topic 2: Key things new business owners
should know about the marketplace
1
Part 1: Prepare
Topic summary
When considering self-employment and a new business venture, a significant amount of research
into the market should be conducted. A business should always be deemed viable before investing
any effort or money into it. This topic introduces the concept of business markets, specifically the
clarification of what the market is and the factors of supply and demand.
Learning objective
By the end of this topic, young people should understand how the marketplace works
and how to conduct research when considering their business ideas.
Key learning points
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What is a marketplace?
Why do market research?
Why match supply and demand?
Practical facilitation guidelines
Time required
It will take approximately 50 minutes to facilitate this topic, allowing for
activities, discussions, group work and sharing of examples.
•
Resources
required
•
•
•
Preparation
required
Application
or assessment
overview
© ReadytoWork 2015
•
•
•
•
Printed or electronic version of ReadytoWork learning topic 2.
Key things new business owners should know about the marketplace,
made available to all young people for reading well before the face-toface session
Information, pictures or reference material to support the facilitator
and activity
Items like eraser, pencil and a piece of fruit to use in the icebreaker
Pens and paper for participants to use during the icebreaker and activity
Prepare for the session by reviewing the topic and steps suggested
in this facilitator guide
Think back on your own learning journey when starting your business
At the end of this topic, learning is applied through an activity
This activity asks young people to analyse the marketplace they
live and shop in
15
Topic 2:
2
Part 2: Facilitate
Step 1: Break the ice with idea 1 or 2
5 Min
Icebreaker idea 1
Ask the group to think about the following questions:
• What business did you have as a child?
• Did you do chores for money like Obuwe?
• If not, what are you currently doing to earn extra money?
Ask volunteers to share their thoughts with the larger group.
Learning lesson: As a young child, Obuwe was able to establish a need in the market and
generate an income by fulfilling this need. Entrepreneurship is much the same; it is about
establishing a need in the market and fulfilling this need through your business.
Icebreaker idea 2
Divide the group into pairs and give each pair a simple item that they need to sell to the rest
of the group. Allow pairs to take turns so that there are enough customers and sellers and
a competitive market can be simulated.
Young people need to find innovative uses for the item, or use a good line to sell it, as if they
were standing at a busy market trying to attract customers. Items could include a pencil,
a piece of fruit, a paperclip or an eraser, for example.
Learning lesson: Interaction in the marketplace, the understanding of market competition
and the reasons why market research is important.
Step 2: Introduce yourself and provide a brief overview of the topic
5 Min
Introduce yourself to the participants by sharing the following:
Introduction
•
•
•
•
Your name and surname
Your current position and what it entails
The reasons why you volunteered to facilitate a ReadytoWork session
Your personal reflection – recent market research that you have had
to conduct and key findings that were discovered
Provide a brief overview of the learning topic by touching on the following:
Overview
© ReadytoWork 2015
•
•
•
As part of the Entrepreneurial skills Module of ReadytoWork, this learning topic will assist young people in developing their entrepreneurial skills
In particular, this topic will help young people to understand
business markets
This topic will help young people to understand the amount
of market research that is required before making decisions
about a business
16
Topic 2:
2
Part 2: Facilitate
Step 3: Discover and explore the topic
Topic opening
5 Min
Describe the topic opening theme:
• The learning topic opens with the story of Obuwe Ngam
• In particular, the storyteller shows how Obuwe considered
providing something to a captive business market
Pick up on the topic opening theme by using one or more of these ideas:
Facilitator
opening
• Ask the group to think back to the icebreaker activity and consider
what they would need to know about the market in order to open
and run a profitable business
Ensure that the topic discovery is completed by discussing the following
•
•
Market research should always be conducted before initiating
a business idea
The demand and supply factors for a product and/or service
must be determined before entering the market
Step 4: Facilitate learning
Facilitate key
learning point 1:
What is a
marketplace?
Facilitate key
learning point 2:
Why do market
research?
Facilitate key
learning point 3:
Why match
supply and
demand?
© ReadytoWork 2015
20 Min
• Refer the group to page 2 of the topic
• Ask the group to identify or share their understanding
of the marketplace in their community
• Share an example of competition in the marketplace in order to
A. Establish what the marketplace is, and
B. Drive the point that a market will often consist of competitors selling similar or the same products/services
• Refer the group to page 2 of the topic
• Highlight that market research is the planning process for an
entrepreneur and that no venture is successful without proper preparation
• Ask the groups to discuss ways in which they think market research could be conducted
• Share experiences of conducting market research and the tools that could be used in order to do this
•
•
•
Refer the group to page 3 of the topic
Ask the group to think about a time when they went to a shop
to purchase an item and it was out of stock or sold out
Use one of the examples from the group to demonstrate how
the law of supply and demand is at work here
17
Topic 2:
3
Part 3: Support the application of learning
15 Min
ACTIVITY:
The activity at the end of this topic asks young people to analyse the
marketplace by considering a few questions.
[Read each of the scenarios related to supply and demand and allow the
group of young people to decide which answer is correct for each question.]
[Use techniques such as ‘thumbs up for correct, thumbs down for incorrect’
as a way for the young people to indicate their choice of answer. ]
[The ANSWERS are in bold.]
Match the supply and demand examples:
SCENARIO 1:
Topic application
It is summer and there is a heat wave in your town. Everyone is complaining
about the heat. You decide to start selling ice-lollies from your house.
This is an example of which of the following supply and demand matches?
A. You have matched the customer demographics
with the product you are selling.
B. You have matched the season with the product you sell.
SCENARIO 2:
You start a tailoring business in a busy part of town near a bus terminus.
The clothes you make are mostly suitable for office workers as they use
the buses to get to work. You have also made sure that you are not too
expensive as your customers are not rich.
This is an example of which of the following supply and demand matches?
A.
B.
© ReadytoWork 2015
You have matched your products and services with the businesses
you are competing against.
You have matched the demographics of your customers
with the types of products and services you supply.
18
Topic 2:
3
Part 3: Support the application of learning
15 Min
SCENARIO 3:
You enjoy baking and have decided to sell bread from your home. You are
surprised that the sales have not been very good as you are so conveniently
located in the neighbourhood. You then find out that you are charging more
than the local shop.
You have failed to take into account the following match of supply and
demand:
Topic application
A. Customer demographics like age, income level, family status,
occupation and location.
B. The income level of the customer and price they are willing to pay.
SCENARIO 4:
You have opened a small shop selling hand-made shoes. Before opening your
shop, you did your research and found out that while there is one other shoe
shop in the area, they sell cheap mass-produced shoes and your customers
are more interested in buying a quality product.
You did your homework, you matched the following supply and demand:
A. You did research on competitors and customer needs.
B. You made sure that you matched the time of year to the product
you were selling.
Support the application of learning by:
Facilitator
application
© ReadytoWork 2015
•
•
•
Allowing young people to participate in the activity as a group
Allowing young people to share their answers and the reasons
for these answers with each other
Encouraging the discussion of answers and sharing of learning
in the group
19
Topic 3:
Setting up your business
1
Part 1: Prepare
Topic summary
Young entrepreneurs may have many brilliant business ideas and be eager to get started on
implementation, but it would be wise to take a step back before implementation and consider
their business, specifically the business characteristics and target market.
This topic discusses the ways in which to take a step back and consider a business before
jumping straight into it.
Learning objective
By the end of this topic, young people should be able to identify business characteristics
and analyse a target market.
Key learning points
•
•
What are my business characteristics?
Who is my target market?
Practical facilitation guidelines
Time required
•
Printed or electronic version of ReadytoWork learning topic 3. Setting
up your business, made available to all young people for reading well
before the face-to-face session
Preparation
required
•
•
•
Prepare for the session by reviewing the topic and steps suggested
in this facilitator guide
Think about and research the Four Ps
Think about setting up a new business venture
Application
or assessment
overview
• At the end of this topic, learning is applied through an activity
• This activity is made up of looking at what is important
in establishing business characteristics
Resources
required
© ReadytoWork 2015
It will take approximately 50 minutes to facilitate this topic, allowing
for activities, discussions, group work and sharing of examples.
20
Topic 3:
2
Part 2: Facilitate
Step 1: Break the ice with idea 1 or 2
5 Min
Icebreaker idea 1
Each participant is asked to share two ideas that they have for a new business:
• One that is a little way-out or a dream
• Another that is more practical and doable in the near future
Learning lesson: Regardless of the business idea, the business characteristics
and target market must be investigated in order to ensure successful execution
of a business idea.
Icebreaker idea 2
Select an item that all participants will be familiar with, for example a torch, matches, hair dye.
Ask the participants:
• Who would typically use the item?
• What price would they pay for it?
• Where is the best place to sell it?
Learning lesson: As part of the preparation of a business, not only should market research
be conducted in order to establish a need, but the business itself should be carefully considered.
A strategy called the Four Ps is very useful in this regard.
Step 2: Introduce yourself and provide a brief overview of the topic
5 Min
Introduce yourself to the participants by sharing the following:
Introduction
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•
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Your name and surname
Your current position and what it entails
The reasons why you volunteered to facilitate a ReadytoWork session
Your personal reflection – how you went about considering your
business characteristics
Provide a brief overview of the learning topic by touching on the following:
Overview
© ReadytoWork 2015
•
•
•
As part of the Entrepreneurial skills Module of ReadytoWork,
this learning topic will assist young people in developing their entrepreneurial skills
In particular, this topic will help young people to analyse business characteristics and target markets
This topic will help young people by providing strategies/tips
for conducting these analyses on their businesses
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Topic 3:
2
Part 2: Facilitate
Step 3: Discover and explore the topic
10 Min
Describe the topic opening theme
Topic opening
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•
The learning topic opens with a story about a young man
He shares some of his unrealistic and realistic business ideas
and highlights the two important questions that he needs
to answer before going ahead with his business
Pick up on the topic opening theme by using one or more of these ideas:
Facilitator
opening
• It is never a good idea to jump into business without considering
all there is to consider. The planning and preparation phase should
be as thorough as possible
Ensure that the topic discovery is completed by discussing the following:
• Conducting an analysis (such as the Four Ps) of your business
may result in you learning new things which you may not have
realised before
Step 4: Facilitate learning
Facilitate key
learning point 1:
What are
my business
characteristics?
Facilitate key
learning point 2:
Who is my target
market?
© ReadytoWork 2015
20 Min
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•
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Refer the group to page 2 of the topic
Focus on the Four Ps: Product, Place, Price and People
and the questions that should be answered in relation
to each of these
Share examples of how a business could fail or not get
off the ground where these Ps are not considered
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•
•
Refer the group to page 3 of the topic
Divide participants into smaller groups and ask them to think about
a well-known product. They should then consider the target market
for this product using the questions highlighted in the topic
Each group can report back to the larger group
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Topic 3:
3
Part 3: Support the application of learning
15 Min
ACTIVITY:
The activity at the end of this topic asks young people to recall
the 4 Ps that are important in establishing business characteristics
[Read the following scenario to the group]
Topic application
In order to be able to explain his business to others and ensure
that it is most effectively structured and positioned, Obuwe has
provided information on the Ps that are important in establishing
business characteristics.
[Read the following question to the group]
What are the 4 Ps and what do they mean?
[As correct answers are given, write these on flipchart paper under
a pre-prepared heading, ‘The 4 Ps’]
A.
B.
C.
D.
Product – what service or product will you provide?
Place – where are you going to set up your business?
Price – how much will you charge for your product or service?
People – who do you need to work for you in the business?
Support the application of learning by:
Facilitator
application
© ReadytoWork 2015
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Allowing young people to participate in the activity as a group
Allowing young people to share their answers and the reasons
for these answers with each other
Encouraging the discussion of answers and sharing of learning
in the group
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