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For this week’s post, I will share about my experience in
a social enterprise competition I have taken in [Citi-YMCA Social Enterprise
Challenge].
Team consisting of 4 youths aged 17-25 from tertiary
institutions will be invited to take part in a business case competition as
part of this YFC Social Enterprise Challenge (YFCSEC). The teams will be
randomly assigned a case write-up of 1 of the 10 participating Volunteer &
Welfare Organizations (VWOs), and they will then present their business plan to
set up a viable social enterprise for that VWO.
10 shortlisted teams from
the case competition will then implement their business plan for the VWO. Each
of these 10 teams will be given $6,000 as seed funding, trainings, and guided
by corporate highflyers, also known as “CEO Mentors”
Initially, this competition was given to us as a school
project that our teacher assigned. Due to the clashes it had with our
examinations we got the choice to continue or to back out. So our team decided
to continue with it since we have put in so much effort already. [Not that the
other teams didn’t]
Will be sharing with you what I have learnt through this
competition rather than what we have done.
There are 3 main things that I have learnt (some of which
are still learning in progress) from this competition.
1. Time
management
It is very important to have good time management skills.
Some of the teams (Uni students and poly students) are also very busy with whatever
things they have in hand yet they are able commit quite a significant among
effort to this competition. Learning
in progress.
2. Be Realistic
Our initial business plan is rejected by our mentor, he
told us that in 15 weeks it is not possible for us to find more funding and set
up a café. He shares his experiences with us and tells us that it is more
important to fulfill our goals step by step instead of aiming one big goal.
I agree very much with him, it is easier and more
realistic to achieve small goals as once we reached the goal it actually gives
us encourage us and give us the motivation to continue heading to our ultimate
goal. Lesson learnt.
3. Growth
I have grown a lot during this period of time, many
things learnt from internship and this competition. It actually makes me to do
more reflections on what I have done (what are the values and lessons I can
learn from it) and in what way I can be more productive and efficient in the
future. Learning in progress.
All in all, what impact me the most is the word that one
of the judges told me when I went for the final presentation of the competition
to showcase what we have done; she said, “I hope you have learnt valuable
lessons from this competition. And I am actually very proud of you because you
show responsibility by showing up today and admitting the mistakes that you
have made. A very precious value in you. Well done.”
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