Learn and apply concepts of entrepreneurship and business planning in the more advanced context of Europe, supporting migrants and refugees trying to earn a living in Greece.
Students are guided by our local staff, Greek business professionals and mentors from leading consulting firms to build business plans (Canvas Model) for aspiring entrepreneurs in Athen’s vast refugee and migrant community. Through client interviews, mentorship, industry research, cultural sharing, and utilization of our deliverable templates, students create and present business plans with our selected clients.
In addition to our skill-based learning objectives, building cultural competence is integrated into the course to increase the quality of services and improve outcomes with community partners.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Customize your Business TeleBrigade by selecting a set of modules. Explore available modules below:
Module 1: Introductions and Program Overview
Coordinator and student introductions along with a presentation on Global Brigades (GB) in Greece. Self-paced Activity: Group reviews GB Greece’s business development program in the context of GB’s Holistic Model for community development.
Module 2: The Refugee Crisis
Local refugee expert facilitates discussion on the causes of the crisis and its impact in Greece from a social end economic lens. Self-Paced Activity: Group watches video on the refugee crisis for context. Research on the contribution of refugee and migrant-owned businesses to economic inclusion, social integration, and the economy of the host country.
Module 3: Business Opportunities for Refugees and Migrants
GB’s program manager provides context of small businesses in Greece and opportunities for refugees and migrants. Self-paced Activity: Group reviews program materials and background on SMEs’ operation in the Greek business environment.
Module 4: Entrepreneur Selection
Coordinator presents potential entrepreneurs and supports students to choose which they will work with. Self-paced Activity: Group reviews entrepreneur information and informs staff of selection.
Module 5: Canvas Business Model
Coordinator walks through the Business Model Canvas framework that the group will develop with the entrepreneur. Self-paced Activity: Group reviews Business Model Canvas framework further.
Module 6: Initial Meeting Preparation
Coordinator presents entrepreneur information, including business community tour, and context of the business idea beforehand. Self-paced Activity: Group prepares and assigns questions to ask entrepreneur. Students practice introducing themselves in the business client’s mother tongue or Greek.
Module 7: Initial Meeting with Entrepreneur
Introductory meeting between entrepreneur and group to build relationship and have cultural exchange. Self-paced Activity: Group reviews notes from meeting and divides into teams and assigns tasks by section of the business model.
Module 8: Mentor Session with Professional Consultant
Mentor and GB coordinator help prepare the group to ask most strategic questions during the consultation day. Self-paced Activity: Group prepares and assigns questions to ask business clients based on mentor guidance.
Module 9: Second Meeting with Entrepreneur
Live virtual session with entrepreneur to answer questions and gather information for business modeling. Self-paced Activity: Group begins work to create business model utilizing Canvas framework.
Modules 10 and 11: Business Model Creation
Two working sessions with coordinators to answer questions and help students create their business models. Self-paced Activity: Continuing working in teams to finalize the model.
Module 12: Business Model Submission and Final Mentor Feedback
Group submits final business model and presentations for final feedback from mentors. Self-paced Activity: Make any last edits to the presentation and final business model based on mentor feedback.
Module 13: Presentation to Entrepreneur
Group presents materials via a video conference to the entrepreneur with translation by coordinator and cultural mediator (if needed). Group receives feedback from client. Self-paced Activity: Group reflects about the presentation and feedback from the client and makes any edits to deliverables. Procure cooking materials for cultural activity.
Module 14: Cultural Activity and Project Celebration
GB coordinator debriefs with group and the team celebrates with a traditional dish. Self-paced Activity: Group reflects on the TeleBrigade experience.
Impact Reporting
Students will be included in Global Brigades’ regular newsletters and receive project updates and overall monitoring and evaluation of our programs.
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