Youth Co:Lab co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation in collaboration with the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs in East and Southeast Asia (ANDE ESEA) and ANDE India, conducted a webinar for Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) in Asia-Pacific to share knowledge and resources for developing inclusive and equitable entrepreneurship support initiatives to empower young changemakers from diverse backgrounds in their entrepreneurial endeavors.
The webinar also highlighted the perceptive information of the recently launched Youth Co:Lab Inclusive Youth Entrepreneurship Guidebook for ESOs in Asia and the Pacific to help them promote and advance Inclusive Entrepreneurship through their programmes. The guidebook covers five significant areas ESOs can focus on to make their programmes more diverse and inclusive: Goal Setting and Impact Management, Startup Recruitment, Programme Design, Programme Facilitation, and Communications. It also showcases the ecosystem's best practices on how ESOs empower underserved and marginalized youth with entrepreneurial and innovative mindsets and ideas.
A panel discussion was moderated by Nisha Oswal, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Partnerships Consultant, Regional Youth Project, UNDP in Asia and the Pacific. It was joined by Vinod Prabhu, Managing Director, Seventh Sense People Development Solutions Pvt Ltd, India; PichMony Thay, Youth and Disability, Equity, and Inclusion Manager, Impact Hub Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Rintis Mulyani, Business Development Associate. Platform Usaha Sosial (PLUS) Indonesia, Jal Mustari, Founder, Aretes Style and a Youth Co:Lab Alumni.
The experts who joined the session advised young entrepreneurs to ensure inclusive business practices while serving their communities. Here are some highlights:
"Tailor your products and services toward the people you want to serve or groups who have been marginalized, especially hiring and providing opportunities to these underserved groups. Additionally, source ethical raw materials and support local producers! Making your supply chain is creating an impact at the community level, and that is it benefiting all sides."
- PichMony Thay, Youth and Disability, Equity, and Inclusion Manager of Impact Hub Phnom Penh
"When creating learning and development programmes, create an understandable curriculum and avoid too much jargon while presenting learning materials, base them on the entrepreneurs' background and characteristics, and be empathic towards the entrepreneur's perspective on their own business and societal issues."
- Rintis Mulyani, Business Development Associate of Platform Usaha Sosial (PLUS)
"Cultivate an entrepreneurial ecosystem that embraces diversity and welcomes individuals from all walks of life, creating a melting pot of innovation and inclusivity. We must champion ventures that not only aim for profit but also prioritize social impact, making entrepreneurship a force for positive change in underserved communities. Let's ensure we equip the next generation with the skills and mindset to tackle tomorrow's challenges. This way, we nurture a generation of entrepreneurs who are not just prepared for the future but shaping it."
- Vinod Prabhu, Managing Director, Seventh Sense People Development Solutions Pvt Ltd
Watch the full webinar here:
Co-created in 2017 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Citi Foundation, Youth Co:Lab aims to establish a common agenda for countries in the Asia-Pacific region to empower and invest in youth so that they can accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation and entrepreneurship. Read more about Youth Co:Lab here.