Check out Agents of Change, they run university and high school entrepreneurship programs in Sydney & Melbourne. Its based on the Y Combinator group dinners. Amir Nissen (founder) runs boots camps for student entreprenurship.
http://www.agentsofchange.org.au/ There's a few other organisations in this space - Young Achievers and The Entourage that I can name off the top of my head. I agree that the best time is when you are a student - not inhibited by any limits / biases, living at home (possibly). A lot of the best internet startups we know to date started from dorm rooms =) Two disclosures: 1. I recently spoke at the Agents of Change Sydney dinner. It was the first one they held in Sydney. Bart and I attended. 2. Shane and I went to the same high school. I think there was Young Achievers, but I can't remember any other entreprenurship program. Cheers, Matt Ho On May 31, 9:48 pm, Shane Greenup <[email protected]> wrote: > Changing up the educational system is something which I thoroughly enjoy > engaging with. I think that the old system of "what to know" training > rapidly needs to be replaced with "How to think" education, because fact is, > we have instant 'what to know' access through the internet now. What the > next generations need is to understand how to discern between the various > view points provided through the internet. Memorising facts is useless when > they are recorded for us and readily available. But of course, this is > digressing from the topic here :) > > The idea of teaching entreprenuerial skills and philosophies is of course > something which I very strongly support - and I do consider it related to > the 'how to think' angle mentioned above, because choosing to become an > employee or a business owner, or not choosing at all (the most common > 'choice'), is all about 'how you think' about it. > > Anyway, two immediate options seem apparent to me when it comes to trying to > train teenagers in the ways of entrepreneurship. > 1. Reform the education system > 2. Start a business offering the services which complement the government > system > > I think reforming the education system is far more desirable for the > greatest impact, and the benefit of everyone (i would hope), I think that is > will be very very difficult, and probably destined to fail for decades or > more. > > 2 will definitely be much more accessible, but will only ever reach kids who > come from wealthy families, or at least entrepreneurially minded parents to > begin with, with a limited penetration in to the non-entrepreneurial > families through effective marketing. Don't forget, that not everyone loves > business, nor does everyone think that entrepreneurs are the saviours of the > earth. I've been asked "What scheme/scam are you working on now?" and seen > the same question asked to friends of mine (one in particular runs a Lawn > Mowing business, a tree lopping business, and is expanding into constructing > slab tables, and his family talk about his next 'scheme' like the whole > thing is some marvelous plot to get money from suckers!) > > Nonetheless, I think it would be incredibly rewarding to operate an > afternoon/weekend school which teaches kids/teenagers how to think about > money, business, success, risk/reward and other such concepts - and then > watch those kids grow in to the sorts of people who change the world. It > would be an incredible business to run, > > My 10c :) > > Shane > > -------------------------http://www.sportarbitrageguide.com/http://www.immortaloutdoors.com<http://www.tdmskp.com.au/>http://www.shanegreenup.comhttp://www.surebetbookies.com/ > > On 31 May 2011 12:21, Aileen <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hello Everybody; > > > I've been getting the daily digest of Silicon Beach for a few weeks > > now and I thought that it was about time to introduce myself and also > > bring up a new topic so that I could get some feedback bouncing off my > > "ignited" thought. > > > Just a quick background, I started my professional career of as a High > > School teacher (Design and Technology) and taught for a couple of > > years before deciding that I didn't really want to be one of those > > teachers that was "stuck" in the same job for the next 60 years of my > > life. > > > From the age of 25 + I had been somewhat playing with the idea of > > Entrepreneurship (starting, failing, succeeding in businesses) but not > > really giving anything 100%. I was literally sitting on the fence. > > > Just last year I finally took the plunge (actually it was somewhat the > > result of the birth of my first child which I will always consider the > > catalyst of my change) and decided to forge ahead 100%. > > > So far so good! 7 months into the creation of Dinoroar Interactive, I > > secured that all important first seed grant and now planning the next > > year ahead (hopefully staying as lean as possible with the grant). I > > also wrote an article for Anthill that got good reviews: > > >http://anthillonline.com/five-common-putdowns-to-aspiring-entrepreneu... > > (I must write some more me thinks) > > > Now- my topic starter is this: > > > I was fortunate enough to attend the Digital Sydney launch last > > night. Saw a couple of Silicon Beach regulars talk to the crowd about > > starting up in Sydney but what really grabbed my attention were the > > boys from Fishburners who mentioned that start-ups never realised that > > there was a community of Entrepreneurs out there and they didn't know > > where to look or begin. > > > Call me bias, but I feel this is because of lack of education > > somewhat. The internet is inundated with information (relevant and > > not so relevant topics regarding start ups) and also conflicting views > > about starting such as "great go ahead with your idea- try to secure > > that money, but hey- we don't really invest in start ups, too risky" > > > I know that's only one view point / philosophy that i'm highlighting, > > but I have to say that's the first thing that start ups get hit with. > > > So essentially I've had this idea running around in my head for years, > > and I thought the best way to educate new start ups was to get to the > > core and actually educate/promote/create a seminar program which > > targets high school students (in particular year 11/12 ages 16-18) > > about the Entrepreneurial pathway. > > > The Syllabuss touches this topic, I know within Design and Technology > > (3 Unit) and in Business Studies but all kids are getting is the > > theory aspect of things without the substantial "real life" examples > > that they need to be shown. > > > And let's face it. Kids these days are getting smarter- more computer > > and Internet Savy and are willing to take more risks in starting up an > > idea online. It's the perfect environment for Entrepreneurship- Yet, > > focusing on student entrepreneurship education has somewhat lacked. > > > I feel like it's time to shake this educational institution (I can say > > that because I've been there, done that) and actually attempt to ahead > > with this idea I've had for years stored in my mind, but need some > > feedback from anyone (good,bad - let's start a conversation) regarding > > what I mentioned with youth education and entrepreneurship. > > > I also understand that this is a big task to undertake myself, so if > > you feel you would like to help out somehow please don't hesitate to > > email. I'm always up for a chat =) > > > I look forward to what your thoughts are regarding Youth > > entrepreneurship education. > > > Warm Regards; > > > Aileen Bautista > > +61 412 786 086 > > [email protected] > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach > > Australia mailing list. > > > Guidelines on discussion: > >http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/msg/351e183e13... > > > No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. > > > To post to this group, send email to > > [email protected] > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected] > > For more options, visit this group at > >http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach Australia mailing list. Guidelines on discussion: http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/msg/351e183e1303508d?hl=en%3Fhl%3Den No lurkers! 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