Phalaborwa 2010
During July and August of 2010 a team of Sauder students, alumni, and faculty from the University of British Columbia joined Vancouver business people in travelling to Phalaborwa, South Africa. The strong connection to this community was made possible by team member, Thato Makgolane, a UBC student from the town of Phalaborwa. The Arc Initiative partnered with the Palabora Foundation in developing the following three aspects of the programming.
Student Internships
The student internship was six weeks long and during this time the students stayed with local families and participated in community events. As part of the Arc Initiative they mentored young entrepreneurs who were participating in the “Business Ideas Competition” and were active participants in the Business Skills Workshop. The primary component of their internship was a placement with a local company or organization. (insert link to internship video) The Phalaborwa 2010 team included two alumni who worked with a women’s sewing co-op and presented material during the Business Skills Workshop .
Business Ideas Competition
The Business Ideas Competition resulted in several dozen business ideas being submitted by young adults from the community. These submissions were reviewed by the student team and local business people. Four submissions were selected to present to the panel of UBC faculty, Palabora Foundation staff and business professionals from Vancouver and Phalaborwa. The top two business ideas were awarded prize money and support to further develop their business ideas into business plans.
Business Skills and Leadership Workshop
The third element of the Arc Initiative was the Business Skills and Leadership Workshop which was attended by 60 local business people and aspiring entrepreneurs from the community. The three-day workshop covered several key topics with the focus on financial management, leadership, strategy and marketing. The format was interactive and culminated with a case analysis on the final day. Participants solved the case and then presented their analysis and recommendations to the entire group.
