Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions about YouthBiz that may help you understand our program better.
Does my child need to have a business to get involved?
Not at all! Both of our school-based programs, YouthBiz StartUp and YouthBiz Out of the Box, are designed to expose youth to business ownership through real life experiences. Our workshops are also open to all youth, regardless of business experience. Only our mentorship program, marketplaces, and YouthBiz Stars Business Competition require some form of business ownership experience to participate. For more details on eligibility requirements for those programs, click here.
How old do you have to be to participate?
YouthBiz, on a whole, works with youth ages 6-21. However, different YouthBiz programs are more appropriate for certain ages. YouthBiz StartUp and YouthBiz Out of the Box are designed to work best for grades 5-10, while YouthBiz Workshops vary in age range from 8 to 16. The YouthBiz Marketplace, YouthBiz Mentorship, and Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars Business Competition are all available to youth ages 6-21. To be sure the program is right for your child, check the age range posted for any workshops and summer camps.
What’s the difference between YouthBiz StartUp, YouthBiz Out of the Box, and YouthBiz Stars?
YouthBiz StartUp is our introductory curriculum for middle school students. It provides the foundations of business and entrepreneurship through an interactive, 10-lesson curriculum that can be taught by schools and third parties as a club, enrichment, or elective. The program culminates in a business pitch competition. YouthBiz Out of the Box builds on the foundations of the StartUp program by taking students through the business cycle as they start a real-life business venture. Students research, prototype, source, manufacture, and sell their own consumer products in this 15-lesson curriculum also delivered by schools and third parties as a club, enrichment, or elective. Finally, YouthBiz Stars is our program for youth ages 6-21 interested in business ownership. This program includes workshops, business tours, mentoring opportunities, YouthBiz marketplaces, and Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars Business Competition. Anyone and everyone are welcome to register and participate in these events!
How much do programs cost?
The YouthBiz StartUp program is available for schools and youth organizations at a cost of $250 per program cycle. This includes all materials, training, student workbooks, facilitator guide, prototype materials, and prize money. The YouthBiz Out of the Box program is available for schools and youth organizations at a cost of $500 per program cycle. This includes all training, student workbooks, facilitator guide, startup materials, and basic manufacture tools. Most YouthBiz workshops are provided free of charge, although some incur a small fee. For example, our YouthBiz Workshop Series classes charges a small $10 fee to cover the cost of materials. Check the YouthBiz Marketplace page for current booth fees, and both the YouthBiz Mentorship program and Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars Business Competition are free of charge!
How can I get my child’s school involved?
The best way to involve your child’s school is to make a connection between the school staff and YouthBiz staff. An email introduction to Anna Leer, Vice President of YouthBiz, (aleer@yacenter.org) is a great place to start to get the ball rolling on bringing entrepreneurship to your child’s school.
How long does it take to teach the YouthBiz StartUp and Out of the Box curricula?
The YouthBiz StartUp program is 10, 1-hour sessions and the YouthBiz Out of the Box program is 15, 1-hour sessions. You can deliver these programs with whatever frequency works best for you and your schedule. We do programs that are once a week for 10 weeks as well as programs that run two hours a day for 5 days. The scheduling is up to you!
How do I prepare to teach the YouthBiz programs?
The YouthBiz programs are all very easy to implement. The process begins by scheduling a training session with YouthBiz staff in order to better understand how the curriculum works. Training for each program is 2 hours long.
How many youth can participate in the YouthBiz StartUp and Out of the Box programs?
Both programs operate best with 10-15 students. However, successful implementations can range from 6 to 20 students.
