1. Could you briefly introduce Youth Business International (YBI)?
Youth Business International (YBI) leads a growing global network of 50 business support organizations. We work with our members to strengthen the capabilities and quality of their delivery models to support young people in entrepreneurship. This may involve co-creating new solutions or developing existing approaches and scaling effective solutions. As the only global network focused on youth entrepreneurship, we leverage our shared knowledge and experience to connect, collaborate, and generate content to provide the global standard in inclusive economic programs for young entrepreneurs.
2. Over the last 5 years, YBI has joined the Young Entrepreneurs Succeed project, along with other partners from across Europe, funded by the EEA & Norway Grants Fund for Youth Employment. What is YBI’s role in this partnership?
Our project consists of Research, Implementation, and Knowledge partners. YBI is a knowledge partner in the consortium, and our role has been to support the implementation partners by introducing or sharing relevant products and services that could enhance their programs. For example, we have shared our approach to mentoring program design and worked with partners to develop their capacity to improve and adapt these programs. We have done this through in-person workshops, but also online, through the learning platform created by the consortium.
3. As Director of Member Services and Engagement, you are very close to entrepreneurship support organizations in Europe. What are their main challenges? How do you support them?
I believe there are shared global challenges across our entire network of 50 members. Accessing funding is necessary, not only to deliver quality programs but also to ensure that the organizations running them are strong, sustainable, and skilled. We are all working in volatile times, and every organization I know needs to be agile to be able to respond to the next global challenge that will eventually impact economies and the ability of young people to create jobs and income.
I believe we are all aware of the impact of conflicts and climate change, which has led a large number of people to migrate for survival. Many of our European members have specific programs to support refugees and migrants. This will not disappear, and we work together to identify good practices that ensure effective programs helping refugees and migrants to start businesses in a new country.
We also work together to develop tools to support young entrepreneurs with a social or environmental mission for their business. We are increasingly seeing young people with a drive to make a difference in the world, and we are committed to ensuring they have the right support to achieve this mission.
4. How has the COVID pandemic affected entrepreneurship support organizations and how they support young entrepreneurs?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we all had to quickly adopt digital tools, but at the same time, understand how to use them to support the work we were all doing. No one could directly transfer their in-person activities online. We have supported experts in developing their facilitation skills in the online space so they can continue to provide impactful support to young entrepreneurs remotely.
One of YBI’s great successes was moving our in-person Soft Skills curriculum to the digital realm. The belief was that trying to support young people in developing relevant soft skills could only happen in person. However, with no other option, we had to innovate and experiment, and the end result was a series of learning sessions that worked in this environment.
5. Voluntary mentoring has been a key service to help young entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Why is it so powerful?
I have been involved in the world of mentoring for almost 20 years, and I have never seen a more powerful yet simple way to change lives. The impact of one person voluntarily offering their support and sharing their wisdom with another should never be underestimated. This kind of generosity is priceless.
When these relationships are part of a well-designed program, involving support and development for all participants, who truly understand that these are human relationships and not transactional exchanges of information, there are truly no limits to what can be achieved.
I am continually amazed by those who give their time to support a young entrepreneur. It is absolutely fundamental to business success, and there is so much evidence supporting the impact it has on both the individual and the sustainability of their business.
6. Autoocupació’s motto is “I am what I want to be.” And you, are you?
I have always admired the creativity of the Autoocupació team and have been fortunate enough to have met and worked with many of them for almost 7 years! Their slogan is perfect. It reminds me that we all have the capacity and the dream within us; we just need the right support, encouragement, connection, and learning to help us achieve it.
To share another phrase: nobody does it alone. The power of networks, connections, mentors, and much more is what unlocks potential.
I believe that if everyone signed up to be a mentor today, we would transform businesses, communities, and change lives worldwide.
