PARTNERS GUIDE

Section 2

Program Overview and Governing Principles

Definition:
Designed strategically to support creative enterprise among students and to expose them to the legitimate
challenges of entrepreneurial endeavors, the Entrepreneurial Adventure (EA) program provides students
with a structured introduction to key aspects of entrepreneurship, coordinated through a partnership
between the teacher and an assigned business partner. The EA program enables classes to design, launch
and operate entrepreneurial ventures in collaboration with business partners and community mentors.
Employing key elements of experiential learning, the program supports students from Kindergarten to
Grade 12, tapping into and sparking their youthful spirit of adventure. Any profits resulting from the
venture are donated to a service or charity of the students choosing, thereby supporting the
development of social responsibility through social activism.

This venture has inspired me to change the way I view my life, as supporting youth in this
venture has become a vocation in itself. I know what they are doing has the potential to be
groundbreaking, and I will do anything I can to support it. Teacher, St. Michael Fitzroy Harbour
School, Ottawa Catholic School Board

Student Activity:
By definition, entrepreneurs are those who develop products and services that serve an identified need
within the public. Discuss the entrepreneurs that influence the students acquisition of products and
services and explore what the class might learn by examining their work.

Rationale:
To achieve success in a rapidly changing world, where increasingly those moving into the
world of work must rely upon individual initiative and creative enterprise, our young people
need to have confidence, a strong sense of personal efficacy, a positive attitude toward
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The Learning Partnership Entrepreneurial Adventure Secondary Learning Modules

change and uncertainty, and the willingness to rely upon their personal creative talents and individual
initiative. These qualities are reflected in the work of entrepreneurs, who can serve as models of the
creativity, enterprise and determination that contemporary students must embrace. The skills, knowledge
and attributes associated with successful entrepreneurs are not restricted to the world of business. These
qualities can significantly enhance the students abilities to achieve whatever goals they set for themselves,
in whatever field of endeavor they choose to apply them.
Three Governing Principles:
Given the programs strong emphasis on the development in students of those key traits and competencies
that will enhance their chances of success in future endeavors, the EA program is guided by three
governing principles. These principles define the nature and day-to-day operation of the program as it is
undertaken in the classroom:

For Teacher and Business

Partner: How do you ensure
that both the structures and
activities of the program are
strongly student-focused,
where student ownership and
self-direction are clearly in
evidence?

For Teacher and Business

Partner: How do you model
the true democratic spirit of
partnership for the students,
and use that partnership
to infuse creativity and
innovation into the EA
venture?

For Students, Teachers,

and Business Partners:
What community resources
are available to support
the venture that we have
undertaken, and how will
we use those resources to
enhance our chances of
success?

Student Experience The EA program is about taking an

entrepreneurial journey that allows students to learn from the
experience of turning their own ideas into reality. Its all about
being enterprising not solely about how to start a business. That
experience begins with the teacher actively encouraging the
students creativity through the development of innovative
and novel products and services.

Partnership The EA program is based on creating a truly

entrepreneurial environment for everyone, without pre-set action
plans and no prescribed job descriptions. EA is all about bringing
together students, teachers, and business partners, with a passion
for a good idea and building an effective partnership team to
make it happen. Key to the success of the EA program is the
partnership formed by the teacher and business partner.
Each brings great expertise and experience to the task.
Together they have the opportunity to create an exciting and
challenging experience for the students.
Community Engagement Like any successful entrepreneurial
venture, Entrepreneurial Adventure partners achieve success by
learning to make the most of available resources and community
networks to support them throughout their venture. Key to the
success of the EA program as it finds expression in each
school community are those community resources that can
be utilized productively to extend the experience of students
into the broader social and economic world that surrounds
the school.

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PARTNERS GUIDE

Student Activity:
Have students develop a profile of themselves as future employees. Have them identify those
characteristics, qualities and attributes that they see themselves possessing in the future which will enhance
their work. Using student examples, explore where they believe they will learn the skills and attributes that
will make them valued employees in the future.

The teamwork and collaboration were exceptional

during the strategic thinking and planningphases of the
project. The students ability to analyze and make decisions
in a team-based approach was amazing, as they were able
to move quickly into timely implementation.
Business Partner, St. Daniels Catholic, Ottawa

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