Mission: To make Barbados the #1 entrepreneurial hub in the world by 2020.

Mission: To make Barbados the #1 entrepreneurial hub in the world by 2020

Barbados Entrepreneurship Foundation

What is the Barbados Entrepreneurship Foundation?

• The BEF was formed in 2010, born from a vision to make Barbados the #1 entrepreneurial hub in the world. The BEF is led by Celeste Foster, CEO, former President of the Barbados Small Business Association and a group of local and international entrepreneurs called the E-Team.

• The BEF comprises 5 main pillars: finance, government policy, mentorship, business facilitation, and education & talent. The $20 Challenge is an initiative of the education & talent pillar led by Keith Miller.

BEF $20 Challenge

What is the $20 Challenge?• 4th and 5th form students in secondary schools across

Barbados are invited to participate.• Each school is assigned 1-2 ambassadors.• Every participating student is loaned $20 to start a business.• Students are taught and mentored throughout the

competition period by the ambassadors.• Students share information regarding their efforts.• Winners are chosen!

$20 Challenge Ambassador

What is an ambassador?• Ambassadors have been handpicked by the $20 Challenge

task force.• They are all entrepreneurs – big and small alike, covering a

wide range of business sectors in Barbados.• They are dedicated, innovative and enthusiastic.• YOU!

What is the Ambassador’s role?

1. To contact the principal of the school and arrange to deliver a presentation on the $20 Challenge.

2. To encourage students to participate in the $20 Challenge, including collecting application forms and distributing $20s.

3. To establish a relationship with a contact at the school and to arrange weekly training/mentoring sessions with the interested students.

What is the Ambassador’s role?

4. To conduct weekly training sessions. *All training material will be provided to you but can be edited to suit.

5. To initiate and participate in general Facebook discussions regarding the $20 Challenge on the $20 Challenge page.

6. To remain in contact with your students during the competition period via email or Facebook and to encourage dialogue regarding the project.

What is the Ambassador’s role?

7. To ensure as best as possible that students document their project efforts throughout the competition.

8. To collect ‘journals’ at the end of the competition.

9. To ensure as best as possible a fun and motivating experience regarding entrepreneurship.

TIPS!

• The school contact is important. The role of the contact is to help collect applications/$20s, gather the participating students before your arrival each week and provide you with the location and equipment necessary to conduct the training. Ensure that this is clear.

• The training/mentoring sessions should ideally include only the students participating in the challenge.

• These sessions will include a brief presentation, activities and a (fun) assignment.

• Application forms, presentations, training material will all be made available to you.

• Encourage students to document their experience from the onset of the Challenge.

TIPS!

• Make it fun.• Relate to the students – embrace FB.• Encourage creativity and innovation by displaying the same

characteristics during your training/mentoring sessions.• Be enthusiastic.• Tap into your networks to support the students’ efforts.• Take pictures (please!)• Share your experiences with the $20 Challenge task force to

encourage future improvements to the programme.

Training Manual / Declaration Form

Student Guidelines

Introductory Presentation

Mission: To make Barbados the #1 entrepreneurial hub in the world by 2020