Innovation for the 21st Century: Introduction
of Social Entrepreneurship to the TC
Naya Arbitur
Ron Mullen
Harry K. Wexler
Ellen McGrath
Amity
Amity
NYU
NYU
USA
USA
USA
USA
EFTC 2013 Conference
September 19, 2013
Prague, Czech Republic
Abstract
• Social Entrepreneurship (SE) is the fastest growing
concentration in American universities.
• A collaboration between professors who teach SE at
NYU and Amity has lead to the creation of the SE
Center at Amity.
• Two central issues throughout the history of the TC
movement have been organizational financial selfreliance and employability of members and graduates
are addressed by this innovation.
• Impetus for the Center was two-fold:
1) Creation of businesses that helps support Amity.
2) Increase TC members employability.
Social Entrepreneurship
• Social entrepreneurship is the process of pursuing
innovative solutions to social problems
• Social Entrepreneurship is the fastest growing
concentration in American colleges and universities
• College graduates often leave school with limited
marketable skills
• Many commentators state that entrepreneurial skills and
experience are highly desirable and needed
• Entrepreneurial skills are seen as critical for economical
progress and corporate competiveness
Hustling and Entrepreneurship
• TCs are highly successful for recovery and
recidivism reduction but less successful in
employment
• Substance abusers usually have criminal
histories very poor educational and
employment history
• They do have strong survival skills along
with drug selling and other hustling skills
• Hustlers are highly entrepreneurial
• Goal: Convert illegal to legal entrepreneurial
endeavors & support recovery!
Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP)
• Since inception in 2004, PEP has 555 graduates
• 55 new businesses started by PEP graduates,
with 50 of them still operating.
• Employment rate for PEP graduates is 80%
finding employment within 30 days of release,
with an average time to gain employment of 20
days.
• Average starting wage for PEP graduates is
$10.54 per hour.
• Recidivism rate - PEP graduates is under 10%.
Social Entrepreneurship at NYU
• Professor Ellen McGrath founded an NYU
undergraduate minor in SE in 2008
• Dr. Wexler joined NYU program in 2011
• Courses: Fundamentals, Advanced, Global
and Incubator
• Core 4 Training (Change Yourself & World)
• Began Summer NYU internship program at
Amity in 2012
• Students in 2013 Advanced SE developed an
integrated TC and SE model for term project
Amity Center for Social Entrepreneurship
Value Statement: Introduce social entrepreneurship
(SE) training to Amity and create an Amity SE
Center that integrates SE and TC essentials.
Mission: Train Amity students in entrepreneurial,
communication and business skills in order to
develop businesses to help support Amity and
increase their employability
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Gallery, Gift Shop and Café
Culinary Arts
Amity Organic
Publishing & Media
Amity SE Center Approach
• Lean Startup Methodology
• Core 4 Success Skills
Lean Startup Methodology
(“The Lean Startup” by Eric Reis, 2011)
• Minimum viable product (MVP) - version of a
new product which allows a team to collect the
maximum amount of validated learning about
customers with the least effort (“get out of the
building”)
• Agile - two week cycles of MVP component
production and presentation
• Actionable metrics - can lead to informed
business decisions
• Pivot - a “structured course correction designed
to test a new hypothesis about the product or
strategy
Core 4 Components
1. Connector: creates a positive energy exchange
so that all parties are enhanced, not diminished,
at the end of the exchange.
2. Liner: knows the “bottom line” and sets warm,
respectful boundaries for the safety and well
being of all involved.
3. Convertor: transforms negative energy into
positive action to convert unproductive
thoughts/moods.
4. Strategist: does what it takes to meet goals with
integrity; are problem-solvers, not victims;
creative solutions are their goal.
Challenges
• Create a center administrative
structure
• Integrate TC and SE missions and
values
• Coordinate Amity community and
entrepreneurial activities
• Achieve success with initial
projects!