Projects

Earnshaw recently returned from the Indian Himalayas, courtesy of an Endeavour Executive Award (see Yak Trak Projects: Himalayan Social Enterprise ). Also see EXI's International Projects.

Earnshaw is currently on study leave and in July 2008 Earnshaw will return to work to continue to build on EXI's groundbreaking work.

EXI's Project History: 2005 - 2008

Enterprise Learning for the 21st Century, a Department of Education Science and Training (DEST) initiative, funded trials of the Certificate II in Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Skills on the East Coast in late 2005 (see Department of Education Science and Training Project Information ).

The Chutzpah Factory College of Entrepreneurship Inc. is the sister organisation to EXI as Earnshaw founded both organisations. Earnshaw founded Chutzpah Inc. with the knowledge that some young people would never engage with learning whilst the education system did not cater for youth with a need for flexible and experiential learning.

Chutzpah Inc. is the incarnation of entrepreneurial culture and spirit with a mission is to turn conduct disorder into ethical enterprise! Chutzpah Inc. is a social profit venture, a Deductible Gift Recipient and a Registered Training Organisation.

Victoria was the first state in Australia to implement the courses, most successfully through Chutzpah Inc.'s first delivery site - Chutzpah Bendigo. See the following links for more information:

ABC TV "Catalyst" science program, interested in her doctoral findings, approached Earnshaw for her take on "the Science of Success" in 2005. Earnshaw invited the late John Ilhan, Founder of Crazy John Mobiles to complete her "Chutzpah Factor" Inventory and mentor one of Chutzpah Bendigo's promising young Entrepreneurs. John became a Chutzpah Advisory Board member and in 2006, ABC TV commenced filming "The Science of Business; How to make it Big" production of at Chutzpah Bendigo (see Catalyst Story ).

Western Australia launched trials of Certificate II in Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Skills across the state in 2006 (see Department of Education and Training Powerpoint Presentation ).

However, Chutzpah Goldfields provided the most appropriate pilot-site for delivery of the Entrepreneurship courses and training to indigenous youth in the west. See the following links for more information:

The success of this training methodology for indigenous Australians was commended by the Australian Governor General in his Official Opening Speech of the Inaugural First Nations Economic Opportunities Conference in Sydney in 2006.

Young entrepreneurs from Chutzpah Goldfields attended the conference and met the Governor General (more details and photos ).

South Australian Department of Education and Children's Services (DECS) trained 13 Trainers in the delivery of the Certificate II in Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Skills course in 2007. This launched the long-held vision of Kym Clayton (DECS Program Manager, Youth Engagement Team) to prepare the groundwork for introducing real world entrepreneurship skilling across the state.

The Ernst & Young Foundation (EY) initiated discussions with EXI in early 2005 to explore opportunities to work with the curriculum within select Australian schools. In 2006 EY introduced the Smith Family to the relationship to create a National Branded Enterprise Partnership, piloted in a suburban Brisbane School.

ABC TV's "The 7:30 Report" filmed and screened the production and development of a new youth business, initiated by three high-risk youth in the southern suburbs of Brisbane. The project was a youth crime prevention partnership between Impact Youth Crime Prevention, Mt Gravatt PCYC, Moreton TAFE, Mt Gravatt and Capalaba JPET (see PCYC Business Supporters Club News - Winter 2005 ).

Outcomes included:

A youth Event Management company to showcase local bands
Audio-technical skilling
A participant securing a job with an international airline in food processing
A participant deciding to return to further study, after disengaging in year 9, and undertaking tasks he had never before had the confidence to attempt; writing and promoting his own resume, applying for jobs then buying new shoes to attend the interview, taking control of significant personal issues. (Brisbane, June-August, 2005)

Unfunded Pilots

Significant outcomes from piloting the unaccredited entrepreneurial curriculum laid the foundations for developing EXI's accredited courses. It is worth noting that no funding was received until 2005 to develop and run the early projects.

Four high-risk indigenous boys were skilled in enterprising behaviour, through founding a school-based street-wear venture. Each boy secured an industry traineeship, with one young man securing an industry apprenticeship (Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, May 2004).
Four high-risk girls established a school-based venture, making and retailing polar fleece-beanies. "Head Case Beanies" attracted interest from national distributors. Product prototypes and the business concept plan were established in five weeks before being showcased at a national education conference at Sydney Olympic Park - (Brisbane, June 2004).

See Learning Choices: Chutzpah Factor to Enterprise eXchange International