Mi Best Life

Mi Best Life is a holistic and integrative life skills education and training program designed to help participants realize their potential and grow into their best selves. The mission is to foster personal development of the participants by stimulating their curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. The program is designed to meet the needs of 5-6 vulnerable youth and young adults, ages 17 to 22, who express explicit interest.Life skills training includes monthly in-person sessions and weekly tele- and online check-in sessions for the duration of one calendar year. The program deviates from the rigid, one-dimensional approach to youth training and mentorship programs in the following ways: it is participant-centered and based on a quasi-democratic design; it focuses on depth and breadth; it aims at providing sustainable youth entrepreneurship (e.g. business start-up or cooperative); It is heavily interactive, experiential, and collaborative.
Nombre
Aisha R.
Apellido
Usher
¿En qué fase está tu propuesta?
Idea phase
¿En qué categoría quieres inscribir tu idea?
Education
Describe la necesidad o problema que deseas abordar
Mi Best Life program addresses a gap in vulnerable youth and young adult service programs in Belize. According to the IDB’s 2017 Gap Analysis Report for Citizen Security in Belize, there are numerous projects offering primary and secondary violence prevention services aimed at at-risk youth, particularly adolescents who are not in school or employed. However, these programs have been limited in their capacity to produce their desired effects. One of the main issues is that vulnerable youth and young adults have needs that require services from various sectors: social assistance, youth violence prevention, health, education, parenting, and others. Efforts to seek services from multiple office sites proves extremely burdensome and strains families’ time and resources. The report suggested that a one-stop shop for social services for marginalized youth and families would allow organizations or programs to assess families and youth more holistically and tailor services and referrals to clients’ needs.The limitations of some of the existing programs include low staffing and retention of highly qualified and trained individuals due to lack of resources or funding for competitive salaries. Inadequate space for staff to be more accessible, for training and workshops, and for community recreation, sports, and cultural events is another limitation. Overall, the report suggested that there is a need for a diverse range of programs that have smaller sizes, more preparation, and more professional support for the more difficult adolescents. IDB’s 2018 Gang Model Assessment Guide also recommended that Belize increase access to alternative educational programs and employment opportunities to improve the success of existing programs and future activities. It emphasized that youth programs should be well-designed, transparent, and sustainable. Mi Best Life addresses many of these issues, as it is designed in such a way that it: caters to a small cohort to ensure that individual needs are met; takes a holistic, integrated approach to self-mastery and wellness; focuses on depth and breadth; can be facilitated by one or two moderators, alongside part-time professional collaborators and various local organizations; is location independent and requires little permanent space; aims to produce tangible results in the creation of businesses, cooperatives, etc., as designed by program participants; is replicable and sustainable.
¿Cuál es el principal producto o servicio que ofrecerás?
Mi Best Life training will provided in monthly in-person sessions and weekly tele- and online check-in sessions for the duration of one calendar year. The program will be divided into 4 phases. PHASE 1 will include 2 sessions that will have a mind, body, soul focus. PHASE 2 will comprise of 2 sessions focusing on daily life activities. PHASE 3 will cover business and entrepreneurship over 4 to 5 sessions. PHASE 4 is the implementation phase. In 2-3 sessions, participants will be assisted with the following: selecting a product and/or service to provide; determining a business model; creating and implementing a business plan; preparing necessary filings and prerequisites for business registration; business registration; start-up assistance. The culmination will include a domestic trip and/or service project, based on participant-driven interests. (See attached photo for a detailed listing of Mi Best Life program activities.)
Describe brevemente la comunidad o población que se beneficiará de tu solución y de cómo planeas involucrarlos en el proyecto
Mi Best Life is a life skills training program designed to meet the needs of vulnerable youth and young adults, ages 17 to 22, who are at the brink of adulthood, feel unprepared, are seeking guidance and assistance in moving towards self-sufficiency and, ultimately, becoming productive citizens of Belize. The population will most likely include single parents, youth susceptible to gang and violent activities, and young adults who did not attend or complete high school.Mi Best Life is based on a quasi-democratic design. In other words, the participants are trusted to take responsibility for their own lives and learning, and for the culture and overall direction of the program. For most aspects of the sessions, the facilitators are there to help and moderate, not direct. Both facilitators and participants are expected to contribute their experiences, wisdom, and commitment to the program.
¿Tiene tu propuesta un modelo de negocio (es decir, una estrategia para generar ingresos)? Por favor describe
Mi Best Life is a pilot, alternative educational program that will guide and assists its participants in designing business models to generate revenue. The participants will decide how revenue from their business ventures will support the continuation of the program and support the community.
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