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Your
roadmap to renewing communities
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SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FROM A TO Z By Barbara J. Elliott Social Entrepreneurs approach the problems of the inner city with the same mind-set as entrepreneurs in the business world. They are innovative, cost-effective, willing to take risks, results-oriented, and they look for the bottom line. Peter Drucker has observed that the bottom line for non-profits is changed human lives. An effective social entrepreneur directs his efforts to changing people from the inside out, and should be able to demonstrate results. These questions help determine which organizations qualify as effective social entrepreneurs, and are worthy of our support. Quite often, the most effective work is being done by small, relatively unknown faith-based groups working on the streets of our cities. If we can foster growth here, at the grass-roots level of the seedlings of civil society, we will revitalize America's communities from within. Marvin Olasky and Robert Woodson, Sr., have written wisely on these matters, and their thinking is reflected here. Accountability: Does the program demand accountability of the people it serves? Are the providers held accountable to standards of performance and financial responsibility? Bonding: Does the program foster one-to-one relationships between those giving and those receiving? Is mentoring an important part of the relationship? The more relational the work, the more likely it is to be life-changing. Character: Do the participants build character in the recipients? Is there a moral component to what's offered? If good character is not imparted, no lasting improvement in a life is possible. Discernment: Do the providers use discerning judgment to give help on an individual basis that takes into account individual needs? Do they tailor each solution to fit the person? Employment: Does the program help individuals master pre-work skills, such as literacy and work-readiness, interviewing skills? Do participants acquire the personal traits needed to keep a job? Freedom: Does the leaders teach recipients to live responsibly in conditions of freedom, accepting responsibility for their own actions and their consequences? God: Do the providers treat each participant as a valuable creation of God, and communicate his love? Meeting material needs without addressing spiritual needs is far too little. Hand-up not a Hand-out: Does the program offer a hand-up to people in a temporary need, empowering them to leave dependency, or is it a hand-out? Is this a hammock to lie down in or a trampoline to bounce back up? Integrity: Is integrity modeled in the individuals doing the work, and is it inculcated in those they serve? Jesus: Does this approach take Jesus as the role model? Whether Jew, Christian, or Muslim, all people acknowledge him as a great moral teacher. He didn't just feed the crowds, he confronted individuals with the need for a changed heart. And he didn't say let the government care for the poor --He commanded us to personally do so. Knowledge: Is the program based on knowledge of the community's needs, and of other local service providers doing similar work? Is their mission finely honed? Are the leaders aware of best practices of other similar groups nationally? Love: Mother Teresa said there are no great deeds, only small deeds done with great love. Do these people give love to those for whom they are caring? Can they give the kind of love which is patient, kind, trusting, and transforming? Motivation matters: Why did the people behind the program begin it? Why do the people working with them do it? Do they do so for pay, personal aggrandizement, or something else? If their motivation is right, they will treat people with dignity, not as a project. Neighborhood: Does this group have roots in the neighborhood and the support of the neighbors? What's their reputation in the neighborhood? Are they part of a broader coalition of people committed to renewing the community from within? Opportunity: Does this program focus on opening opportunities for people who then know it is up to them to make the most of the opportunity? Does it create entrepreneurial opportunities for people who want to become whole and self-supporting? Professionalism: Does the program utilize professional capabilities of volunteers in the community to come along side their efforts? A CEO ladling soup is wasted talent in a non-profit which needs a business plan. Creative thinking can harness the professional experience of auto mechanics, electricians, computer programmers, accountants, and executives. Questions: Do providers ask hard questions of the recipients? Can the providers answer hard questions of the donors? Results: Does the program have a success rate which can be quantified? Have there been outside studies validating its results? What's the ratio of costs to results, compared to similar programs? Skills: Does the program offer not only job skills, but life skills? Do participants learn to manage their time, their money, and their personal lives? Trust: Do the leaders foster trust in the participants, teaching them what it means to become trustworthy? Understanding but unswerving: Do the leaders of this program have the strength of character to be understanding of failures, but unswerving in enforcing high standards? Setting the bar high - whether for educational or moral standards - produces higher results. Volunteers: Does the program effectively mobilize volunteer talent from the community, providing training, evaluation, and opportunity for reflection? Work Ethic: Does the program teach the value of reliability, working in teams, following instructions, following through on tasks, and being committed to excellence in work? X-tra Effort: Are these people running this program in for the long haul, with personal commitment to those they serve? Are they committed to an ongoing effort in the community? You can call: Even if it's Friday night at ten, can someone in trouble call these people and know they'll try to help them? If they're that committed, you can bet that these relationships are the kind that change lives. Zip code: People who live in the same zip code as those they serve are most effective. It's best to be one, work with one, or support the work of someone who does. |
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