US-Saudi Women's Forum on Social Entrepreneurship

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The introductory seminar of the U.S.-Saudi Women's Forum on Social Entrepreneurship was held in April 2009 at Dar Al Hekma College in Jeddah. (Photo: Courtesy Emily Tavoulareas, ICF International) ITEM OF INTEREST
July 14, 2009

U.S.-Saudi Women's Forum on Social Entrepreneurship
Summer Symposium Opens

Editor's Note:

The U.S.-Saudi Women's Forum is a one-year public-private program sponsored by the U.S. State Department that provides an opportunity for Saudi women to explore civic action -- to enhance business and leadership skills to solve social problems. The forum's goals are to: increase Saudi participants' knowledge of social entrepreneurship; increase participants' involvement in socially-responsible community activities; and to provide Saudi and American women an opportunity to communicate via interactive online tools.

The Forum is funded by a grant from the Women's Empowerment Pillar of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) of the U.S. Government to ICF International to design and implement the program. Partnerships were developed with Dar Al Hekma, a private all-girls college in Jeddah; and Babson College's Center for Women's Leadership, and Wellesley Center for Women in Massachusetts. The MEPI, located in the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, assists efforts to expand political participation, strengthen civil society and the rule of law, empower women and youth, create educational opportunities, and foster economic reform throughout the Middle East and North Africa. According to the MEPI web page the program "works with non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and academic institutions, as well as governments."

The introductory seminar of the forum was held in April at Dar Al Hekma at which 100 students from three Jeddah colleges participated. The second major event in the forum is underway at Babson College from July 10-25th with participation of 30 students from the first seminar, three Dar Al Hekma faculty members, ICF project managers, and Babson faculty.

Today we are pleased to introduce you to the U.S.-Saudi Women's Forum on Social Entrepreneurship by sharing for your consideration the program description provided by ICF International. SUSRIS will follow up with additional reports about the forum and the summer symposium as it progresses.

U.S.-Saudi Women's Forum on Social Entrepreneurship - Summer Symposium Opens

Program Design

The program design is rooted in the belief that social entrepreneurship is the ideal topic through which to encourage civic engagement, social responsibility, and professional development while empowering women in Saudi Arabia without disrupting the unique social norms of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The program includes an “Introductory Seminar to Social Entrepreneurship”, that lays a conceptual foundation, followed by a “Summer Symposium” in which DAH students will visit Babson to learn business skills necessary to set up a social enterprise (“service project”). The program will culminate with a “Social Entrepreneurship Fair”, showcasing the service projects of the students, and highlighting other accomplishments of the Forum. Throughout the program, students will be supported by professional mentors and will network and collaborate with other students, faculty, and partners via a blog and social networking site.

The introductory seminar of the U.S.-Saudi Women's Forum on Social Entrepreneurship was held in April 2009 at Dar Al Hekma College in Jeddah. (Photo: Courtesy Emily Tavoulareas, ICF International) Introductory Seminar to Social Entrepreneurship, April 2009

The program began with a four-day (22 hour) Introductory Seminar at Dar Al Hekma College (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) that introduced students to social entrepreneurship through a series of panels, lectures, interactive classroom activities and meeting local female social entrepreneurs. Students identified needs, root causes, and opportunities in their communities, and generated innovative ideas to approach needs in a sustainable way. There were 200 students who applied for 100 spots in the Seminar, from which 30 were selected to attend the Symposium at Babson College.

Summer Symposium on Social Entrepreneurship, July 10-25, 2009

The two-week Symposium is a deeper examination of social entrepreneurship in practice and provides content and leadership training to prepare students to start a social enterprise. Students will leave the Symposium with a proposed business plan, and will work with DAH faculty and local female mentors to implement their group service project in Jeddah.

Web 2.0

In order to maintain and strengthen the relationship of participants, online and Web-based resources will be used to facilitate learning, information sharing, and networking opportunities. Throughout the duration of the program, students will dialogue and learn
using an interactive social networking site and a blog.

SOCIAL NETWORK

ICF International has set up and maintains a social network in order to create an online community where women involved in the Forum can build and maintain relationships and exchange ideas. The Forum Network allows members to create profiles, post pictures, post videos, start and participate in discussions, create “groups”, chat with each other, and create events. All of these interactive options promote relationship-building, communication, and real-time exchange of ideas. Additionally, members will learn the value of online communities and networking. The Network also serves as a virtual meeting space supplementing face-to-face events and activities.

Site address: www.us-saudiwomensforum.ning.com

BLOG

ICF International has set up and maintains a blog which is used to share information. The blog provides a forum for ongoing discussion, and a concrete way for students not participating in the Exchange to remain engaged in the learning process. Additionally, the blog serves as a way to display the professional and community-oriented activities of young women in Jeddah to the international social entrepreneurship community and the public at large.

Site address: www.us-saudiwomensforum.blogspot.com

Mentoring Program

ICF identified women in Jeddah who are already successful social entrepreneurs, and are well connected in the community. These mentors will be paired with student groups to support them in implementing their service projects. Brown-bag sessions will be held at DAH and engage mentors and other members of the community in educating students about real-world issues relating to social entrepreneurship.

Social Entrepreneurship Fair

The program will culminate with a Social Entrepreneurship Fair, open to the broader community in Jeddah, which will showcase the student’s “service projects” and promote sustainability of the U.S.-Saudi Women’s Forum on Social Entrepreneurship. Additionally, students will be strongly encouraged to hold small seminars at the Fair, aimed at teaching local women from Jeddah the principles of social entrepreneurship. The intended outcome of the project is that women in Saudi Arabia become more engaged in their communities through social enterprise. A panel of distinguished judges will award pilot grants to the top student business plans. This will be the final event of the year-long Forum and is scheduled for December/January 2009.

Source: ICF International

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