Empowering Youth: Digital Upskilling through Social Entrepreneurship Programmes

Social Enterprise Academy Awards, 2023.

Young people today have the potential to significantly impact the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, specifically, through their digital skills. However, rapidly changing technology and existing inequalities have created a serious digital divide, hindering this potential. Overcoming this divide requires a concerted, multi-stakeholder effort where everyone plays a role. Here are three key roles social entrepreneurship programmes can play in digitally upskilling the youth:

1) Develop advanced digital skills through active learning:

Social entrepreneurship programmes offer youth a unique platform to develop advanced digital skills. Particularly project-based programmes that focus on real-world issues and embrace an active learning approach, that is “learning by doing”, can complement traditional school curricula and online learning resources for a more holistic approach for skills development.

In recent years, our flagship Social Enterprise Schools programme has seen a surge in students leveraging technology to address important community issues. A prime example is the WalkSmart app, developed by students at Woodfarm Secondary School. This token-based app encourages health and environment friendly transportation alternatives and supports local shops in Glasgow through collaboration. In the process of building their social enterprise, the participants gained hands-on experience in app development, digital collaboration, and other essential skills, fostering both personal and community growth. The Social Enterprise Schools programme not only help students identify and apply relevant digital skills but also encourage them to reflect on skill gaps and develop them further through practice.

2) Honing transferable skills: 

In a world where technology evolves rapidly and the technical skills required to operate it have a limited shelf life, transferable skills play a key role in building youth resiliency. According to a UNICEF Framework, transferable skills play a bridging function between foundational skills, job-specific skills and digital skills. This means that they help youth use their basic knowledge and skills, such as literacy, to develop advanced skills across various areas. This extends to digital spaces, where youths’ familiarity with digital tools can be harnessed to develop advanced skills, such as digital marketing or digital advocation, through the application of transferable skills.

Transferable skills are also at the heart of social entrepreneurship programmes. One of the key impact areas  we have recognised in our programmes over the years is the development of transferable skills such as problem solving, teamwork and communication. These skills help prepare youth to tackle real-world challenges and thrive in a rapidly changing world.

3) Creating access to mentors and networks for digital upskilling:

One of the biggest challenges faced by young people is limited access to quality networks and mentors for personal and career development. This issue extends to their digital skills, despite the increased availability of online learning platforms in recent years. Social entrepreneurship programmes can address this by forming partnerships across various sectors and offering mentorship programmes. These initiatives provide youth with broader access to industry-specific digital skills and a people-based approach to improving these skills. Moreover, through their engagement with adults engaged within the business world, young people are able to access feedback for their own digital products, and develop confidence in their skills.

As the digital world continues to evolve, social entrepreneurship programmes can play a crucial role in preparing youth for the future. By focusing on skills development, utilising peer-led approaches, and building robust networks and mentorships, these programmes can equip youth with the necessary skills to thrive in the digital world.

At the Social Enterprise Academy, we believe in empowering young people through skills development and transformational learning. Our Social Enterprise Schools programme helps students create their own social enterprises, enabling them to address the issues they care about and create meaningful change in their communities. If you are interested in partnering with us to support these young changemakers, please get in touch with maya@socialenterprise.academy.