Seminar retreat
Why a seminar retreat? This three-day occasion is both seminar and retreat.
First, it is a seminar because the thirty people chosen to participate agreed to send their questions and concerns about their own enterprises ahead of time so that the seminar could be planned to meet some of these needs. In addition, participants in the March seminar, as in the September seminar, are reading a number of critical recent articles on social entrepreneurship and the difficulties of defining and sustaining such ventures so that when we come together in March, everyone will have common foundational information. Also, unlike a conference, the seminar retreat depends upon participants to bring their own expert knowledge to engage peers in dialogue, critique, and collaborative resource networking. All participants will be familiar with the key resources included on this website.
Second, it is a retreat because
those taking part have agreed to take this time as a retreat from their
everyday usual bustle and busy-ness. The focus on sustaining social entrepreneurship
is unique; the participants were selected by application and for their
commitment and serious questions about how they and others can keep social-value-added
efforts working at the community level. Most of those attending are under
thirty, and have at least two stints of experience with community social
entrepreneurships. In the fall, the geographic focus of the participants
was Latin America and the Caribbean or communities in the US where immigrants
from these parts of the world now live and work. The March seminar retreat
has expanded its focus to include participants working in numerous locations
in the US and around the world.
Convened and hosted by the International Youth Research Network at Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies, the seminar retreat focuses particularly on social and economic community efforts in health, education, and environmental change. Participants were chosen through an application process that invited applications from young people and their community collaborators. This application group includes college students (current and recently-graduated) and community members who play key roles in facilitating the work of these youth. Participants plan to continue their work with the dialogue and support network that will follow the Seminar Retreat.
During three days of seminar retreat, we will address the primary questions and issues raised by participants. The topics taken up in the interactive panels and sessions of participants will include finance and management, branding, evaluation, and narrative building.
The specific Program and Schedule for March 6-8, 2009 may be viewed and/or downloaded. The Program and Schedule from the September 19-22, 2008 retreat is also available here.
Locations:
Housing: Participants will be housed in the Courtyard Marriott Hotel in downtown Providence. Those staying in the downtown hotel will have van service to the Watson Institute.
Meetings: Each day the meetings will begin at the Watson Institute for International Studies, located at 111 Thayer Street on the Brown University campus in Providence, RI. For events not held at the Watson Institute, van service will be provided, or the distance will be short enough for the group to walk there together.
Meals: All meals will be provided at or by Watson.
For those who have indicated
food allergies or preferences (e.g., vegetarian, lactose-intolerant, or
gluten-free), accommodation will be made at each meal for these preferences,
with dishes marked to indicate contents.
Water will be provided at Watson,
but participants are encouraged to bring your own container,
so that we can reduce the use of plastic bottles and not leave these as
our legacy to be around until 3009
