American Councils is excited to announce the Accelerating Youth Empowerment through Entrepreneurship program was given the International Community Development Award by the Community Development Society. This program was implemented by the Armenia and Georgia offices of American Councils in collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension and the Network of Centers for Civic Engagement (NCCE) in Georgia.
This award represents the culmination of a collaborative effort, spearheaded in part by Dagen Valentine, Country Director of American Councils Armenia, who facilitated the proposal for the U.S. Embassy Georgia’s “Democracy Commission Small Grants Project” alongside American Councils Georgia staff Tim Blauvelt and Natia Sirdadze. The grant enabled a collaboration with Nebraska 4-H/Extension staff Marilyn Schlake and Molly Brandt, the authors and trainers of the Entrepreneurship Investigation (ESI) curriculum used in the Accelerating Youth Empowerment through Entrepreneurship program.
In Georgia, NCCE Youth Development Staff trained and mentored Georgian youth using the Nebraska 4-H/Extension Entrepreneurship Investigation (ESI) curriculum, while in Armenia U.S. government (USG) alumni were trained in the ESI curriculum and provided training and mentorship to Armenian youth. A key component of the 30-hour curriculum culminates in an opportunity, called ESI Market, for each of the youth to “open” their business and sell their products or services to the community.
Accelerating Youth Empowerment through Entrepreneurship empowered 10- to 14-year-old youth through entrepreneurial training and mentorship from U.S. government (USG) alumni, using the Nebraska 4-H/Extension Entrepreneurship Investigation (ESI) curriculum. It fostered positive youth development (PYD) and sustainable community resilience. This curriculum guided the young participants through launching their own ventures, creating real-world opportunities for sustainable community impact.
NCCE won the Georgia grant, with American Councils Georgia serving as a sub-grantee on the project. Inspired by Georgia's success, American Councils’ office in Armenia turned the same activity into a U.S. Alumni Outreach Fund opportunity with the U.S. Embassy Armenia, bringing partners from Nebraska 4-H/Extension to Armenia to further expand the program’s reach.
“This award is a reflection of the creativity, dedication, and resilience of the young entrepreneurs in Armenia and Georgia,” said Dagen. “We’re incredibly proud of the work our teams have done and of the lasting partnerships that made this possible.”
The recognition from the Community Development Society underscores the critical role of collaborative international efforts in driving community transformation. It also highlights the pivotal contributions of USG alumni and NCCE who have helped guide young participants toward tangible successes in their communities.
American Councils congratulates its staff in Armenia and Georgia for this outstanding achievement and acknowledges the hard work of all those involved, especially Dagen, Tim, Natia, Marilyn, and Molly, who helped bring this project to life. This award is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of partnerships, innovation, and our collective commitment to empowering youth to create change.