The Young Entrepreneurs Council Solomon Islands (YECSI) was founded in 2017 in response to the Solomon Islands government’s national youth policy, which prioritized youth unemployment. In partnership with the government and the Chamber of Commerce, YECSI was established to advocate for entrepreneurship as a viable employment avenue for young people. Their mission encompasses capacity-building for aspiring and new entrepreneurs through a range of initiatives, including training, mentorship, networking events, and innovation competitions.

Recognizing the potential for further growth and impact, YECSI applied for the Incubate Better programme implemented by UNCDF in the Pacific. Their application was successful, leading to their participation in the first stage of the programme, which involved a four-week virtual training programme. Additionally, YECSI was selected as one of the three incubators to undergo in-person training and receive ongoing coaching as part of the second stage of the programme.

“YECSI, being a young organization with a young Board and Secretariat, has faced numerous challenges over the years, one of which has been the lack of understanding regarding their respective roles and responsibilities. This has led to conflicts and misunderstandings, resulting in a slow pace of operations. However, the Incubate Better training has not only equipped us with tools to enhance our operations but has also shed light on our roles and responsibilities as supervisors.”

- Clifton To’otalau, YECSI Coordinator, Endline Survey

What is the Incubate Better programme?

In 2022-2023, UNCDF launched the "Incubate Better" initiative in collaboration with YGAP, aiming to enhance locally led incubator programmes for entrepreneurs in the Pacific Islands. The initiative assisted new and early-stage incubators through activities in two phases:

• Phase 1: Development of a curriculum for capacity building of incubation programme providers throughout the Pacific Islands. The trainings consisted of interactive Masterclass webinar series, complemented by self-paced online learning modules. Representatives from 20 Incubation Programme Providers participated in this training.
• Phase 2: Enhanced support, intensive coaching and small-grant programme for three selected incubators over six months. This included up to US$15,000 in grant funding to launch or scale their incubator programmes.

Needs Assessment

When YECSI joined Incubate Better, the organization was managed by a board of directors, while day-to-day operations were overseen by a small team of two individuals. However, they faced several challenges, including ambiguity regarding roles and responsibilities between the board and secretariat, as well as inadequate communication channels. The team also struggled with limited resources, hindering their ability to capitalize on potential funding opportunities.

In terms of programming, YECSI identified the need for a clearer strategy and a more defined target entrepreneur. They recognized the potential for developing two distinct streams of programming: one tailored for aspiring entrepreneurs and another for established businesses.

Additionally, YECSI relied on external consultants to deliver training and services, leading to high costs and posing challenges to financial sustainability. As a result, there was an opportunity to enhance learning and build the team’s capacity to develop and deliver an improved, in-house training programme.

Coaching Scope

The initial coaching scope was designed to cover a range of essential support areas for the organization's growth. These areas included the development of a comprehensive team development strategy to enhance collaboration and performance. Additionally, the coaching aimed to improve the quality of the learning experience by reviewing curriculum and programme design. Clarifying the organizational strategy was another critical aspect of the coaching, ensuring alignment with the organization's goals and objectives. Lastly, assessing the existing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework allowed for identifying potential improvements and ensuring a data-driven approach to decision-making.

Despite initial progress during the in-person training, unexpected challenges, including the resignation of YECSI's program coordinator and the organization's involvement in the Pacific Games, led to a shortened coaching phase. In response, the coaching scope was adjusted to concentrate on several key areas. These included drafting goals and strategy development, identifying organizational challenges, and ensuring a smooth onboarding process for the new Secretariat. Additionally, the coaching aimed to review the initial needs assessment, providing research insights and ideas to the new Secretariat, ultimately guiding YECSI's strategy and goal-setting process during upcoming organizational training and strategy sessions.

Coaching Progress & Outcomes

"This training provides limitless valuable insights and the coaching provides practical examples and assists in brainstorming some of the ideas which has been very productive and helpful. For example, YECSI as we will be having our planning sessions soon the "scale assessment" has provided me with insight that helped me to understand defining targets, identifying the member’s challenges and needs, and providing the necessary support to help them improve. Furthermore, through this coaching/training, I also learnt the importance of data and utilising the feedback process.”

- Clifton To’otalau, YECSI Coordinator, Endline Survey

The coaching relationship with YECSI, established during the in-person training in Fiji with board member Limahl Totogi and former coordinator Maverick Peter Seda, proved to be highly beneficial. Both individuals actively engaged in the training and coaching sessions, forming valuable connections with potential partners such as the International Labor Organization (ILO) during the Entrepreneurship Expo.

The team first worked on identifying organizational issues and opportunities for improvement with the support of two tools:

1. They analysed their overarching strategy and goals with the Vision Traction Template
2. They benchmarked YECSI’s offer against proven business development service (BDS) practices and identified areas for improvement with SCALE a needs assessment tool developed by Argidius.

A review of the initial needs assessment against the progress made during the coaching period revealed improvements in various aspects of the organization. Notable advancements included the establishment of clear selection criteria for profiling entrepreneurs and enterprises, ensuring a more efficient and targeted approach. Additionally, the development of a focused organizational strategy contributed to aligning efforts towards common goals. The coaching also resulted in strengthening the organizational team, thereby improving delivery and facilitating growth. Lastly, the organization demonstrated a significant focus on sustainability, considering long-term strategies and solutions for success.

The coaching also emphasized the importance of data collection and use, as well as the need for an engaging and relevant training curriculum that incorporates opportunities for application of learning and fosters peer-engagement and problem-solving. It is anticipated that progress in these areas will be reflected toward the end of 2024.

Proposed Grant use

Given the challenges and resource constraints faced by YECSI during the programme, a decision was made to allocate an initial tranche of US$7,000. This funding was designated to support training for the board and secretariat, along with facilitating a strategy and team building retreat. These initiatives aimed to enable the team to reflect, gain alignment and formulate a new strategy for 2024.

Following the outcomes of the training and strategy session, YECSI had the opportunity to propose the utilization of the remaining US$8,000 grant. This proposal entailed leveraging ILO’s Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) training, which the team had already received. The plan involved adapting and testing the SIYB curriculum to tailor it to the local context and meet YECSI’s specific needs.

Impact of Grant funding

The initial tranche of grant funding enabled valuable management training for the board and secretariat by a locally certified ‘Training Within Industry’ facilitator. This training covered essential aspects such as leadership, governance, and task management, among other topics. This created a solid foundation of understanding and set clear expectations regarding roles and responsibilities, and best practices in team management.

The team's recent retreat and strategy sessions have proved fruitful, resulting in several significant outcomes. Notably, trust emerged as a key theme, with participants recognizing its importance in fostering effective working relationships. This laid the groundwork for open and constructive discussions throughout the sessions.

As the team delved deeper into organizational issues, they identified areas for improvement and explored potential solutions. Furthermore, individuals took the opportunity to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, gaining insights into their personal development areas.

One crucial outcome was the agreement on a more defined target audience - aspiring entrepreneurs. This focus allowed the team to tailor their strategies more effectively and maximize impact. This clarity extended to the organization's overall strategy as well, with a renewed emphasis on its three pillars: Youth Engagement, Membership & Services, and Advocacy.

Lastly, the team reached a consensus on narrowing the scope of activities, prioritizing quality over quantity in service delivery. With these outcomes, the organization is well-positioned to make significant strides in its mission, leveraging the talents and insights of its dedicated team.

“The Training with the Industry facilitator programme was an awesome and useful one week of training to help me with my role and responsibilities not only as a Board Vice Chair but also as a Business Manager. What I most liked were the tools the training provided they were basic and simple but vital and were easy to understand and use. As a supervisor and team leader I have started to apply what I have learned, using my skills alongside the tools, to establish a stronger foundation to improve operations and more effectively lead my team in both YECSI and my private business.”

- Josie Anne Ashley, YECSI Vice Chair

The second tranche of funding was awarded in early 2024 and is designated to fund activities in 2024. It is anticipated that this funding will improve the internal entrepreneurship training curriculum, decrease costs incurred on outsourcing facilitation, and training on improving financial sustainability.

Next Steps

In addition to building out their improved curriculum and suite of member services, UNCDF has recommended that YECSI develop an enhanced Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) plan using the framework provided. This MEL framework will enable YECSI to systematically track the progress and impact of their programmes, ensuring accountability and informing future decision-making.

Furthermore, it is recommended that the new Secretariat complete the Incubate Better online course. This course will equip them with best practice strategies and provide insights on incorporating gender, sustainability, and digital considerations into their programming. Lastly, the YECSI team has been encouraged to continue exploring potential partnership opportunities with the ILO and other funders.

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Acknowledgement

This incubator capacity building project was made possible with funding from the governments of Australia, New Zealand and the EU as part of the UNCDF Pacific Digital Economy Programme.