//Background to the DBSP// //Project Mission & Vision// //Objectives Of The DBSP// //The DBSP's Training Interventions// //Objectives Of The Training Programmes// //Outcomes Of Both Programmes// //The DBSP Board Games// //Further Details On How The Programmes Work// //The DBSP's Learner Selection// //The DBSP's Follow-Up System// //Success Indicator Measurement// //DBSP's Accreditation In South Africa// //DBSP's Perspective On Rural Development// //How DBSP Starts In New Areas// //DBSP's Management Structure// //Some Of The Businesses Learners Start Up// //Organisations Associated With The DBSP// //Feedback Obtained On The DBSP// //The Uniqueness Of The DBSP// //Conclusion//

Background To The DBSP

The Dynamic Business Start-Up Project (DBSP) was started in South Africa in 1996. It was started in response to the changing South Africa, especially in respect to the dismantling of the apartheid structures and to assist in rebuilding the country through the creation of jobs, through the promotion of entrepreneurship. Apartheid policy left the majority of South Africans generally poorly educated, with the prospects of finding gainful employment very low, especially for those of colour. The DBSP was launched in response to this and as a way of assisting those within communities, who show a measure of entrepreneurial inclination, to start up businesses, thereby somewhat alleviating the sting of poverty and joblessness.

In order to achieve this, the DBSP developed and runs 2 unique, community based business start-up initiatives, the Dynamic Business Start-Up Programme (DBS Programme) and the Micro Business Start-Up Programme (MBS Programme) Each programme accommodates carefully selected, entrepreneurially inclined learners, who go through a step-by-step, practical learning experience, at the end of which they establish a new business venture. Support is given by an aftercare phase to ensure the sustainability of the new businesses.

The major differences between the 2 programmes is that the DBS Programme is written at a much lower level than the MBS Programme, making it ideal for those community members who have a very low education base. In addition to this, the DBS Programme is for those learners who are just satisfied to start up a business that will meet their basic needs and that of their family unit - ie. A survivalist business. The MBS Programme, on the other hand, is for those that want to grow and develop their business, thereby taking part in the economy of South Africa. These businesses will progress from survivalist, to micro, to small and upwards.

The programmes were developed by the DBSP in South Africa, along with professionals from the University of the Witwatersrand Business Schools Centre for Developing Business, keeping the devastating affects of apartheid in mind. The development team has had over forty years of experience in working with new, as well as established, entrepreneurs.

The DBSP is run by Hi-Eye-Q Training & Consultancy C.C. (Close Corporation) and the NIC Dynamic Business Start-Up Trust (The Trust) The Trust is a Public Benefit Organisation, with 18A tax status and is non-profit.

In 2007, the DBSP launched into Africa and, from the initial reports coming out of Kenya - the first Country where DBSP programmes have been run outside of South Africa - the DBSP and its training interventions are well suited to other African Countries as well. DBSP has thus embarked on spreading its wings up into Africa - and beyond if needs be.

The DBSP's Vision Statement

The DBSP's Mission Statement

The Objectives Of The DBSP Project

There are 5 objectives of the DBSP, these being :

1. To identify areas & communities in need around South Africa and up into Africa that require business start-up training and to run our training interventions there.
2. To identify and secure sources of funding to train people in these areas.
3. To identify and build relationships with community based organisations with whom we can work in the selected areas.
4. To train up DBSP staff (Trainer / Facilitators and Follow Up Agents) from the selected communities to do DBSP work in their areas.
5. To work with marginalised groupings, such as those affected by HIV/ AIDS, the retrenched, the physically challenged, etc. to train them in business start-up skills.

These 5 objectives are fleshed out below :

1) To identify areas & communities in need around South Africa and up into Africa that require business start-up training and to run our training interventions there.

As the broad category of work that the DBSP is involved in is economic community development, the philosophy of the DBSP is to carefully select certain areas within a community and to work in these areas as thoroughly as possible, widening our circle of training ever outwards, like ripples in a pond. The DBSP does not subscribe to the "shotgun approach" to training, which is training for the sake of running programmes and having as many learners go through the programme as can be. The DBSP trains for impact - and that is to have as many of the learners as possible start up and run a business that will sustain. The "shotgun approach" is one in which many programmes are run in many different areas, but without any integrated approach and planning for the economic development of the area as a whole. It is a quick in and quick out approach and one that has very little impact in the long run. The DBSP certainly does not subscribe to such a methodology of training.

Graphically, our training model looks as follows:

The 'ripples in a pond' approach is much slower to implement than the 'shot gun' approach, but it is more thorough and the outcomes are more long lasting.

2) To identify and secure sources of funding to train people in these areas.

Our target market for the training is the poor and the poorest of the poor. Generally speaking, this huge group of people do not have enough money to take care of their basic needs; food, shelter, clothing and the schooling of their children, therefore it is almost impossible to get these people to pay for their own training and development, for if they were to pay, they would negatively impact their family units from an economic point of view. In addition to this, if we set course fees for the learners to pay, we would attract the wrong group of people and still the poor would remain in their plight. Due to this fact, the DBSP needs to raise funds from donor organisations, private individuals, the government, NGO groups, and any other source whose goal it is to help develop the Country from an economic point of view. The DBSP is, therefore, largely dependent upon fund raising as a mechanism in order to have money to train in the areas and amongst people groups with whom we work, and who are the most needy.

3) To identify and build relationships with community based organisations with whom we can work in the selected areas.

The DBSP is committed to locate and to work with organisations that are currently in a particular area, and that are working with the people of that area in some form of development work, be it in HIV/AIDS work, social development, church development, housing, service delivery, health services, orphans and vulnerable children, farming, food security, tourism, arts & crafts, forestry, water, or any other form of community development.

In addition to this the DBSP strives to build relationships with the governing bodies of the area, be they Local Municipalities, Municipal Districts, Tribal Leaders, Provincial Government, etc.

We also reach out to the Church communities, social groups, special needs groups (the disabled, physically challenged, etc.), the youth and any other group that plays a role in a particular area / community.

There are many reasons for why the DBSP adopts this approach, the most important of these being :

• So we do not waste resources by setting up our own office in the area.
• So as not to duplicate what is already happening in an area.
• To add value to existing structures and organisations already working on the ground.
• To empower the community - via the structures / organisations already in operation.
• Development work needs to have a holistic approach if it is to be effective. Different service providers need to join hands and bring to the table their own particular areas of expertise so that, together, we can have maximum impact on a community / area.
• The community - based structures know the community already, hence the DBSP does not have to go on a major fact finding mission about the area, the community, its people, the culture, language, customs, political leanings, etc.

The first prize for the DBSP would be to have a situation where various stakeholders are working together to develop the community holistically. These stakeholders would include the DBSP, Community based organisations and NGO's (In health, HIV/AIDS, agricultural development, social development, service provision - including housing, water, electricity, etc.), hard skills trainers, local municipal structures & government and outside Donor Funders. Should this be the case, an integrated development plan for the area / community can be drawn up. The roll out of this plan can then be funded by the Local Government Structures (poverty alleviation funds, job creation funds, service delivery funds, housing funds, etc.), backed up by the Donor Funders. So, graphically, the model would look as follows :

4) To train up DBSP staff (Trainer / Facilitators and Follow Up Agents) from the selected communities to do DBSP work in their areas.

In order to maximise the training and follow-up services, the DBSP's philosophy is to select and train up a Trainer/Facilitator and, as the need arises, a Follow Up Agent or two for the area / community in which we work. There are a few reasons why we see this as absolutely vital to the ongoing delivery and sustainability of the DBSP's work in a specific area/community :

• DBSP Personnel who come from the area will understand the dynamics of the area - language, socio-economic, political, cultural, norms, poverty levels, contacts and so on. An outsider may, at best, knows some of these things and hence, may make some blunders in one of these regards when delivering a programme, or following learners up.
• Having DBSP personnel in the area means that they are closer in proximity to the learners, and therefore can provide them with a much better service.
• In line with our philosophy of working with community-based organisations, having DBSP personnel in the area means that the community based organisation with which we work will have a least one person on hand to whom they can refer all business and business start-up related issues.
• The DBSP encourages the community-based organisation with whom we work to have an office, or place, from where the DBSP personnel can operate. By so doing, we further capacitate the community-based organisation, without putting a strain on their resources. (the DBSP personnel are not paid by the community-based organisation, but by the DBSP, so the organisation gets the benefit of their services.)
• DBSP personnel in the area act as a role model for the learners, because part of our philosophy says that "unless you are a practising entrepreneur, you have no right to teach someone else to start and run a business. " Therefore our DBSP personnel should have a business of their own that they run, and this acts as a showcase to people in the community, especially those whom we train.

By adopting this philosophy, we are further capacitating the community-based organisation in the area, as well as having DBSP presence on the ground in a cost effective way.

5) To work with marginalised groupings, such as those affected by HIV/ AIDS, the retrenched, the physically challenged, etc. to train them in business start-up skills.

As part of our endeavours to work with structures that are already on the ground in the area/community in which we work, the DBSP actively seeks out certain service providers, because we believe that we can add the most value to their community-based efforts. Often it is people who fall into the category of having HIV/AIDS, the retrenched and the physically challenged who are the most neglected, because of the stigma that is often attached. The DBSP believes that no person, or group of people should be further marginalised because of their state. To expand on this, I will take an example of how we add value to community-based organisations dealing with the scourge of HIV/AIDS in a community. There are broadly two areas where households that are affected by HIV/AIDS struggle; the possible death of the person, who very often is the breadwinner, and all that is associated with this and, secondly, the fact that as the person with HIV/AIDS battles through the disease, it costs money to provide health care for this person. Should the DBSP find that someone in the household is enterprising enough to run a business and we train this person, then, at best, the household has dual income which provides more money to take care of the sick person. At worst, when the person with HIV/AIDS dies, especially if this person is the breadwinner, the business will be able to take over the financial responsibilities of the household, and therefore, the household will not be left financially destitute. As can be seen from the above argument, the DBSP can definitely add value in the context of HIV/AIDS. The same applies to a household wherein a retrenchment has taken place, or where one family members is physically challenged.

The Training Interventions And Their Objectives

The DBSP has 4 training interventions :

• The Dynamic Business Start-Up Programme (DBS Programme)
• The Micro Business Start-Up Programme (MBS Programme)
• The Financial Management Board Game (FinMan Board Game)
• The Running A Business In The Context Of HIV/AIDS Board Game (HIV/AIDS Board Game)

Information on the DBS & MBS Programmes is sketched below, followed by the objectives of both these interventions. Thereafter the two board games are discussed.

Information on the DBS & MBS Programmes

The DBS Programme is suited to those whose educational level is not very high at all and who just want to run a business to earn income for themselves and for their family units (Low level businesses are generally run, more in the survivalist category) The businesses are not likely to be registered, and are unlikely to grow too large. The information presented in this course is the basics, with no frills attached, and no unnecessary theory being given.

The MBS Programme is for those learners who are slightly better educated and who want to run a business that will grow and develop. It may start out as a survivalist one, but will grow into a micro business, then, hopefully, into a small business. The venture will be registered in time and will employ others. The base of theory is much more comprehensive than the DBS Programme and not only covers the basics, but covers necessary information about registering the business, tax, analysing the business and growing the business. The information is this programme is presented in more depth than in the DBS Programme.

A bridging programme also exists, if someone has done the DBS Programme and wants to upgrade their knowledge to that of the MBS Programme.

The Objectives Of Both The DBS & MBS Programmes

There are 4 objectives :

1. To train each learner to identify and research business opportunities.
2. To put business theory across in a dynamic, easily understood and interactive way.
3. To have each learner demonstrate competence by starting up and successfully managing a business in his/her own community.
4. To give each learner hands on experience of making money whilst learning business principles.

Each point is expanded upon below

1. To train each learner to identify and research unique business opportunities, thus ensuring that the businesses started have a good chance to succeed.

As a result of the way that most people start up businesses; by looking over the garden wall and copycatting what the person next door, or up the street is doing, it is important that our learners learn how to identify different business opportunities on an ongoing basis. This is particularly important since the emergence of competition will often play a factor in the sustainability of a business. If the learner does not know how to identify further business opportunities, then they stand a chance of falling victim to competition and going out of business.

Due to the fact that most businesses fail because little or no research is carried out prior to starting up, or during the course of running the business, the DBSP places a lot of emphasis on teaching our learners how to, and encouraging them to conduct research on their business ideas and opportunities on an ongoing basis.

2. To put business theory across in a dynamic, easily understood and interactive way so that, through the methodology, the learner is guided to identify, research and develop a business plan around actual business ideas.

The DBSP's methodology has been carefully worked out so that there is a good interplay between the delivery of theory and practical application of this theory in the very community in which the learner is likely to start up his/her business. As the course progresses, the learner is led along a path wherein he/she identifies business opportunities and researches these opportunities by applying the theory directly to business ideas that the learner is working on. Towards the end of the programme, the learner has gathered a body of knowledge on some business ideas that they have been working on and is in a position to evaluate these business ideas using the information that has been collected during the research sessions. The learner then selects the most viable business for him/her to start right after the course has completed, and converts the information and he/she has already collected into a business.

3. To have each learner demonstrate competence by starting up and successfully managing a business in his/her own community.

In order for a learner to achieve competence from the training programme, there is only one task that he/she must perform and that is to start up and begin running a business in a sustainable, growth producing fashion. Once the learner has demonstrated this ability - generally measured at three months after they have completed the programme -, the learner receives his/her certificate of competence.

4. To give each learner hands on experience of making money whilst learning business principles , thereby putting the theory directly into practice.

It is a very important part of our methodology that a learner makes money whilst in training. In our ongoing research, we see a direct correlation between those whom we train that do not make money whilst on the programme and the lack of business start-up from such a person. This money making part of the programme is an integral part of the methodology for the following reasons:

• Learners need to come with some money to the training and this is seen by the DBSP as a "commitment fee" from the learners. In the eyes of the learners, they also see that they are having to "pay" for their training.
• Through the moneymaking exercise, the theory can be put directly into practice , and learners see the relevance of the theory, because it impacts on the amount of money they make.
• By making money whilst in training, the learner gains confidence in the fact that he/she can make money on their own, by selling a product or providing a service.
• The learners grow in self-confidence and their self-esteem rises as they prove to themselves that they can make money.

Graphically speaking, the above points can be summarised in the following diagram.

The Outcomes Of The Training Interventions

By the end of the training (both the programmes and the board games), the learners will have achieved the following:

• Identified a market niche in his/her own community.
• Calculated when the business will make a profit.
• Developed a marketing and management strategy.
• Drafted the essential records which need to be kept.
• Compiled a business plan around this opportunity.
• Made money.
• Started up this business.
• Gained practical experience on how to manage their finances & to keep records.
• Developed a plan for how to run their businesses in the context of HIV/AIDS.

Information On The Two Board Games

Both board games have been designed to supplement either of the training programmes. They can also be run as stand alone training interventions. Both games have been designed to be run during the follow up phase of the training - generally at the 3 month mark after a learner has completed a DBS, or MBS Programme. The reason for this is that the learner must have had some practical experience of trying to manage their finances in their business and struggled to do so. In addition, by the 3 month mark, should the learner be running their business where HIV/AIDS is prevalent, they will most likely have come up against some problems in this regard. Hence in both cases, the learner will have had some practical business experience and would have struggled a bit. This means that the learning that the learners receive from both games is invaluable. From research that the DBSP has done it was found that once obtaining the practical information from both board games, the businesses really take off. Graphically what is described above looks like this :

The Financial Management Board Game has been designed to train the learners practically how to manage the finances, cash flow and working capital of their business. In addition to this, learners also gain experience in taking good financial decisions, working through financially-related problems and managing their stock levels. Emphasis is also put on the learners keeping a cash book on a transaction-by- transaction basis and to write up an income & expenditure statement.

The running a business in the context of HIV/AIDS Board Game is designed to have the learners think, plan and strategise around how to run a business successfully if those around the business, or the business person him/herself, or one of their employees has HIV/AIDS. It works on the premise that HIV/AIDS will impact negatively upon a business if the business owner does not understand the context in which the business finds itself, fails to develop contingency plans and to educate his/herself and their staff about HIV/AIDS. It is a management tool, so the business owner can learn to manage the pandemic in their sphere of influence.

Further Details On How The DBS & MBS Programmes Work

The programme participants are carefully selected for their entrepreneurial inclination. The methodology consists of a 4 to 6 week intervention, during which a unique combination of field and classroom work are employed. (The DBS Programme typically takes 4 weeks to run, whilst the MBS Programme takes 6 weeks.) Business concepts learned in the classroom are applied directly in the community in which the learner will run his/her business. In this way the taught principles and concepts of business are reinforced in a real, practical environment. The field work includes researching actual business opportunities, and choosing the niche market strategy which best suits the learner's skills, interest and abilities. The profitability and sustainability of the new business is analysed, the most suitable marketing & management strategy is selected and the new business is started. Ways and means of growing the new venture are also explored. A business plan and record keeping systems are drawn up for the business opportunity.

As part of the methodology, each participant must have a small amount of their own money. (In South Africa this is set at R50) This money is to be used by the learner to make money during the training programme. This ensures commitment from the learners. This money-making aspect of the programme is essential to put the theory directly into practice and to stimulate the learner's self esteem and confidence. Without this, a learner's new business is likely to fail. The money also provides "seed capital" for the new business, meaning that, in most cases, the learners self fund from a start-up capital point of view.

The Board games are used to supplement the training and are strategically placed in the training time line in order to maximise the learning from the interventions, as described above.

The follow up section, crucial to ongoing learner success, kicks in upon completion of either the DBS, or MBS programmes and runs for a further 12 months.

Learner Selection Philosophy & Selection Procedure For A Programme

According to the DBSP's ongoing research, we have found that, roughly speaking, in any one community the following scenario exists in regard to the entrepreneurial make up of the populous.

Type of person the DBSP looks for :

In order to get on to one of the DBSP's Programmes, there are a few chief characteristics that a successful candidate must display. These characteristics and a brief description of these are:

• The person must show a measure of enterprising inclination. There are definite qualities a person must possess in order to be said to have entrepreneurial flair, and not all people have these qualities. At the heart of this is a person that must have the propensity to deal with risk and to live with a certain amount of insecurity, as all business ventures have an element of risk attached, some more than others. The other main qualities are self discipline and the ability to make decisions. Self discipline is necessary in terms of the ability to manage one's time and to manage self and the ability to arrange one's life and family life around the demands of the business. Added to this is the ability to say 'no', when certain unreasonable demands are placed on the person, either by friends, family, self gratification and definitely by the business. Also to know when to say 'no' to the business and to judge when it is time to leave the business affairs in favour of family, friends and even self. Many people cannot make an informed decision and stick by that decision, as well as not having the ability to evaluate a decision and to modify and/or change their decision according to what the situation demands. The ability to manage self is also closely linked to what has been said above. Another quality in this category is the ability to work with money in such a way that the person's actions will not jeopardise the business. These are the chief qualities of entrepreneurial inclination.


• The person must show a willingness and desire to get themselves out of their current set of circumstances - largely to deny being a victim of poverty any longer. The DBSP offers a wonderful opportunity. The person, with a fair share of hard work and stickability, can get themselves out of their poverty trap. A candidate needs to demonstrate this to us.


• Financial contribution. A successful candidate needs to produce a small amount of money (R50 in South Africa) in order to come on the course. This amount is not an insurmountable amount for a person to come up with. By offering a service (cleaning someone's yard / garden / home, ironing clothes, cleaning windows, washing a car, etc.) the committed person can earn the required money. By so doing, this provides a strong comment on the person's real entrepreneurial drive, as a truly entrepreneurial person will find such money by earning it, or convincing someone to loan it to them.


• Time availability - The successful candidate must be able to attend a course for 4 to 6 weeks in a row (Depending on whether they go through the DBS, or MBS Programmes), for 8 hours per day and without any conflicting arrangements, especially on the classroom days of the course.


• The other criteria we set are :
  Age limit : Above the age of 18 - i.e. School leavers
  A basic level of literacy & numeracy - (ABET level 1 in South African terms)

The Procedure the DBSP uses to select candidates

All candidates must pass through a set of figurative 'gates' in order to be selected. These 'gates' are in the form of items the person must do / fill in / answer questions etc. These 'gates' are :

1. First off the way we advertise our programmes leaves no illusion that this is not a job opportunity. Hence, we find that the adverts / radio announcements / things people say / pamphlets we put out attract the majority of people who are looking at the possibility of self employment and generally excludes those just seeking a job.
2. Gate 2: a firm date for the interview is set. People who do not turn up have obviously chosen not to do so, so have excluded themselves at this point. Of course there are extenuating circumstances in certain cases. These we take into account.
3. Gate 3 is a 130 question questionnaire the person must fill in. These are a set of questions with various responses. There are sufficient questions so that a person will not be able to guess his/her way through. Also some of the questions repeat, using different words, so the meaning is slightly different. This also discourages the person guessing their way through the questionnaire. The questionnaire is marked by way of a template. The way a person scores on this questionnaire gives the interviewer a fair idea of the person and the way the person thinks. The questions asked cover the basics of entrepreneurial inclination.
4. Gate 4 : The person is then given a fictitious business related problem to solve. The person is graded on how many viable solutions they come up with.
5. Gate 5 : The personal one-on-one interview. Each candidate is interviewed by the DBSP Trainer/Facilitator. During this interview the 130 question questionnaire, their application form and the problem solving exercise are looked at and some additional questions are asked the person in relation to these 'tools'. The person is then asked a series of questions in order for the interviewer to get a feel of the person, their situation, their future plans and their entrepreneurial inclination. This is an extremely important part of the selection procedure and can even over ride points 3 and 4 above, as these tools (3 & 4) can be misunderstood if the person's level of literacy does not allow them to write good answers, or their level of understanding of the questions in the questionnaire mean that the person scores very low.
6. The final gate is the person's time availability and the producing of the money for the exercise. If a person passes points 1 to 5 above, well, but has a problem with the time commitment or with getting the money, they are automatically excluded.

Should a candidate pass through all the 'gates' successfully, they are accepted onto the course immediately. Should the person pass through gates 1, 2, 5 & 6 and the Trainer/Facilitator is convinced they would make a good student, they are also included. Should they pass through gates 1,2,5 & 6, but the Trainer/Facilitator has a bit of a hesitation, they are put on a short list, so that if there are 1 or 2 places left on the programme about to be run, they may still get onto the programme.

The Follow-Up Part Of The Programme And How It Works

For any development project of this nature, the follow-up process is absolutely critical to on-going success. The DBSP has built in a minimum of 12 months of follow up into each and every Programme it runs. Each graduate learner is contacted by their Trainer/ Facilitator, or Follow Up Agent on a regular basis during the twelve months after graduating and assistance is given as required. After this, the Trainer/ Facilitator, or Follow Up Agent is available on request to help any graduate learner. At the 3 month mark, all learners are assessed and if they are running a business at this point, that shows a measure of sustainability, they are awarded a Certificate of Competence.

An important part of the follow up is the establishment of links to financing and other organisations, such as suppliers, skills trainers, resource specialists, and formal companies to whom the graduate learners can be introduced. The establishing of these linkages helps the new businesses to develop & grow.

Graduates can also be pointed in the right direction to gain access to either a step - up, or once off business loan.

The DBSP maintains a data base, wherein we capture detailed information about each learner and track the progress of his/her business. The data base has accurate statistics on all our graduates. We make these statistics available from time to time.

For the DBS Programme, there are five points of contact, or stages, where each graduate is located and offered support and counsel. For the MBS Programme there are seven contact points. During the visit a series of questions are asked to determine whether that person has started a business, what the status of the business is and what assistance the graduate (new business owner) needs. During these interviews, the new business owner will have to produce evidence of the business that he / she is currently running and his/her records (cash book, income statement) will need to be seen. A summary of these stages follow:

• STAGE 1 - The Programme Trainer/Facilitator or Follow Up Agent goes out and locates each graduate one month after their programme has been completed, and ascertains whether the graduate has started up a business, how the business is going, and whether the graduate needs a micro loan. The graduate is then sign posted to a micro loan agency. (This stage is applicable to both the DBS & MBS Programmes)
• STAGE 2 - A month later (eight to nine weeks after a programme has been completed), the Trainer/ Facilitator or Follow Up Agent again locates all of the programme graduates and establishes how each of them is doing and whether any assistance can be given. (This stage is applicable to both the DBS & MBS Programmes)
• STAGE 3 - A further two months later (four months since the end of the programme) the Trainer/ Facilitator or Follow Up Agent once again seeks out all the programme graduates. This time the purpose is to assess each graduate in order to establish the kind of business that the graduate is running and to run a refresher training session by way of the Financial Management Board Game to assist the learner with financial management and record keeping skills. The HIV/AIDS Board Game is also trained at this point. After this training, those learners that are running a business are awarded their certificates of competence by the DBSP. (This stage is applicable to both the DBS & MBS Programmes)
• STAGE 4 - Four months later ( eight months after the programme completion date), the graduates are again visited. Another assessment is done to check on the status of their businesses and to offer assistance. At this point the new business owners are encouraged to be in touch with 3 to 5 other DBSP 'graduates', so that they can form themselves into a support team. The Trainer/Facilitator or Follow Up Agent then works with this support team.
• In this stage, the DBS Programme and MBS Programme follow up visits differ in that whereas the DBS Programme has only this 1 follow up visit, the MBS Programme learners are followed up every 2 month - i.e. Another 4 times during the remaining 9 months.
• STAGE 5 - A further four months later (twelve months after a programme has been completed ) a final assessment is done on each business. During this interview, it will also be ascertained what type of relationship the new business owner wants to maintain with the DBSP, and how we can help in furthering the knowledge, skills and attitudes of each participant. Further programmes and courses will also be recommended to the new business owners for them to improve their businesses. The new business owner will also be encouraged to make better use of the linkages provided. At this point the importance of the support teams are also emphasised. All the business owners of a support team get together and plan so that the team can meet regularly. During this visit, a post training survey is conducted to measure the impact of the training on the learner and by how much the learner and his/her family has benefited from the training in terms of assets and financial well-being. (This stage is applicable to both the DBS & MBS Programmes)

Other factors to bear in mind about the DBSP Follow-up programme are :

• In most cases, the Programme Trainer/Facilitator and/or the Follow Up Agent for a community, lives in that community, or in an adjacent community. This means that he/she is on hand, is highly visible and is contactable by most of the programme graduates (new business owners). He/she is, thus, available to the new business owners from that community on an ongoing basis.
• The Community Based Organisation with whom we have a strategic partnership is encouraged and helped to establish a Business Support or Advice Centre. This is staffed by the DBSP Trainer/Facilitator and Follow Up Agent if the area has one. All DBSP activities are co-ordinated from this Centre. The Centre also serves as a meeting point where the new business owners can come for business counseling and programme aftercare. All business counseling and follow-up is facilitated by the Centre and it also serves as a resource centre where the new business owner can get information and be networked with others that they may need in order to assist them.
• The new business owners can be networked with other business specialists and are assisted to form links with financial and other organisations.
• Links to financing and other organisations, such as suppliers, skills trainers, resource specialists, are on hand so that the new business owners can receive assistance when necessary.

Access to micro business loans:

Where possible we try to link the programme graduates with a reputable micro finance organisation. However, we stress during the training that if a learner can start and run a business without having to rely on a loan, then this is the preferred way to go.

Monitoring and tracking each new business owner's progress via a National data base.

All DBSP graduates are tracked using a data base. The follow up information collected in the field is fed into a central computer and the results are used to compile a national statistical body of data on how effective the training is. Data such as how many learners have started up a business activity of their own, what businesses these are and in what sector, turnover of the businesses, number of people employed and so on is collected. The information is also used to evaluate and improve the programmes themselves. This data base also helps us to coordinate the follow up process and to provide us information as to where we can help each graduate. Finally maintaining a data base also makes it possible to report to sponsors on how the graduates are performing. The data base also helps us to control the payment of follow up money to the relevant Trainer/Facilitator and / or Follow Up Agent.

Success Indicator Measurement

Currently the DBSP has two ways in which it measures success of its learners; firstly, the fact that the learner has started up a business that shows a measure of sustainability and secondly the conducting of a pre-training and post training survey. The DBSP is not satisfied to only measure its successes based upon the fact that a business has been started by the learner. We would like to see whether there has been any change in the lifestyle of the learner, and in the learner's home situation, post the training. As the learner is part of a wider group of people, the DBSP would like to see whether the training has impacted this wider group of people and not just the learner him/her self.

Before we physically start with the training, the Trainer/Facilitator administers a pre-training survey to each of the learners. This pre-training survey is designed to collect information about the environment in which the learner lives, paying special attention to the household and the situation around the household pertaining to things such as the economic situation of the household, how many members there are in the household, how many of them have an income, whether there is any ongoing sicknesses in the household (Such as HIV/AIDS), what sort of asset base the household has, whether their children are going to school, whether there are any orphans in the household, the eating habits of the household and, of course, are any businesses being run by any member of the household. Once the training is over and the 12 month follow up process has come to an end, a modified version of the pre-training survey, called the post training survey, is administered to each of the learners, by a DBSP person not related in any way to the training, or to the area the training has taken place in. This assessor is contracted in by the DBSP at the relevant time to conduct the post-training survey and to interview the learners. The same criteria as are mentioned above are again looked at to see what changes have taken place in the way the household's economic situation is - whether it has improved, or whether it has deteriorated. We also want to measure whether the households that contains the learners are eating better, schooling their children better, have increased their asset base, are saving money and whether the general well-being of the family has increased. Once we have this information from the post training survey, we are able to compare it with the information collected from the pre-training survey, as an indication of how much the household has benefited since the business has been started.

The information collected provides valuable data on the training intervention and its successes, and/or downfalls. The survey provides valuable information to the Donor Funder Organisations and categorises exactly how successful the training has been. The information also helps us to 'tweak' our training interventions, so that they remain both relevant and up to date.

The DBSP's Accreditation In South Africa

The DBSP has been accredited by the Department of Labour for use nationally and by the Services Seta, under Hi-Eye-Q Training (SETQAA decision number is 0877), although our accreditation is being revised currently. The Trainer/ Facilitators and Assessors have also been accredited. The chief reason for the revision of our accreditation status is that at present the DBSP's Programmes are not aligned with unit standards, but were accredited as outcomes based interventions. The Services SETA has withdrawn all outcomes based interventions in favour of unit standards based interventions. We are currently aligning the MBS Programme with applicable unit standards.

Additionally, work in developing the Train-the-Trainer programme and Trainer assessment tools have been done under the guidance of the Human Resource Development Department of Johannesburg University. (Previously Rand Afrikaans University)

The DBSP's Perspective On Rural Development And Lessons We Have Learnt.

Our perspective on rural development has not changed much over the years, and our determination to make an even bigger impact in rural areas has grown stronger, especially where there is a measure of vulnerability - such as where HIV/AIDS is devastating a community and where there is a high concentration of orphans, for whatever reason. Along with our partner organisations, we are also busy developing initiatives to attract money into some of the economically depressed rural areas in which we work. As these are still in the planning stage, it is too premature to talk about them as yet.

We are also embarking on an 'export' drive, to share information, experiences and successes with other rural communities, as and when we have successes with a certain community - Bergville, in the Province of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa is an example of such a community, from which very valuable lessons can and are being exported.

One of the greatest challenges facing rural development work in South Africa is the economic upliftment of the rural communities themselves. In the past - definitely during the apartheid era -, economic upliftment of rural areas was not an issue, and was therefore completely ignored. Hence, now the Country has a huge problem; how to empower rural communities economically. For development work within a community to be sustainable and successful, it has to address poverty and the alleviation of poverty. It is pretty near useless teaching people skills, if they cannot use some of these skills to generate an income for themselves. If people remain poor, and cannot see any way of being able to make any money, then a whole host of social problems emerge, such as drunkenness, deviant sexual behaviour, child and women abuse and crime, to mention a few. Then, of course, due to some of these behaviours, there is the spread of HIV/AIDS. A secondary factor is low self esteem and the feeling of being totally worthless. Desperation often sets in and some people move to the urban areas in search of money, compounding the problems in the urban environment. Often these misplaced people are forced into crime, end up sleeping around, contract HIV/ AIDS, then spread these 'diseases' back into their rural communities when they return home for a visit. Hence any attempt to uplift people socially without helping them to address their most basic need, a way for them to generate income for themselves, is at best very short term.

We view economic upliftment of rural communities as very high on the agenda of rural development work. The best way of spawning economic upliftment within rural communities is the encouragement of a vibrant and strong small business sector. For this to be done successfully, practical business start up training is a prerequisite. We feel, therefore, that the DBSP and is interventions play an extremely important and growing role in helping develop the rural communities in which we work. Any community development work needs to be a combined, integrated, systematic, well planned effort by a dedicated team of service providers, working hand in hand with each other to help develop people of the community. To this end, the DBSP is committed and seeks out strategic partnerships with other organisations who are, or will be helping community members uplift and empower themselves.

We have learnt a lot in the twelve or so years that we have been involved in rural communities. The following points sum up our learning :

• For economic upliftment to be done properly, so that results are clearly visible and measurable, and so that there is long term sustainability and impact in the community, DBSP interventions need to be run in the same community on a regular basis each year, for at least 5 years.
• There needs to be a strong partnering relationship between like minded organisations in a rural community. The DBSP cannot fulfil all the functions in helping a community to develop and it is a fallacy to think that business start up training is the only thing that is needed. A strong strategic partnership between various stakeholders is necessary. This includes amongst others health, nutrition, skills, life skills, HIV / AIDS education & care and Donor Funding Organisations. This is why we seek out strong partners within each and every community in which we work.
• We have discovered that the stronger the partnership between ourselves and the community based organisation with which we work, the more we can impact the community as a whole. The converse of this is equally and most definitely true. Although we have been very successful in working in communities without working with a strategic partner organisation, and the learners start businesses that sustain, it is preferable to have an integrated approach.
• Each community needs its own business service centre / office, where people can come for advice, counselling and further training. There needs to be experienced people who can help the new entrepreneurs overcome problems and to develop and expand their businesses. For this reason, we train up a Trainer / Facilitator, or at the very least, a Follow Up Agent for each of the communities in which we work. We have also found that failure to do so severely weakens any impact we have in a community, thereby reducing the longer term impact of our work within that community.

There is a much stronger desire and motivation amongst the women and young people in rural communities to be empowered economically - this is why most of our success stories to date are of rural women who are running successful business ventures.

How The Project Is Started In New Areas

In South Africa, the programmes are currently being conducted, when funds permit, in Gauteng, and in rural communities in North West, Free State, Limpopo, Northern Cape, and in KwaZulu Natal Provinces. It is planned to expand the Project to all Provinces in South Africa.

The DBSP is also in the process of expanding into Africa. Thus far we have successfully set up the DBSP to run in Kenya, where it is doing well.

The programmes are self contained and, because the use of technology is kept to a minimum, they are highly portable, thus can be run anywhere.

The process of introducing the project to a new area starts with an area survey and the identification of a community based organisation/s involved in economic and/or community development. A relationship is built and a strategic partnership entered into. One DBSP programme is then run in the area. A suitable person from the community, who attends this programme, is identified and trained as a DBSP Trainer/ Facilitator. This training process takes two to three months, depending on the individual's past experience, education and abilities. The trainee works under the Train-the-Trainer Facilitator and learns by direct involvement on at least two regular DBSP Programmes. He/she takes on more and more of the training and facilitating role and receives constant feedback and mentoring from the Trainer-of-Trainers. Training also includes elements of learner recruitment, programme management and ongoing graduate aftercare and support.

Once the trainee has gained the required level of competence & confidence, he/she is formally assessed by the DBSP and once found competent, receives a certificate and a licence to train DBSP interventions in their area / community. In order to maintain standards, each Trainer/ Facilitator is annually assessed.

Because the Trainer/Facilitators are drawn from their own community, they are able to stay in contact with programme graduates and do follow-up work.

Once the Trainer/Facilitator has been trained, the DBSP is launched in that area and is run through the community-based organisation with whom we have built a strategic partnership. This is to make sure that an integrated approach to the delivery of the programme within an area is maintained and also to coordinate fund raising activities for that area.

The Area Survey

Before we train in an area, it is vital for us to know that there is enough economic activity in the area in order to support new businesses that are started. This is especially important if we are going to be training a trainer, then we will have to ascertain that there is enough entrepreneurial activity to support at least the start up of 60 new businesses per year. The survey consists of a site visit to the area/community in which the training is proposed and the following information is collected:

1. The demographics of the area. Should we be able to get the latest statistics on the area, so much the better. These figures would include what people of the area do, the levels of unemployment, age groupings, gender, etc.
2. An indication of the level of education in the area - i.e. Are the people well schooled, or poorly schooled. This will give us an indication of the literacy and numeracy levels of the learners.
3. An indication of what businesses are currently being run in the area. This is done by driving through the area and observing what business activities can be seen, where they are located, and the number of businesses that are similar, the state of the businesses, etc.
4. What organisations there are that are currently working in the area/community - especially those that are doing some kind of development work. This is so that we can work towards forming a strategic partnership with at least one organisation.
5. What the local government economic initiatives are and to try and get some indication of how well, or how badly they are running.
6. Information on the Local Government and on their commitment to local economic development, where possible.
7. Other forms of economic activity, such as formal business, manufacturing concerns, farming activities, factories, schools, hospitals, etc. This is to find out how people are employed and to ascertain whether there is spending power in the community. A secondary reason for this information is to find out if at all possible whether the businesses our learners start up in the area could render a service to these formal business concerns.
8. The infrastructure that is in place; the roads, access to water, access to electricity, the transport network, availability of supplies, etc.
9. What financial institutions are in the area, especially those that can give out small business start-up loans.
10. For South Africa, where the closest SEDA and Umsobomvu officers are and whether the community has had any involvement with these organisations.
11. What the availability of jobs are, both formal and informal, and how far the members of the community have to travel to and from their work.
12. Infrastructure that the DBSP would need in order to conduct the training. These revolve around two areas, firstly a suitable venue which can accommodate the training and secondly that catering will be able to be supplied to the learners. In terms of the venue requirements of the DBSP, all that we need is a place that can accommodate 20 people, that is not too draughty and that is rain proof. Then we need 21 chairs, five tables. Should there be electricity and a whiteboard / blackboard / flip chart stand then this will be a bonus.

The area survey is more of an informal gathering of information, rather than a formal study. In essence, we just need to satisfy ourselves that there are enough entrepreneurially inclined / enterprising people and that there is enough opportunity for these people to make money as they engage themselves in a business activity.

Another source of information that is looked at during an area survey is the Internet.

Management Structure Of The DBSP Organisation

We have a philosophy in the organisation which says that if you are not a practising entrepreneur, you have no right to teach another person to start up and run a business of their own. With this philosophy in mind, it must be said that the organisation does not have a payroll as such, and no permanent employees. We do however have a management team, a team of Trainer/Facilitators and a team of Follow Up Agents / Business Counsellors. All the staff are employed on a contract by contract basis, with a contract consisting of one training programme and the necessary follow-up work that goes along with the training. Hence the organisation's overheads are kept to an absolute minimum. The Trainer/ Facilitators thus run the programmes through their own businesses, being paid on the basis of learners recruited, programmes conducted and follow up work carried out. This model is consistent with the business philosophy of the programme itself and ensures commitment, efficiency and productivity. The structure of the DBSP is as follows:

The management team in South Africa

The management team is broken up into two sections; the Head Office staff, and the Executive Area Managers. The head office staff consists of 3 people, namely the National Project Manager / Chief Executive Officer, the Administrator and one Data Capture person / Personal Assistant. There are two Executive Area Managers who were responsible for the Trainer/Facilitators and Follow Up Agents around South Africa. Each Area Manager has a number of Provinces that he/she exercises management over. All of the Trainer/Facilitators and/or Follow Up Agents in these select Provinces fall under one specific Executive Area Manager.

The management team is responsible for both the day-to-day running of the DBSP, as well as planning and managing the rolling out the training programmes and the follow-up work. The management team meets on a regular basis in order to make decisions on the running of DBSP in South Africa.

The Trustees

The management team reports to the Trustees, who preside over the NIC Dynamic Business Start-Up Trust, which is a non-profit public Benefit organisation. The job of the trustees is to keep control over public and private funds, donated to the work of the DBSP so that the funds are managed in an appropriate manner and so that there is security and accountability to the Donor Organisations who have given the funds. Another of the Trustee's functions is to ensure that corporate governance issues are adhered to. The Trust has meetings at least once a year. The Trustees hold authorisation to act on behalf of the NIC Dynamic Business Start-Up Trust in all legal matters, monitoring of funds paid out and in the signing of agreements with other parties, that are signed in the name of the NIC Dynamic Business Start-Up Trust. They also take responsibility for maintaining a bank account/s with the best interest of the organisation at heart. The Trustees also approve all policy and change in policy decisions, act as a watchdog over the DBSP in the way it conducts its business dealings & affairs and acts as an arbitrator in matters where arbitration is needed, both between staff members within the DBSP and between the DBSP and any outside party, should these matters arise. For more on the Trust, see the page "The Dynamic Business Start-Up Trust", or Click here

The Trainer / Facilitators

As stated above, each Executive Area Manager has a number of Trainer/Facilitators that report to him/her. These Trainer/Facilitators are generally based in the communities in which we work, and from whence they come. Each Trainer/Facilitator is contracted for and paid on a project by project basis, a project consisting of one DBSP training programme and follow up work. The Trainer/Facilitators function is to recruit and select learners for a DBSP training programme, to train, run and facilitate the programme, to keep records of the training, both financial as well as statistical and to follow up all the programme graduates for a minimum of a 12 month period, once the one-month long training programme has been completed.

The Follow Up Agents / Business Counsellors

In most cases an area also has a Follow Up Agent / Business Counsellor that works along with the Trainer/ Facilitator in the area. Their function is to ensure that each and every person that is trained by the DBSP in that community/area is followed up. This means that the Trainer/Facilitators, or Follow Up Agent needs to physically go and visit each one of the businesses that the learners have started. There are a minimum of five follow-up visits per learner that are conducted in the 12 month period following the training programme that is run. Another responsibility of the Follow Up Agent is to assist the learner in whatever way is necessary in order for them to grow their business. As well as this, information is collected from each learner at each follow-up visit and this information is sent through to the DBSP's head office so that it can be captured onto a data base.

Some Of The More Unusual Businesses Learners Have Started

Learners are dissuaded from getting into overtraded businesses, but if this is their only opportunity, then they are helped to approach the running of these businesses in innovative ways. Encouragement is given to new innovative business ideas.

Examples of some of the more unusual businesses started are:

Organisations That Have Been Associated With The DBSP In South Africa

The following organisations have supported the project financially, or been involved in some way:

Some Feedback The DBSP Has Obtained

"I am happy to recommend the DBSP to any organisation or individual as an innovative and valuable business development programme." - The Director of the Centre for Developing Business of the Faculty of Management at the Wits University.

" It has become generally accepted that a major response to the country's high rate of unemployment is to facilitate self-employment. The DBSP has developed a method of achieving this which is both practical and realistic and is showing measurably positive results. In addition, the DBSP is itself a job creator, since it enables its trainers to set themselves up in their own business, providing training within the communities where they live. I would, therefore, regard Barlow's seed-funding as well invested" - Charles Lipp, retired director, Barlows Foundation.

"The balance between field work and classroom learning is a particularly pleasing feature of this programme. As soon as an area of knowledge has been mastered, it is immediately applied in the field. This reinforces learning, as well as ensuring practical benefit to the learner from the input. Although learners are able, and encouraged, to begin their own businesses within a matter of weeks, they are not left on their own to sink or swim. Good aftercare ensures that initial learning is reinforced again and again, and the practical consequences of actions and business decisions thoroughly understood. The careful selection of learners ensures that the business 'flair' which can only be nurtured, not taught, is identified and enabled to grow in practical situations. The meticulous record-keeping in this programme is most helpful, as it allows an honest reflection of drop-out rate, and business survival. The cost per learner should not be equated with cost per job created, as some learners will go on to create further jobs for others." - Dr Gillian Godsell.

" We found the Train-the-Trainer programme to be theoretically sound, the design highly effective and the assessment of competence in line with national thinking" - Human Resource Development Department, Johannesburg University.

"The business that I was running failed, now I know why and will start it up again" - A graduate learner from Newcastle, KZN.

" I learnt more than I ever hoped to learn. This course was fantastic. Now I know that I will run a successful business" - A learner from Bergville, KZN.

" I'm so grateful that I have had this opportunity. Now I can work for myself and make a success out of it" - A graduate learner from Daveyton, Gauteng.

" This programme and especially the Train-the-Trainer programme has changed my life. Now I am doing just what I want to do with my life, and that is to help others succeed" - Trainer trained for Stanza Bopape.

"I was retrenched, I went home and was just waiting to die. Now I have a business that provides more than R12,000 a month and I am happy" – Learner from Newcastle - KZN

The Uniqueness Of The DBSP.

When compared to other programmes of a similar nature, the DBSP is unique in its approach, methodology and outcomes. Below is a list of some of these differences :

Origination And Simplicity


• The DBSP Programmes originated in South Africa. They were completely authored by South African small business professionals, who have over 40 years of experience in the field. It was written taking into account the years of apartheid and discrimination that was prevalent in South Africa, and the effects that the unfair education system (the old Bantu education system) has had on potential learners.
• The programmes have been pitched at the level of this specific target market, mentioned above. Consequently, the theory is of a level that it can be understood by previously marginalised and disadvantaged people.


Approach And Methodology
• The approach to teaching the theory is coupled with the direct application of that theory in the field. Each business concept learned in the classroom on a day is put into practice in the field via the research the learner has to do.
• The emphasis on having the candidates take responsibility for their own learning. The programme is structured in such a way that the learners do 75% of the work, under the guidance of and with constant feedback by the Trainer / Facilitator. Discussions are encouraged and class interaction is extremely high, with the students being taught to question, think through and wrestle with the theory. Learner to learner feedback also forms a great part of the learning experience. In order to maximise this, the class size is restricted to 20 learners.
• The way the programme is structured around research, wherein the learners actually research business and business possibilities in the communities where they will run their new businesses. This research is a step-by-step process which looks at the most important aspects of business and leads the learners to discover which businesses would work and which would not in their own community, based on factors such as competition, community needs and wants, economic status of the community, demographics, what businesses are already present in the community, for example.
• From this research, a complete, viable, workable business plan is compiled that, in most cases, can be implemented directly after the programme is over.
• Economic activity for each learner is begun whilst undergoing training. Each learner must start the course with R50 and whilst the programme is in operation, must "make a buck". The learner thus gains self- confidence. Part of the course is to teach the management of the income generated and to grow the money so that it becomes "seed capital" for the graduates' new businesses. This process demonstrates that the learner does not have to be reliant on a loan to enter the business field. Many graduates carry on with this economic activity long after the programme has finished as a precursor to implementing their new business plan. Most of the graduates can start up their ventures with the accumulated funds.


Selection Of Participants & Trainer / Facilitators
• The careful selection of the learners, with each candidate being "hand picked" for his / her entrepreneurial inclination. This leads to a low programme drop out rate (currently at 6.5%) and a high attendance rate (between 85 and 90% on average per day) This selection also means that the learners want to be on the course, want to learn and therefore are highly committed to and participative in the learning process.
• The careful selection of the Trainer / Facilitators. All Trainer / Facilitators are picked for their own entrepreneurial inclination and are centrally trained to ensure that the correct standards of programme delivery are upheld. Trainer / Facilitators are quality assessed on a regular basis and there is a high emphasis on further training and development.
• The use of Trainer / Facilitators from the same area or region as the learners themselves. This is so that they can fully identify with the learners, as they know the local business scene, demographics, politics and dynamics of the area and that they speak the same language as the learners. The Trainer / Facilitator is also accessible to the graduates of the programme as they do the after care and follow up work with the graduates that have been in their class. Trust and confidence is thus upheld.


Follow Up And Programme "After Care"
• The follow up and programme after care. Graduates are followed up for a minimum period of 1 year after completing a programme. There are set times when the Trainer / Facilitator or Follow Up Agent goes out and finds each graduate and reports back on the progress made in the new venture. Support and counselling is offered to the graduate on a regular basis.
• The active encouragement of networking amongst graduates long after a programme has been completed. Graduates are encouraged to form themselves into business support units and to further network with past graduates, other counsellors and business specialists.
• The provision of linkages to finance, other related businesses and sources of information is on-going.


The Outcomes Of The Programme
• The success rate of the programme. 68 to 70 % of all graduates start their own business active, as determined by the follow up process. A further 15% have secured a job as a direct result of having gone on a DBSP Programme, this being an unintended outcome. This means that on average 80 to 83% of all learners graduating from a programme experience a change in their situations as a result of attending the training.
• Some graduates migrate back to their place of origin (their home or rural area) to start up businesses there, thereby reversing the trend where rural people move to urban areas seeking work.

Conclusion

Each Programme is community-based and employs a unique methodology and follow-up system, resulting in an above average start-up rate of new businesses. The economic development of marginalised communities in all parts of Southern Africa and up into Africa - critical to our economic and social survival - can be encouraged at a low cost per job created.

Should you want to contact us for further information, please see the contact Page of this website, or click here