Junior Achievement Americas generates regional partnership with the Organization of American States to accelerate youth empowerment
March, 2021.- Junior Achievement (JA) Americas announced today that it signed a collaboration agreement with the Organization of American States (OAS) aimed at empowering young people in Latin America and the Caribbean through the OAS endorsement to the Junior Achievement´s Entrepreneurial Skills Pass (ESP) qualification.
JA’s Entrepreneurial Skills Pass (ESP) is the only international qualification that certifies secondary students’ practical entrepreneurship experience. The OAS endorsement aims to accelerate student engagement and acceptance of the ESP certification. The ESP assessment serves as a next step for young people to complement their practical experience learned through the JA Company Program, a pre-requisite for acceptance in the ESP.
The Program is a six-month-long project where high school students put their ideas into action by launching and operating a real business with other students and under business professionals’ guidance. The Program prepares high school students for the ESP by teaching them a variety of entrepreneurial skills, including how to design, launch and run a company; develop critical remote collaboration skills; discover the potential for for-profit companies to have a positive social impact; and how to assemble, motivate and collaborate with a diverse team. Participating students also learn how to build confidence surmounting challenges and facing uncertainties; design and launch successful social media campaigns; manage financial records; expand their network; prepare for college and beyond; and become financially independent.
The ESP allows students who previously completed the Program or its equivalent, such as the JA Company of Entrepreneurs (JACE) in Jamaica, to reflect on their progress in acquiring practical entrepreneurial skills – an important step to consolidate any learning process.
“Becoming an entrepreneur is not a destination, but a journey,” said Leo Martellotto, President of JA Americas, regarding the partnership. “We need to encourage young people to discover new places, take risks and accept failures as part of the process. Only through this ongoing process will they acquire the skills that, combined with an entrepreneurial mindset, will get them closer to achieving their dreams.”
According to Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian, Director of the Department of Social Inclusion in the Secretariat for Access to Rights and Equity of the OAS, “The OAS is pleased to collaborate with JA Americas and be part of this Program that aims to empower young people of the Americas through entrepreneurial skills. We look forward to them applying these skills to lead the economic, social and political development of the Americas.”
