THE SCHOOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP (SoE) FOUNDATION

ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Name: CEO - Leon Lategan

Physical address:  7 Dune Weed Way, Melkbos, Cape Town, South Africa

Telephone: 082658 0805  

Email: leon@leonlategan.co.za  or Shumba@schoolofentreprenurship.co.za

Website www.soefoundation.co.za

NPO Registration

NPO Number: REG NO: 265-228NPO / 2016/409606/08

B-BBEE: 95% black beneficiaries

Banking Details

Name of Account: SOE Foundation NPC

Name of Bank: ABSA Bank Limited

Account Number: 4090642270

Universal Branch Code: 632005

The SoE Foundation has world-class coaches who walk the journey with our students, assisting them in reaching and realising their goals - becoming successful young entrepreneurs. 

Creating a vision for the future and teaching our students how to successfully take the steps needed to reach their ambitions is a core value for us. For the SoE foundation, it is important to create a community where all students enjoy a spirit of belonging.

We have continued to build on the programme by collaborating with coaches that speak for diverse groups of the population. This allows students to experience someone who understands their struggles and provides the necessary support.

Coaches 2021/2022

Staff Complement

Directors

Leon Lategan

Leon Lategan is CEO and Founder of The SoE Foundation. He is a highly esteemed entrepreneur and optimisation specialist with over 20 years of experience who has led the establishment of his programme as one of the pioneering and leading entrepreneurship programmes in South Africa.  Leon has created and scaled numerous businesses such as the Purple Cow, The Lions Den, My Most Beautiful, MMB Gives (charity), and most recently the School of Entrepreneurship and the Real Entrepreneur Academy, among others. From Egypt to Qatar, Leon Lategan's name has graced various business platforms with his seasoned expertise and has trained and spoken to over 30,000+ Entrepreneurs, Business Owners and Corporates' in South Africa and 22 cities around the world. As Keynote Speaker at a recent Graduation Ceremony of the Institute of Marketing Management, one might be shocked to learn that Leon in fact dropped out of University when he failed his third year of a Business Degree specialising in Marketing, Yet it is exactly this background, and his subsequent success in the Marketing arena particularly, that has inspired him to start the SoE Foundation: not everyone is cut out for academia, yet (and as attested by many highly successful entrepreneurs and leaders globally) this often has no bearing on one's potential out there in the REAL world.

Pamela Nontsikelelo Mkhize

Pamela Nontsikelelo MKhize is a self-published author, her inaugural book “My Hall of Mentors” was released in 2019 with launches in South Africa and Scotland. In the same year she gave her first TEDx Talk at Cumbernauld Women and was featured as the youngest speaker at the International Speakers Summit and Epic Entrepreneurs Virtual Conference 2020. Ntsiki is the Founder of MentHer, a global mentorship network supporting female social entrepreneurs.  In addition to her involvement in the SoE Foundation as Coach and Director, she serves as a non-executive Director for Pamanda Properties and eKasi Entrepreneurs and as a mentor for Phakama Women's Academy, Business and Arts South Africa and SEED Academy. Ntsiki recently completed her Masters in Social Innovation at Glasgow Caledonian University, with her dissertation exploring the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Johannesburg.

Sylvia Malinowski

Sylvia is a natural networker and currently is co-founder and host of Rafiki Referral Network as well as the Director of Relationships at the Real Entrepreneur Academy and School of Entrepreneurship. She also is CEO of her own Real Estate Business. Having grown up in an entrepreneurial family, she started out a corporate career at the Small Business Development Corporation, where her expertise with start-up SMEs grew and a passion for empowering entrepreneurs really took hold. Her degree in Psychology and qualifications in Public Relations & Marketing led to a keen interest in people development and strong communications skills. Over the years, she has partnered in and owned several businesses from SME Development, Training, Networking, Marketing and Consulting to Hospitality, Conference & Event Management, Tourism and more recently, Real Estate. Some exciting highlights include the co-ordination of a Small Business Week with over 400 events nationwide; producing the ‘Your Own Business’ Television Programme for the SABC and managing a year-long 150th anniversary campaign for the oldest Girls High School in the Country, which incorporated a historical event with the (then) newly formed Oprah Winfrey Academy for Girls which was the youngest Girls High School in South Africa at the time. 

Beneficiaries

In the first year of operation, 54 students enrolled in our Entrepreneurship Mastery Programme. Students come from many different backgrounds and cultures, but all share the same goal: to make this nation a better place for everyone, by creating jobs and income and, with the help of their coaches, inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs to be the best version of themselves as well!

Visit our website for students video testimonies www.schoolofentrepreneurship.co.za/testimonials/

Ambassador Programme

Our Ambassador Programme allows anyone who aligns with our purpose to aid our youth in exchange for a generous commission if they refer a paying student that enrolls onto the programme or a sponsor that pays for a bursary student. Lack of resources and opportunities presents a daily challenge to many in South Africa. The School of Entrepreneurship wishes to bring back hope by providing opportunities for the youth whilst giving our supporters a way of earning a living - making a difference in the lives of others.

We know that our country is ready for this initiative as we have already seen the benefits of this programme and how much it has helped our youth and our Ambassadors. Visit our website to learn more about our Ambassador Programme: www.schoolofentrepreneurship.co.za/ambassador/

Sponsorship Initiative

The SoE Foundation offers corporations an opportunity to sponsor students who are passionate about entrepreneurship. The foundation is a Non-Profit Organisation therefore all proceeds go through the NPO allowing the organisation to receive an 18A certificate (tax deduction).

Civil Society Organisations

We pride ourselves in collaborating with various civil society organisations to make our foundation a success. We believe in collaborations that share our values when it comes to empowering the next generation. Whether we're partnering with schools, community organizations, or corporations, we believe in the power of collaboration to create a better tomorrow.

PARTNERSHIPS

WeCanChangeOurWorld

Three Ring Circus (3RC) - “Rocking Your Future” School Road Show

Cape Careers Exhibition Association

IMPACT

The School of Entrepreneurship is in receipt of at least 1,851 bursary applications through career day events held in schools recently. The overwhelming interest in entrepreneurship among matriculating youth indicates the absolute need for the programme.

We have visited over 100 schools and received over 1816 bursary applications from matrics wishing to participate in our Entrepreneurship Mastery Programme. The majority of the students are from impoverished and previously disadvantaged communities in the outlying areas whose financial circumstances dictate their current status. SOE wishes to assist and be the change in their lives by offering them entry to this programme with the possibility of further tertiary studies for a better future. After investigation we have found that these students have the highest Entrepreneurial Intention which gives them a head start.

SOE has interacted with orphanages and post orphanage residential homes, investigating the futures of Grade 12 graduates, leaving the orphanage. Focusing on the female students we are able, with secured bursaries, to get them onto our programme, creating sustainable futures where they are able to forge sustainable careers.

MONITORING & EVALUATION

SOE Foundation has developed appropriate indicators and outcomes for various interventions. Tools utilised include formal feedback from stakeholders, report analysis and electronic statistical data management and interpretation.

Staff receive accredited training with regards to Monitoring and Evaluation to ensure that Programmes are monitored and evaluated effectively and timeously.

Key Indicators

Targeted communities

Identified students

Qualification

Age & gender

Attendance

Access to online learning

Understanding & interpreting information

Monthly assessments

Results of examinations

SOE Foundation has a learning platform where students have to mark classes completed, whilst system-generated reports provide a tally for each student.

Assignments are provided to each student at the end of each coach's training, these are also completed on the learning platform.

All responses are then recorded within this system.

Reports are generated on a regular basis and used to monitor all students' participation and progress.

The website has a 'Leaderboard' with points awarded for activities on the site, providing for some friendly competition amongst all students.

Internal processes include staff meetings, programme meetings, regular supervision and recording of success stories and student’s stories. The organisation also provides for the contracting of external independent evaluators. Programme relevance and impact is also evaluated by formal focus groups with stakeholders, students and partners.

M&E administration will be closely monitored and reported monthly during each management meeting discussion and analysis. Monthly statistical trends to be discussed as well. The monitoring tool can be adapted so that each participant’s attendance can be monitored to reduce absenteeism.

Young people have been placed in the most pressurised position with the economic and social instability creating the harshest environment for youth, attempting to bring and be the change. Youth unemployment rates are high with little hope of better employment prospects on the horizon. At the School of Entrepreneurship Foundation, we recognise that entrepreneurs are at the heart of new job creation.

Stats SA reveals that only 45% of matriculants have a chance of finding a job with the following results:

• 75% of all youth are unemployed

• 55% of those who passed matric are unemployed
• 31% of youth with a degree are unemployed
• The average cost to study for a three-year degree is R192,600
• More than 90% of student applications will be rejected

Globally, particularly in South Africa, small, medium and micro- enterprises (SMME’s) represent the majority of private businesses. Their success is important for the creation of employment and the well being of society.

More people realise the importance of entrepreneurial businesses as unemployment remains a horrifying, defining feature of our country’s challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic created additional, alarmingly negative results that impacted our economy. Many challenges exist for small businesses and without the correct support, information, education and training, as many as 50% of these businesses will fail in their first year of operation. Without sufficient growth, they are not able to move from the existence-survival to the success-maturity stage.

If we don’t make a massive, impactful difference that results in tangible and real transformation, we are heading for absolute disaster. Our only hope is to create employers and not employees – and lots of them – the current situation has some of our more fortunate youth investing huge effort, time and money, completing their education at a mainstream tertiary institution only to stand in the unemployment line due to job scarcity or a lack of appropriate skills/experience required in the few jobs that are available. This is a futile system and it needs to be revamped to suit our country’s needs! In the meantime, we cannot just sit around and do nothing whilst millions of people are in distress. The knock-on effects of unemployment are catastrophic for our country, leading to socio-economic evils such as poverty, crime, corruption, and homelessness.

What’s more, a study by GEM (Global Entrepreneur Monitor) in 2019 found that only 11.9% of South Africans have entrepreneurial intentions, a stark contrast to the average of 40% in the rest of Africa. This needs to change at school level already and we as a society need to become more resourceful as a nation.

According to SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey just released for Q2 2021, the figures for our youth are disturbing with the unemployment rate sitting at 74,8 % for youth aged between 15-24 years – as per the expanded definition of unemployment. This includes people available for work but not actively looking for a job because they might have given up hope or, is it that they are possibly of the mindset that there’s no point even to try? 

Solution

The solution is clear: We have to have Entrepreneur Creation On A Massive Scale! The SoE Foundation offers an innovative online training programme to students focusing on entrepreneurship with a strong emphasis on developing their practical skills. We provide an environment where students are given opportunities to express their need to thrive as entrepreneurs. A safe space is provided where they are able to explore their ideas and turn it into a reality.

Schools are often criticised for their lack of practical skills and the need to focus on theory. However, few schools in South Africa are taking the lead to provide entrepreneurs with a hands-on skill that they require.

The SoE Foundation is an organisation that recognises what young entrepreneurs really need when it comes to skill sets. We offer training, coaching, and mentoring in all areas that entrepreneurs need to master (e.g. business, finance, marketing, etc.) with the purpose of growing the student's entrepreneurial acumen and spirit.

How We Do It

We have adopted a practical approach including the creation of young entrepreneurs through an Entrepreneurship Mastery Programme, designed for an effortless transition from school-to-career.

Activities include:

• We counsel, prepare, and equip our students with the necessary expertise and tools to become independent.
• The programme provides a holistic and practical approach so that students are confident in their abilities and are not afraid of taking risks as up and coming entrepreneurs.  
• The SoE Foundation represents the champion young South Africans need, especially in a country mired in poverty and inequality for decades.
• We offer online training, coaching with capable entrepreneurs as an outcome. Being online makes it accessible, even in remote areas and rural communities at little or no cost and no travel requirement. Students are encouraged to start businesses that they can do from home/online or in their current environment which will also help keep people from leaving communities to go to cities/other countries.

We recognise that every young individual that places their future in our hands is at the heartbeat of our Foundation - their ambition, our cornerstone.

Phase 3: Coaching (execution) - Year 1 (Second Semester)

• One group session per week
• Focus on turning their knowledge into skills through application
• Execution or launch of a new business idea or optimisation of an existing business if they’re operational already
• Coaching lead by Leon Lategan, supported by the coaching team

Phase 4: Mentoring (support) – Year 2

• One group session per month
• Students work through challenges and make decisions under the guidance of their mentor, while they also learn from fellow entrepreneurs in the group
• Mentoring lead by Leon Lategan, supported by the coaching team