Overview

PROJECT CONCEPTION
The Dream to Reality Professional Business Training Course is a project created by 2017 YLAI Alumna Michelle N. Samuel of St. Lucia. She created this project from her participation in the December 2019 YLAI Entrepreneurs Ecosystem Everywhere Initiative (YLAI EEE Initiative) which took place in Jamaica. Thirty YLAI Alumni were selected to participate in this Training-of-The-Trainers program facilitated by 3 Day Startup.

Upon completion of the training, YLAI Alumni were required to pitch a project which they would then launch and implement on their return home. Alumni would receive a small grant from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Education & Cultural Affairs in order to implement the project. Dream to Reality was Michelle’s project.

COURSE OVERVIEW
The Dream to Reality Professional Business Training Course is a FREE 7-8 week blended (Instructor-led and non-instructor led) course. It's an initiative with a goal to empower women in St. Lucia to fulfill their economic potential. In doing so, they will create conditions for increased stability, security, and prosperity for all on the island. It will comprise of three cohorts each year and graduation to take place at the end of each year.
Phase 1:

* Completion of the DreamBuilder program. 

* Registering onto the YLAI Network, the Global Entrepreneurship Network and the DTR Professional Ladies Network.
Phase 2:

* A 3 month mentorship program with volunteers from the YLAI Network and Representatives from Dream to Reality partner agencies.

* Presenting at Startup Huddle St. Lucia.
Phase 3:

* Registering as a participant of the Invest in an Entrepreneur Initiative. Pitching in the Dream to Reality Pitch competition.
Phase 4:

* Graduation Day

* Follow-up with the course Facilitator for up to 12 months.
 

COURSE TIMELINE EACH YEAR

There will be three installments each year, with a 3-month duration for each cohort, and one month break, with a grand graduation ceremony and virtual tradeshow in December of that year.

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Cohort 1 - January to March 

Cohort 2 - May to July 

Cohort 3 - September to November 

Graduation for all 3 Cohorts - December 

 
HOW IT WORKS
Course formats;
Instructor-led (blended) classes.

Part A - Candidates complete the DreamBuilder program on the AWE Barbados Network. and

Part B - Candidates will gather twice weekly (Mondays and Thursdays), from 9 am to 12 pm, in person classroom sessions led by the Facilitator and Co-Facilitators.

Michelle N. Samuel is the facilitator, and so she will serve as the grantee and lead the in-person discussions. In some cases, representatives from partner agencies will serve as Guest speakers.

Online Only (On-your-own/Non-Instructor-led) classes. 

Candidates complete the entire DreamBuilder program at their own pace and on their own time. They must complete all assignments in the online e-learning platform and the DreamBuilder modules on or before the indicated date by the Facilitator.
Candidates in this class are advised to meet together virtually once each week. This will allow them to network and learn from one another. This will significantly increase overall completion rates.

KNOWLEDGE
Phase 1 of the Dream to Reality Professional Business Training Course is centered around DreamBuilder, an online training program on women’s entrepreneurship developed through a partnership between Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Management and global copper mining company Freeport-McMoRan, for women with brilliant ideas. 

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