National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) launches partnership with DCU
24 August 2005

Second-level teachers and professionals from some of Dublin’s leading youth service organisations are immersing themselves in learning to teach young people how to start and run their own business. The programme is being conducted by leading US youth agency, the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), in partnership with Business and Innovation at Dublin City University.

NFTE is targeting up to 400 disadvantaged youth from Dublin’s marginalized neighborhoods in the first year.

A special VIP lunch was held at DCU to launch the initiative which was attended by US Ambassador to Ireland, Mr James Kenny.

NFTE Ireland was launched with the leadership of Irish entrepreneur Liavan Mallin and the support of the Irish Youth Foundation out of the concern for Irish youth living in Ireland’s socially and economically marginalized communities. Ms Mallin envisions that within the first three years, NFTE Ireland will have taught 1,000 disadvantaged students who have already dropped out of school or who have not developed well in the traditional education system..

Ms Bernie Murphy, CEO of NFTE said, “With significant guidance from Dublin community leaders, NFTE Ireland has targeted its educational and economic development pilot efforts on the Northside of Dublin to launch what eventually will be an all island initiative. NFTE's mission is to teach entrepreneurship to young people from low-income communities to enhance their economic productivity by improving their business, academic, and life skills. NFTE Ireland seeks to partner with schools, universities and community-based organizations, to advance its innovative, experiential curricula, train and support teachers and youth workers, and provide supportive alumni services”.

DCU offers a wide-ranging third and fourth level entrepreneurship curriculum throughout its programmes in the Business School. The partnership between NFTE and DCU also reflects DCU’s long-standing commitment to university access and to the development of research and teaching programmes which contribute to social change and social inclusion.

The NFTE curriculum includes modules on return on investment, supply and demand, opportunity recognition, finance, cost/benefit analysis, sales and marketing, socially responsible business models and philanthropy plans, business ethics, taxes, all cumulating in the capstone activity, writing and presenting an NFTE Business Plan.

Liam O’Dwyer, Chief Executive of the Irish Youth Foundation stated recently, “NFTE is the only youth employment program we are currently funding in Dublin. We support NFTE because it provides a stepping-stone to ownership by helping young people to make more positive choices in life through entrepreneurial endeavors. We are supporting NFTE to engage a high volume of our dispirited young people who have fallen out of the system. Research has shown that as young people begin to think more entrepreneurially, they have greater concerns and hopes for the future, engage more in school and become more productive and responsible. We understand that in the end, if we are to make a lasting impact on the future of families living in communities in need, we must shift the culture and the mind set amongst our teens today so they can be more empowered to be entrepreneurial as adults.”

NFTE IRELAND is based at 272 Malahide Marina Malahide, Dublin, Ireland
Email: lmtsm@aol.com Tel: 011-353-1-845-4044

NFTE Global Headquarters is at 120 Wall Street, 29th Floor, New York, NY 10005
Tel: 001-212-232-3333. Website - www.nfte.com

ENDS