THE LIZARD'S DEN

a youth social enterprise competition

As we all know, going out on your own and starting a business is no small feat. It requires tremendous amounts of confidence, strength, business sense, skill and sheer determination. The entrepreneur needs to be willing to leave it all on the line; blood, sweat and tears. Add in an entrepreneur's dedication to philanthropy, a group of amazing business-minded youth and community leaders excited to support, and you’ve got a combination like no other.

Welcome to the 2nd Annual hosting of “The Lizards’ Den”; now a full workshop during the 2012 CCSR Conference!

“I’m encouraging young people to become social business entrepreneurs and contribute to the world, rather than just making money. Making money is no fun. Contributing to and changing the world is a lot more fun.” - Muhammad Yunus

Competition Overview:

The Lizards’ Den will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 from 10:00am until approximately 4:00pm at Algonquin College as part of the Youth Social Enterprise Showcase and Awards portion of the CCSR Conference.
The contest will give individuals or groups of young entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their social enterprises to a panel of "lizards". Whether exclusively not-for-profit or a for-profit business with a social enterprise focus, participants must pitch the initiative, highlight what has already been accomplished and goals to measure success.
Twelve to fifteen young social entrepreneurs will be selected to participate in “The Lizards’ Den”. There will be 3 segments of the competition separating the age groups of 8-12, 13-17, and 18-24. Each competitor will pitch their business and related information then answer questions from the panel of judges.
Each category will have its own "Social Enterprise Showcase" segment. The panel of judges for that segment will then take their notes on each competitor and convene for discussion.
For each age category the results will vary. For the 8-12 and 13-17 ages all participants will receive participation awards and valuable support from the judges. For the 18-24 category an outright winner will be chosen.

Event Format:

Participants will take the stage one by one and have 5-10 minutes to discuss their initiative with the panel of judges
Participants that are 17 years of age or younger are permitted to have a mentor present on stage during the process.
The judges will each have an opportunity to ask questions of the presenter
When the presentation is over, the participant will step down and receive feedback regarding their presentation.
Judges will record their notes/suggestions/scores following each presentation
After all have completed, judges will convene and determine the feedback or winners.

Entry Requirements:

Participants must be 25 and under as of December 31, 2012
Participants must reside within the Ottawa mega-city limits
Participants must be aware that their name and photograph may be used for publicity before and after the CCSR Conference in local media or on CCSR/CAYFO promotional material

Dates, Deadlines and Details:

Applicants must submit their application through the CAYFO website by Friday, October 26th, 2012.
The top 16 selected to compete in The Lizards’ Den will be selected by Tuesday, October 30th, 2012.
CAYFO will provide an information session for The Lizards’ Den competitors the beginning of November to explain the format of the event and answer any questions that competitors may have.
All participants will be recognized on the CAYFO website with a brief outline of their initiative and bio.