According the Stanford Social Innovation Review, "Growing numbers of young people are making an about face—turning their backs on working for "the man" and creating their own ventures—many of which are social ventures.

Canadian-born community engagement advocate Kanika Gupta says she is passionate about social entrepreneurship because she IS a social entrepreneur.

Firsthand, Kanika has been through the struggles of launching multiple social ventures, and she knows how daunting and difficult it can be. While in her second year of building Nukoko, (a Canadian nonprofit which sends over 600 girls to school in west Africa annually) she became frustrated by the lack of resources at her disposal.

So she reached out to 50 social entrepreneurs for guidance. All lamented the lack of practical, resource-based support they found when starting their ventures. In hearing their experiences echo her own, the need for a comprehensive resource became immediately apparent, the potential to build it immediately inspiring. Kanika decided she would dedicate herself to encouraging and supporting young people who may be afraid to launch their own social venture but too many unanswered questions stand in their way.

Kanika, and a passionate group of young entrepreneurs, have developed SoJo—short for Social Journal—aimed to empower youth to turn their ideas for social good into action by providing an online “starter’s kit” toolbox.

In its current public beta, SoJo is a self-guided online resource that organizes relevant content in a clear and simple fashion. The content curated by SoJo focuses on the practical "how-to" of idea development and project execution, and on the personal growth of the individual behind the idea. By helping young people navigate the challenges of launching a social venture, passionate advocates like Kanika help enable them to focus their creative energies on working with their target communities to affect social change.

Users can find resources at any stage in their journey of social entrepreneurship: determining a blueprint, focusing on execution, and overcoming challenges; as well as articles on topics including “Walking the talk" or "Asking for Advice."

Already there have been successes. Lilia Zaharieva started InsideOut with little more than a eureka moment and a passionate mission in mind: to support and educate youth who have a parent with a mental illness.

"I wanted desperately to pursue my dream of supporting youth who are affected by mental illness in the family, but lacked the know-how on how to execute my grand vision," Lilia says. "I've had the marvelous luck of being connected with SoJo from both their beginning and mine. From that point on, they have been putting the 'how' to my 'why.'"

Kanika and Lilia both admit this starting a social venture is not an easy path. "I constantly find myself in situations where I have no idea what to do or how to proceed," revealed Lilia. “'Fake it 'till you make it' has been the mantra of choice"

Young entrepreneurs who ulitlize the SoJo toolbox are encouraged to give feedback—since the site is still in beta—making the organization ever more relevant to users, who all are also in a creative, evolving process. Follow SoJo’s story in real time.

SoJo is newly recognized as a Hesselbein Institute Ambassador: making our knowledge accessible to the next generation of community leaders.

For more information Contact SoJo

*Photo credit Riyad Mustapha

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