AGU approaches the development of individuals holistically and makes use of social, emotional, cognitive and personal developmental tools simultaneously. The institution is well aware of the fact that the success of developmental processes depends on the active utilization of interrelated dynamics in the lives of students. Therefore, AGU prepares programs in which students can gain experience in various areas, make sense of their lives and interlink the academic life with the personal one.
This unique Higher Education approach and University model triggered the creation of unique platforms, departments, committees, curricula, courses, methods and centers such as the AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center.
The aims of AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center are;
- To create multiple synergies between social entrepreneurs and traditional entrepreneurs by bringing them together in the same social context and ecosystem. Thus, enabling socially embedded creative entrepreneurial projects.
-To support social/traditional entrepreneurs in realizing their projects,
-To enable social/traditional entrepreneurs to develop projects through trainings and accelerator program,
-To support social/traditional entrepreneurs to meet with mentors and develop their projects,
-To support social/traditional entrepreneurs to develop projects related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG),
-To support social/traditional entrepreneurs to find funds for their projects.
AGU approaches the development of individuals holistically and makes use of social, emotional, cognitive and personal developmental tools simultaneously. The institution is well aware of the fact that the success of developmental processes depends on the active utilization of interrelated dynamics in the lives of students. Therefore, AGU prepares programs in which students can gain experience in various areas, make sense of their lives and interlink the academic life with the personal one.
This unique Higher Education approach and University model triggered the creation of unique platforms, departments, committees, curricula, courses, methods and centers such as the AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center.
The aims of AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center are;
- To create multiple synergies between social entrepreneurs and traditional entrepreneurs by bringing them together in the same social context and ecosystem. Thus, enabling socially embedded creative entrepreneurial projects.
-To support social/traditional entrepreneurs in realizing their projects,
-To enable social/traditional entrepreneurs to develop projects through trainings and accelerator program,
-To support social/traditional entrepreneurs to meet with mentors and develop their projects,
-To support social/traditional entrepreneurs to develop projects related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG),
-To support social/traditional entrepreneurs to find funds for their projects.
With the work done by AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center;
- It is aimed to find a solution for youth unemployment which is a global problem,
- Sustainable Development Goals are put at the center of projects,
- The volunteering, solidarity and active citizenship skills of the beneficiaries are being developed.
In response to problems and topics, AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center organizes following activities as a solution.
1- Volunteerism Lecture
A ‘Volunteering’ course was opened for social and traditional entrepreneurs to develop projects in line with the demand of local governmental institutions, industrial organizations and NGOs in Kayseri. This course trains beneficiaries for AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center.
2- Creathaton
Creathaton is a competition where social entrepreneurs come together with technical entrepreneurs and produce social entrepreneurship projects within 24 hours. The ideas created in this competition are put into practice at the AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center.
3- Accelerator Program for Social Entrepreneurs
An acceleration program for beneficiaries is organized by AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center. Within the scope of this acceleration program, beneficiaries are provided with trainings, they are supported in their project preparation, their needs regarding implementation processes of the projects are supported, and they are provided with funds for their projects.
In addition, by ensuring that beneficiaries as social entrepreneurs and traditional entrepreneurs are in the same ecosystem with technical entrepreneurs, a synergy is created between them and they support each other in their projects.
3.1. Trainings
The following trainings are provided to the beneficiaries of the AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center.
Meeting and Group Dynamics
Social entrepreneurs at the Creative Hub Social Incubation Center meet with entrepreneurs at the AGU Fly For Future Incubation Center. Drama methods are used in the meeting activity. By having the participants do group dynamics activities, it is ensured that everyone comes together and works in an ecosystem.
Volunteering and Active Citizenship
In this training, non-formal education formats and the subject of volunteering and active citizenship are explained to the participants. Participants are answering What is volunteerism? Who is the volunteer? questions; they also establish a link between volunteering and active citizenship.
Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are explained to the participants through non-formal education formats and the participants are provided to match their projects with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Social - Traditional Entrepreneurship and Project
In this training, the project cycle management approach is explained to the participants. Social and traditional entrepreneurs write their projects practically and get feedback from AGU academic staff and finalize their projects.
3.2. Meeting with Mentors
Project groups meet with mentors experienced in the field of social entrepreneurship. In these meetings, mentors give feedback to the groups on their projects. In addition, they share their predictions about the situations that they may encounter during the project implementation process.
After the first meeting, project groups organize regular monthly meetings with mentors about project implementation process and get feedback from them.
3.3. Preparation of Field Work
At this stage, it is ensured that the groups have the necessary permissions about the field studies. These meetings are supported by the AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center team to facilitate permission process.
3.4. 1st Implementation Process
Projects are implemented in the field for 5 weeks by entrepreneurs.
3.5. Mid-Term Evaluation
Mid-term evaluation meeting with beneficiary groups is organized by AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center Team. In this meeting, the monitoring notes of the AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center Team and the feedback received from the project participants are discussed. Feedback is given to beneficiary groups.
3.6. Ecosystem Meetings
In each month, regular coffee meetings for networking program are organized. Technical entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs meet and discussed about projects. AGU Social Incubation Center Team facilitate these meetings to create inter-disciplinary projects.
3.7. Networking Meetings
Regular networking meetings are organized. In these meetings, beneficiaries meet public institutions’ representatives and experienced social and technical entrepreneurs.
3.8. Project Preparation and Applications to Funds
AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center Team regularly monitors fund calls and shares them with beneficiaries. In this framework, beneficiaries apply for project funds and these applications are supported by the AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center Team. Within the scope of this support, the following supports are provided by the AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center Team.
- Project reading,
- Giving feedback to projects,
- Preparation of necessary documents for application.
3.9. 2nd Implementation Process
The projects, which were updated at the mid-term evaluation meeting, continue to be implemented in the field for a period of 6 months.
4- Demoday
The projects whose implementations have been completed are brought together with representatives of public institutions, representatives of industrial institutions in Kayseri, AGU students and angel investors at the demoday event.
In this event, the beneficiaries make poster presentations to the above-mentioned groups. In addition, beneficiaries' projects are sent to angel investors in advance and beneficiaries and angel investors are provided with B2B meetings.
5- Graduation and After
Beneficiaries who complete this program continue to implement projects after graduating from AGU Creative Hub Social Incubation Center. Beneficiaries are encouraged to establish NGOs such as association or foundation and companies. In addition, the beneficiaries' projects continue to be supported to find funding. Project implementations of beneficiaries who find funds are supported.
