APS students learn to become changemakers at experiential workshop at Dream Impact

Programmes at FLASS not only teach our students the most up-to-date knowledge in the field, but also keep them abreast of the latest industry trends. A total of 36 first-year students taking the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Social Entrepreneurship and Development Studies (BSocSc(SEDS)) programme from the Department of Asian and Policy Studies joined an experiential workshop on Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Dream Impact on 16 September 2022.  Our students spent a very fruitful day at the Dream Impact workshop, where they learnt from guest speakers how to become a changemaker through social entrepreneurship.  

Consisting of a network of social enterprises and impact ventures, Dream Impact provides a communal space for social innovators, offers consultation services for setting up social enterprises, and gives advice on funding and investment matching. It also constantly runs workshops and seminars on how to make an impact on society. 

At the Dream Impact workshop, students from the BSocSc(SEDS) programme were especially impressed by the sharing session entitled the “Human Library”. In lieu of a traditional lecture, Helen from Oh My Kids and Alicia from WISE HK answered questions from our students and shared their personal experiences of being a social innovator during this session. The speakers also spoke about the challenges of starting and operating social enterprises, as well as discussed ways to build support among stakeholders.

Law Shing-hin, a student of the BSocSc(SEDS) programme, said, “The workshop is very inspiring. The simulation activity of running a social enterprise is particularly thought-stimulating. In the workshop, four other teammates and I learnt a lot about how to identify the mission and vision of a social enterprise, and then how to identify the right business model, formulate a promotion strategy, and conceive a business plan – all within 20 minutes. “Tasting Workshop” formed the final part of the workshop. In it, our team came on stage to present our ideas and thoughts about social enterprises, and take questions from guest speakers and classmates.”

Isolla Kwok Kwan-hei, also a first-year student of the programme, found the workshop inspirational too. She said, “While regular university classes teach us theories about social enterprises, the workshop at Dream Impact gave me a true picture of the social entrepreneurship field. Aside from how to start an enterprise, the workshop also enriched our understanding about workplace culture and taught us strategies for minimising costs while maximising efficiencies.”

“The workshop echoed what I learnt from classroom. That is, while social enterprises are making profits as a business entity, they also benefit the community by contributing to environmental and societal causes. Moreover, I learnt that the financial instability of an enterprise will deter its development and increase its risk of closure. The workshop elevated my awareness, so now I know that when we build our own social enterprise, we should be aware of how to grow its business and manage risks to reduce the possibilities of investment failure or even company closure. I hope I can apply what I have learnt from the workshop to my future career,” student participant Vinci Tang Wing-chi said.

In the last session of the experiential “Tasting Workshop”, students exchanged business ideas, and developed and pitched a business plan for a “simulated” social enterprise. Through the last part of the workshop, students had a chance to consolidate the skills and verify the knowledge they acquired during the BSocSc(SEDS) programme. Programme leader Dr Xiao Hanyu and assistant programme leader Dr Nie Lin coordinated students’ participation in the workshop. Dr Nie, who had encouraged students to join the workshop, said, “We believe learning from practitioners and players in the industry enables our students to receive a more all-rounded idea about social entrepreneurship. We will continue to organise similar workshops in future for that purpose.”