The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity applied for and was accepted as one of 10 non-profit organizations to participate in the 2017 UCLA Social Enterprise Academy.Established 15 years ago, SEA works with non-profits from around southern California, to help them develop social enterprises that will help fund them and their prorgrams now and into the foreseeable future.
It pairs five 3rd and 4th year Economics students with the non-profit. The Center is working with a dynamic group of young people. They came down to make a site visit a few weeks ago and our lead teaching artist, Denise Dion-Scoyni put them through a rigorous series of creative exercises. Their "genius" got a good work-out!
The class meets once-a-week and the non-profits meet with them at UCLA every other week. By the end of May, the students and their non-profits will make a presentation to angel investors and the winning non-profits will split a considerable monetary prize to help them jump start their social enterprise.. The best part though, is that every non-profit leaves the Academy with a viable social enterprise that includes a business plan and a marketing plan.
This week, Craig Kausen, chairman of the Board, presented the Center's students with the work of art they had collaborated on during their visit to the Center. It's hidden aspect revealed!