Maker2Market™ Business Taster Experience Pilot:
Neurodiverse Teen Program
Will you be one of the 10 creative neurodiverse teens to join us?
Participants enjoy a full 360-degree business experience across three full and exciting days.
Start with a 2- day workshop identifying your ideal customer, creating a prototype product, market testing and producing 20 products for sale. On the final day, sell your products at Old Bus Depot market, pocketing all profits.
Run this April as a pilot program, with specialist support for neurodiverse teens; the Maker2Market™ Business Taster Experience is an opportunity for outside-the-box, creative and entrepreneurial youths to showcase their creative skills in a real-world business environment.
A collaboration between edii and Social Living Solutions, we look forward to having you join us this April Holidays.
2-day workshop: Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 April 2022
@ Community Studio, Woden Library, Corrina St, Woden
+ Market day at The Old Bus Depot Markets,
Sunday 8 May 2022.
$550 per participant (BYO materials or add a materials package at enrolment) NDIS support available for Self Managed Participants
3 Days | Infinite Benefits
Learn the skills of business in a fun, real-world supported environment
MAKE LIKE MINDED FRIENDS
Meet new people and put those social skills to good use.
EARN REAL MONEY
Replace consumption with creation and take home the money to show for it.
Show off existing creative skills
Identify, hone and show off unique skills and creative endeavours
PAVE A PATH TO BUSINESS SUCCESS
With the basics covered, your business opportunities are endless.
The ability to think differently is what sets you apart as an entrepreneur
In a world built for the neurotypical brain, it is easy to overlook the strengths of neurodiversity.
We are out to change that.
We believe outside-the-box thinking is vital for
problem-solving.
Given this is a superpower for most neurodiverse teens, the world of business and entrepreneurship enables you to shine.
Day 1 & 2
Business Planning & Production
• Identify an ideal customer
• Pitch a product, critique and conduct market research
• Create a business logo using online software
• Work through product costing and financing
• Produce up to 20 products in an intensive maker session
Day 3
Market Day
• Participate in a real market day
• Test product interest on real customers
• Practice customer sales skills and receipt of payments
• Take home real money from sales
Meet Your Instructors
FAMILY JOY EXPERT
PATRICIA FALCETTA
Patricia’s vision is for a world where people with Autism, ADHD and other neurodiversity are accepted, integrated, and recognised as valued members of society. She works with individuals, schools, and workplaces to remove prejudices and misconceptions around neurodiversity and replace ignorance with compassionate understanding.
Patricia created Social Living Solutions to fill the service provision gap by providing a custom support service or coaching, that can be there with you or your children to achieve your unique goals. It was a service I needed, that didn’t exist yet. Now it has expanded to provide training to schools and workplaces furthering my mission to reduce prejudice and increase understanding of neurodiversity.
Through her work with families she has also created a wholistic Family Joy Program to support families who are struggling with to relieve stress and anxiety, and create happiness, better family balance, and joy.
You can find Patricia as co-host of the Nurturing Neurodiversity Podcast and she is currently writing a book to be published in 2022.
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR EDII
Charuni Weerasooriya
Charuni’s background is a rich tapestry of experience in the corporate, not for profit and the education sector. Following 15 years as a strategic marketing specialist, working with some of Australia’s leading brands and high-profile campaigns and events, she spent 5 years immersed in the education sector – policy and practice, nationally and in the ACT working with all levels of Government, school authorities, sectors, teachers, and parents.
Since 2016, Charuni has been the founder of edii – designing programs, places and spaces where young people explore their passion, develop their entrepreneurial mindset and gain real-world skills and capability. edii’s signature programs: Maker2Market and Design thinking incursions have seen over 1,200 of Canberra’s young people attend a workshop. edii also works with clients who are keen to help young people succeed. Charuni is passionate and intentional about young people and edii’s clients creating value in the world.
A Passion For Social Change
Don’t just take our word for it…
Our collaborative neurodiverse program might be a pilot, but the Maker2Market ™ Business Taster Experience has already encouraged over 400 teen holiday program participants to expand their entrepreneurial thinking:
‘It’s a great course, I am using the problem-solving techniques and design thinking steps in loads of other things I do.’
‘My son has continued in leaps and bounds since the program, it’s been really rewarding watching the creativity, innovation and confidence build and build in him.’
‘After making over $290, my daughter is self-funding her hobby business and bubbling with new ideas to try next time.’
A Collaboration between