Program Components
There are four key components which make up Paradigm Shift's Program.
Click below to find out more information about each one.
Paradigm Shift empowers churches to engage with entrepreneurs–hard working people right at the poverty line–and equips them with tools for success.
The entrepreneurs' ambition is to escape poverty once and for all. Therefore, Paradigm Shift partner churches train entrepreneurs through interactive business trainings, which take them from intuition to practice of basic business principles.
For many, this provides a revolution in perspective and the
needed skills to grow their businesses to their full potential.
Paradigm Shift has created, tested and refined 30-hours of its own proprietary business training curricula.
Entrepreneurs who complete the Business Experience Course and Business Growth Course have experienced an astounding 82 percent increase in business income!
Click below to find out more information about each one.
Business Training
Paradigm Shift empowers churches to engage with entrepreneurs–hard working people right at the poverty line–and equips them with tools for success. The entrepreneurs' ambition is to escape poverty once and for all. Therefore, Paradigm Shift partner churches train entrepreneurs through interactive business trainings, which take them from intuition to practice of basic business principles.
For many, this provides a revolution in perspective and the
needed skills to grow their businesses to their full potential.Paradigm Shift has created, tested and refined 30-hours of its own proprietary business training curricula.
Entrepreneurs who complete the Business Experience Course and Business Growth Course have experienced an astounding 82 percent increase in business income!
Discipleship
Paradigm Shift believes that true life transformation happens from the inside out.
Addressing spiritual poverty is as important as addressing physical poverty.
That is why Paradigm Shift's unique model incorporates biblical teachings into every structured interaction with entrepreneurs. Discussions include the value of work, love, forgiveness, character, stewardship and much more.
Paradigm Shift has created, tested and refined 18-hours of its own proprietary discipleship training curricula.
Twenty-five percent of entrepreneurs who have completed the Emmaus Road Course shared they have begun following Jesus as a result.
Addressing spiritual poverty is as important as addressing physical poverty.That is why Paradigm Shift's unique model incorporates biblical teachings into every structured interaction with entrepreneurs. Discussions include the value of work, love, forgiveness, character, stewardship and much more.
Paradigm Shift has created, tested and refined 18-hours of its own proprietary discipleship training curricula.
Twenty-five percent of entrepreneurs who have completed the Emmaus Road Course shared they have begun following Jesus as a result.
Microcredit
The lack of capital also presents a major barrier to grow a small business. Many entrepreneurs are unable to access the formal banking system, so their sources of capital are family members, savings groups or local moneylenders.
In some Paradigm Shift communities, moneylended currently charge up to 1000 percent APR on their loans!
Therefore, Paradigm Shift partner churches make small, low-interest, repayable loans to tenacious entrepreneurs who complete Paradigm Shift's two-day business training called the Business Experience Course.
To date, there has been a 100 percent repayment rate on all microloans! When each loan is repaid, the church can lend it to another entrepreneur, creating a revolving fund that can impact many families over time.
With the impressive business growth of participating entrepreneurs, 50 percent reported plowing their profits back into their families needs and 19 percent reported allocating their profits into education for their children.
In some Paradigm Shift communities, moneylended currently charge up to 1000 percent APR on their loans!
Therefore, Paradigm Shift partner churches make small, low-interest, repayable loans to tenacious entrepreneurs who complete Paradigm Shift's two-day business training called the Business Experience Course.
To date, there has been a 100 percent repayment rate on all microloans! When each loan is repaid, the church can lend it to another entrepreneur, creating a revolving fund that can impact many families over time.
With the impressive business growth of participating entrepreneurs, 50 percent reported plowing their profits back into their families needs and 19 percent reported allocating their profits into education for their children.
Mentoring
Partner church volunteer mentors play a key role in helping entrepreneurs succeed.
Through a dynamic one-on-one relationship, an entrepreneur and a mentor experience the richness of friendship across socio-economic barriers, race and culture–an encounter that is transformative for both of them!
Mentors meet once or twice per month with their paired entrepreneur and discuss the business and spiritual issues most pertinent to them.
Part of the success within Paradigm Shift's model is the mentoring program. Paradigm Shift found that 57 percent of mentors met with their entrepreneur two to four times per month. This goes beyond the mentor commitment and demonstrates the power of the mentoring relationship for both parties involved.
Through a dynamic one-on-one relationship, an entrepreneur and a mentor experience the richness of friendship across socio-economic barriers, race and culture–an encounter that is transformative for both of them!
Mentors meet once or twice per month with their paired entrepreneur and discuss the business and spiritual issues most pertinent to them.
Part of the success within Paradigm Shift's model is the mentoring program. Paradigm Shift found that 57 percent of mentors met with their entrepreneur two to four times per month. This goes beyond the mentor commitment and demonstrates the power of the mentoring relationship for both parties involved.
Who's Involved
There are four groups of people involved in the Paradigm Shift Program.
Click below to find out more information about how each group is involved
Trained Volunteers
Click below to find out more information about how each group is involved
Churches
South African churches are surrounded by communities in need of social, economic and spiritual transformation.
Paradigm Shift works with a wide variety of churches who believe in empowering entrepreneurs to earn a better living while being discipled at the same time, providing the poor with the opportunity out of both physical and spiritual poverty.
Paradigm Shift's approach is dynamic in the fact that it integrates the local church and empowers them to become the catalyst for change and transformation in their community.
Paradigm Shift works with a wide variety of churches who believe in empowering entrepreneurs to earn a better living while being discipled at the same time, providing the poor with the opportunity out of both physical and spiritual poverty.
Paradigm Shift's approach is dynamic in the fact that it integrates the local church and empowers them to become the catalyst for change and transformation in their community.
Trained Volunteers
A core team of trained volunteers from each partner church facilitate the entire Paradigm Shift program in their community.
Local volunteers ensure the greatest cultural relevance, long-term sustainability, low program expenses and engages a highly motivated business community within their church who are energized with free-market solutions to their community's economic challenges.
Local volunteers ensure the greatest cultural relevance, long-term sustainability, low program expenses and engages a highly motivated business community within their church who are energized with free-market solutions to their community's economic challenges.
There are five key positions partner churches recruit volunteers to serve in the Paradigm Shift program.
Each volunteer role serves in a specific function. When the five volunteer roles come together, it ensures the highest program quality and excellence because it engages the expertise of a variety of people and allows entrepreneurs to learn, understand and grow their businesses and personal lives in dynamic ways.Brief descriptions of each volunteer role are below:
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Business Trainers (BT) - Volunteers who facilitate the entrepreneurs business training
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Life Coaches (LC) - Volunteers who facilitate the entrepreneurs discipleship training
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Table Trainers (TT) - Volunteers who facilitate small group discussions and activities
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Mentors (M) - Volunteers who meet with a paired entrepreneur coaching and inspiring
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Microcredit Coordinators (MC) - Volunteers who facilitate the microloan portfolio
Entrepreneurs
Paradigm Shift entrepreneurs are currently living in South Africa, but over 60 percent of them come from all over Africa.
Hundreds of entrepreneurs from South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Cameroon, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabone, Angola and Ghana speaking 18 different mother languages have completed the Paradigm Shift program.
Many of them run their own small businesses ranging from: food services, tailors, childcare services, artisans, hair dressers, seamstresses, landscapers, welders, photographers, graphic designers, importers, exporters and countless others.
The majority of Paradigm Shift entrepreneurs are female. In general women have a greater need to start their own businesses due to the flexibility it provides for raising children, caring for their households and filling in the gaps of the missing males in the family dynamic.
Half of the Paradigm Shift entrepreneurs are their households sole-income providers. Of those who are sole earners, 87 percent are female, almost all single mothers with no other financial support.
Business training, capital, mentoring and discipleship are key elements that foster the growth and development of each participating entrepreneur.
Hundreds of entrepreneurs from South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Cameroon, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabone, Angola and Ghana speaking 18 different mother languages have completed the Paradigm Shift program.
Many of them run their own small businesses ranging from: food services, tailors, childcare services, artisans, hair dressers, seamstresses, landscapers, welders, photographers, graphic designers, importers, exporters and countless others.
The majority of Paradigm Shift entrepreneurs are female. In general women have a greater need to start their own businesses due to the flexibility it provides for raising children, caring for their households and filling in the gaps of the missing males in the family dynamic.
Half of the Paradigm Shift entrepreneurs are their households sole-income providers. Of those who are sole earners, 87 percent are female, almost all single mothers with no other financial support.
Business training, capital, mentoring and discipleship are key elements that foster the growth and development of each participating entrepreneur.
Paradigm Shift Staff
Currently, Paradigm Shift staff are located in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Colorado Springs.
There are seven full-time staff and a part-time administrator who work diligently expand Paradigm Shift into new communities and new churches.
The team is comprised of highly qualified individuals with a wide range of expertise and experience that have raised their own support to see the vision and mission of Paradigm Shift become a reality.
Click on "Field Team" under "About Us" to read more about the various staff members and their roles within the organization.
Paradigm Shift is always looking for qualified individuals to serve on staff. If you would like to inquire for any open positions, please use the "Contact Us" link and submit a query.
There are seven full-time staff and a part-time administrator who work diligently expand Paradigm Shift into new communities and new churches.
The team is comprised of highly qualified individuals with a wide range of expertise and experience that have raised their own support to see the vision and mission of Paradigm Shift become a reality.
Click on "Field Team" under "About Us" to read more about the various staff members and their roles within the organization.
Paradigm Shift is always looking for qualified individuals to serve on staff. If you would like to inquire for any open positions, please use the "Contact Us" link and submit a query.
About Microfinance
The Challenge
Today, 3 billion people live on less than $2 a day in countries where chronic unemployment is the norm and self-employment is the logical answer to providing for one’s basic needs.
For this reason, over 50 percent of those living in the developing world are self-employed. But because most of the world's poor have little or no collateral, and many are illiterate, managing a business and accessing affordable services and credit is an incredible challenge.
Commercial banks will not consider providing these small sole proprietors with credit. Most local moneylenders charge exorbitant interest rates which cripples the hope of the poor in gaining a substantial profit on any labor they provide or goods they produce.
For this reason, over 50 percent of those living in the developing world are self-employed. But because most of the world's poor have little or no collateral, and many are illiterate, managing a business and accessing affordable services and credit is an incredible challenge.
Commercial banks will not consider providing these small sole proprietors with credit. Most local moneylenders charge exorbitant interest rates which cripples the hope of the poor in gaining a substantial profit on any labor they provide or goods they produce.
A Sustainable Solution
Microcredit, prefaced by practical business training and followed by individual mentorship, is a tool Paradigm Shift uses to empower entrepreneurs. Microcredit has effectively enabled millions of people to improve the lives of their families.
One important part of microcredit is the recycling of loan dollars. Each loan is repaid within six months and the money is then recycled as another loan to another entrepreneur, thus multiplying the value of each donation used in reducing poverty by creating opportunity for economic growth.
Greg Skowronski, Paradigm Shift's National Director of Microcredit wrote, "The Microcredit Sector in South Africa" which was published by the World Bank and the Global Development Research Center. You can read about the South African microfinance landscape by downloading this article: http://www.gdrc.org/icm/country/za-mf-paradigmshift.pdf
One important part of microcredit is the recycling of loan dollars. Each loan is repaid within six months and the money is then recycled as another loan to another entrepreneur, thus multiplying the value of each donation used in reducing poverty by creating opportunity for economic growth.
Greg Skowronski, Paradigm Shift's National Director of Microcredit wrote, "The Microcredit Sector in South Africa" which was published by the World Bank and the Global Development Research Center. You can read about the South African microfinance landscape by downloading this article: http://www.gdrc.org/icm/country/za-mf-paradigmshift.pdf