Local Entrepreneur Launches Social Entrepreneurship Center by Dave McCleary
Thu, Feb 28, 2008  Rochester boasts a rich heritage of Social Entrepreneurs, people who had a vision to make a difference in society, like George Eastman, Joseph Wilson and Frederick Douglass. That list may soon include an additional name, David Dey.
David Dey is a modern day Social Entrepreneur. His vision is to provide "at risk" youth with opportunities to own their own businesses and create an economic alternative to negative behaviors.
Recently, Dey formed RiseGO, a non-profit organization, and acquired a building at 336 Arnett Boulevard where he is setting up a social entrepreneurship center. The center will provide hands-on training and space to launch a successful business that meets a critical social or business need in the community.
Dey started to live out his vision in 2002 while he was director of the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship (ISE), an experiential learning program based at Roberts Wesleyan College. He eventually left Roberts but took the institute with him.
"You get to the point where what you're doing has to have tangible outcomes that touch somebody other than the campus. A lot of the research that I did (at ISE) now has to be implemented so I've had to change hats."
Armed with the research of the institute, RiseGO is now implementing the recommendations the research suggested.
"Research suggested that we needed to engage students as early as 7th grade and that a community version needed to be launched in order to address "at-risk" youth and community development. And one needed a unique organization to engage schools and communities." Dey explains.
Launching this venture on his own has not been easy. Dey encountered many challenges in getting his building financed and renovated, but he has had the support of his family, churches, and other community organizations. Many have donated their time and talents to rehabilitate the new Social Entrepreneurship Center.
Dey says, "People felt the concept was noble. They saw the value that it would provide in advance of completing the site."
So what is a Social Entrepreneur? According to Wikipedia.org: A social entrepreneur is someone who recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create, and manage a venture to make social change.
Making social change is exactly what Dey has set out to do. His center will provide training for young people who may otherwise be engaging in “illegal activities,” to own and run their own "legitimate" businesses.
The building is 7500 square feet with the base level having four commercial rental offices and RiseGO's training center, and the second level still needs renovating but will provide residential rental apartments to provide additional income to support the center.
Dey has formed relationships with area schools and the Rochester City Drug Court and will be providing entrepreneurship training for youth selected for his program. Youth from area schools will have access to the site in an after-school format.
RiseGO is still in need of resources to complete the commercial kitchen, renovate the second floor apartments and secure "Permanent" financing on the building.
The center is set to launch on March 8th. The program will begin with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. and will run until 8 p.m. All in the community are invited to attend.
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