Community Program Roles Guide

SUPPORTS

Our trainings are positioned as a community support training and everyone who attends will have a role to play in supporting the program. Learn more about the roles that need to be filled.

It takes all sorts of people playing a variety of roles to launch a successful CO.STARTERS program.

Community Organizer

The Community Organizer is the person or organization that sees the need for CO.STARTERS in the community and takes the lead in identifying others who might be willing to fill other roles. The Community Organizer provides guidance and oversight of the program in the community.

Facilitator

Although a CO.STARTERS Facilitator needs to have experience starting and running a business, he or she doesn’t have to be the expert on everything. Rather, a Facilitator’s role is to guide participants through the program by asking the right questions, drawing on the knowledge in the room, and using available resources and connections in the community to point participants in the right direction. A strong Facilitator must enjoy working with groups and have a passion for helping other entrepreneurs succeed.

Administrator

The Administrator takes care of the week to week tasks needed to help the program run smoothly. Administrators enroll participants, collect fees, set up the room, bring snacks, get the needed supplies, contact guest speakers, and serve as a point of contact for CO.STARTERS participants. On average, the Administrator will spend 3-5 hours a week on the program.

Guest Speaker

Throughout the CO.STARTERS nine-week program, Guest Speakers enrich the conversation, letting participants learn from the experience of others in the community. Guest Speakers share their particular insights into a topic and only need to commit 30 minutes or so of their time.

Mentor

Mentors can bring depth to the program by meeting with participants individually to share particular expertise or industry connections. The time commitment to be a Mentor is an hour or so, as needed.

Advisor

Many startups need advice from professional service providers to address a variety of needs. Advisors provide expertise on legal, accounting, marketing, HR, etc.

Community Advocate

Sometimes the most needed role is Advocate, someone who understands what the program is and how it can help the community. Advocates help get the word out about the program, recruit people to participate, and inspire others with what CO.STARTERS is all about.