Social Enterprise Academy Showcase

There are some family law cases that are so contentious, or dangerous, that a parent can only visit his or her child while supervised. In those cases, a neutral monitor is present to protect the child's best interests, safety and, if needed, report observations to a judge.

But when that monitor can't understand what the visiting parent and child are saying, then he or she is not being effective in this critical role. The results can be tragic.

Recognizing a need for Korean-speaking parents to have successful court-ordered visits with their children, the Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC) developed and pitched a winning business proposal for a program that would provide the monitor - and a safe, convenient, friendly-friendly location - during the First 5 LA Social Enterprise Academy Showcase on June 24.

Building off the burgeoning trend of social entrepreneurship, especially in the nonprofit world, the KAFSC team is one of seven organizations participating in this year's Academy, and who presented business proposals during the day-long Showcase.

"The idea of social entrepreneurship ... is really a huge, new and upcoming idea and it's a practice that's becoming very, very popular," said Connie Chung Joe, KAFSC's executive director who presented her team's proposal to a panel of five judges.

At a time where government funding and private donations are shrinking, nonprofits are using social entrepreneurship to earn unrestricted income - meaning funds that can be used as the organization determines to enhance or improve their work to better serve their clients.

This is the third year that First 5 LA teamed up with the Academies for Social Entrepreneurship for the year-long Academy. During the first six months, the organizations attended monthly workshops to learn what it takes to generate earned income, such as identifying business options, conducting market research, developing business plans and making a "pitch" to investors. Each team was also assigned a mentor and worked with its own business advisory committee.

Chung Joe said the Academy was a lot of hard work, but she appreciated how well-organized it was and all that her team learned. "It forced us to go into an agonizing amount of detail to do the research and get to the point of the business plan," she said.

At the Showcase, each agency had 15 minutes to make a presentation, followed by up to 20 minutes of discussion with the judges from the business and investing community.

Other business proposals included an Infant Resources Guide, a calendar of infant activities for new parents and caregivers developed by the Human Services Association; affordable back office financial management services for nonprofits presented by Crystal Stairs and a Co-Parenting Center offering parent education classes for separated parents, pitched by SPIRITT Family Services. Other participating organizations were Fairplex Child Development Center, Foothill Family Service and Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic.

As the winner of the showcase, KAFSC received $2,500. All the organizations will have the chance to participate in the 2011 Social Innovation Fast Pitch, an intensive training program and competition with more than $100,000 in awards.