ArcGNO Partners with the Tulane Innovation Institute to Bring Entrepreneurship Workshop to Adults with Disabilities
Entrepreneurship education can do more than teach business fundamentals—it can build confidence, develop life skills, and open new paths to financial independence. This summer, a group of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) gained access to entrepreneurial education during a workshop partnership between Arc of Greater New Orleans (ArcGNO) and the Tulane Innovation Institute.
Entrepreneurship for All was a four-day class designed to meet the needs and aspirations of ArcGNO’s community. The program helped participants explore business ideas, understand the building blocks of a venture, and learn how to communicate their vision with clarity and self-assurance.
Led by Jay England, Program Director for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Community Outreach at the Tulane Innovation Institute, the workshop provided the group of 10 students with the opportunity to think about how their passions and experiences could be practically applied to a business. England, who has spent more than a decade creating programs for people with disabilities and has worked at the Tulane Innovation Institute in entrepreneurial programming for the last two years, provided a thoughtful balance of insight and intention to every session.
Participants came up with a wide range of ideas: a sports apparel store, a bicycle repair service, an art gallery with a seasonal twist, an accessible cookbook for people who experience reading challenges, a childcare assistance program, and more. During the course, they shaped their ideas into business plans, preparing to share them at a final pitch session judged by members of the Tulane Innovation Institute.
“Jay brought a level of care and expertise to the students,” said Sharon Goldsmith, Executive Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Programs at Tulane. “Watching her prepare and lead this course with such heart and precision was inspiring—she didn’t just teach entrepreneurship; she equipped the ArcGNO participants with the tools and belief to pursue it .”
ArcGNO played a central role in the program’s success—recruiting participants, coordinating transportation, and providing on-site support to ensure a safe, welcoming environment. The Tulane Innovation Institute supplied the curriculum, materials, meals, and classroom space.
For England, who recently completed a Master of Public Health from Tulane University and an Advanced Certificate in Disablility Studies from City University of New York, the workshop was part of a broader mission to make entrepreneurship more accessible. “Entrepreneurship can create pathways to independence,” she said. “We believe everyone should have access to that possibility.”
To learn more about how your community organization can work with the Tulane Innovation Institute, email innovation@tulane.edu.
Tulane Innovation Institute's Sharon Goldsmith, far left, and Jay England, second from right, with the four finalists following the pitch presentation.
