Abstract:
The study analyzes the Zindigi Prize Business Idea Competition which was introduced by Zindigi Bank in Pakistan, by considering its setup, participants’ experiences, their feelings about it and how its website functions. The research uses both quantitative and qualitative tools to see how various details (mentorship, judging criteria, event organization, ways to give feedback) and feelings (inspiration, satisfaction, brand identity) affect whether participants are motivated and what they get out of the experience. The analysis which is based on feedback from 50 people, covers how the event runs and the feelings it creates. The research findings state that such programs are important as they help young people create a sense of being entrepreneurs, build their self-confidence and form useful networks. At the same time, many mentioned that the lack of consistent mentors, unclear judging and little help after events was a major issue. Many respondents felt that campaigns focused on helping and uniting people made them more satisfied than those that highlighted the features of the devices. It proves that having emotionally intelligent branding matters for engaging with youth. In terms of structure, the study points out how participants’ experiences are inconsistent between regions and calls for standard policies. Some major recommendations are to develop one digital platform for both mentorship and application, form regional teams to ensure all regions are treated equally, match mentors with students using algorithm, provide resources in multiple languages for onboarding and keep the feedback process live. The purpose is to make things more efficient and to help ensure dignity, fairness and inclusivity are present. As well as redesigning the competition, the research suggests creating a support system for after the competition closes by using fellowships, micro-grants, alumni networks and tracking progress over a longer period. The changes are meant to shift the Zindigi Prize from a single event to an ongoing experience that teaches youth how to be more resilient, practice learning and participate in real entrepreneurship. One major conclusion from the research was that the tools and frameworks made from the study can be used in a wide range of psychology fields. This is what inspired the idea of launching a youth experience analytics consultancy. The consultancy would focus on services that use data like experience mapping, regular audits of mentorship, immediate dashboards and assessment of the effects for educational institutions, CSR programs and development organizations. Youth programs should be restructured so participants guide how they are measured and planned, according to PYDIC.It also places its findings into Pakistan’s socio-economic issues like unequal services in different regions, less opportunity for women and a digital gap. It encourages the use of data and equality in entrepreneurship education which can be applied across South Asia. Looking forward, we will start the Pakistan Youth Experience Index (PYXI) for Pakistan to help establish regional standards for meaningful engagement of youth. All in all, this project shares a unique way to run youth entrepreneurship competitions, focusing on emotions, strong structures and proof-based improvements. It works on reforming organizations and supporting entrepreneurship, with the goal of improving how the youth is listened to, educated and helped. The results offer both important academic knowledge and insights that can be used by those who care about youth-led impact.
