Economic Gardening through Entrepreneurship Education

This article outlines the implementation of a service-learning approach in an entrepreneurship programme using an ‘economic gardening’ strategy. Economic Gardening through Service-Learning (EGS-L) is an approach to economic development that helps local businesses and students grow through a facilitated learning process. Learning is made possible by appealing to the action orientation of entrepreneurs and supplying students with a real laboratory in which to implement, test and experience theory. Economic gardening effectively strengthens businesses in the community and promotes community awareness by bringing businesses, students, academics and community leaders together in a receptive and proactive environment. The authors draw on first-hand experience from programmes at various institutions and include in their discussion some preliminary results with regard to civic attitudes.