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(phone ringing)
Ira Owen: Ira Owen here.
Nancy-Ann DeParle: Hi, Ira, it's Nancy-Ann DeParle at the White House.
I wanted to thank you for sending in an idea to us to
consider as a way of helping to grow the economy,
and your idea was intriguing to us about promoting youth
mentorship programs.
I wanted to ask you if you could give me some more details.
Ira Owen: I've been doing mentoring for a number of years.
I've been around education a lot,
so when I saw your proposal there or what you asked to do,
it just was natural.
It's easier said than done, but I always felt we have
to get more businesses involved in intern world.
Nancy-Ann DeParle: What I liked about it is you really do start
thinking when I saw your idea, gee, how did I get my start?
I had a number of internships myself, and those led to a job,
and that led to another thing, and so I think
you're really right.
And the other thing it recognizes is that the
federal government can help give ideas and get things started,
but all of the work we have to do as a country,
it's not work that is a job for government alone,
and that's one reason why Startup America is so great too,
because it's a private sector response to the President's call
to action.
And what they're going is they're trying to build a
national online network to surround entrepreneurs with
mentors and resources, and they've already mobilized
resources worth well over 700 million and are making them
available to startups.
One of things they're talking about now is could they play a
bigger role in mentoring youth, and I think that will
be something they'll be talking about on Thursday.
So it was an idea that you had.
Great minds think alike sometimes.
Ira Owen: Well, I appreciate that.
And, you know, there are some very organized programs in big
corporations, but I think a lot of the interns we meet would
like to work with small businesses too.
So they are kind of in this gray area,
but we recognize up here that growth is going to be with
entrepreneurs, young people, and stuff like that,
and I'm sure you hear this from state to state.
I'm sure what I'm telling you is nothing new.
Nancy-Ann DeParle: Well, but you took the time to write it down,
and you'd be surprised.
We all are working on the issue of the day,
and so when someone takes the time to reach out with an idea
that you hadn't thought about recently,
it does make a difference.
Ira Owen: Okay, good.
Well, I'll share this conversation.
I really appreciate you taking your time.