What is a mini project?

A mini project is a small, time-limited activity where you turn your idea into action. It’s a simple and practical way to test how your idea might work in real life, without needing a lot of money, time, or resources. A mini project helps you explore your interests, check if your idea makes sense, and learn what it takes to run a small self-employment activity.

For example, a mini project could be:

Designing and offering a digital drawing service

Baking and selling cookies to friends

Creating a simple website or blog

Offering one-on-one tutoring online

The goal isn’t perfection, but learning by doing.

How does Lesson 10.3 support this?

Lesson 10.3 is part of the module “Exploring Self-Employment and Online Work” and is designed to help deaf and hard-of-hearing youth shape their own idea into a clear, testable mini project. Through step-by-step self-study tasks, participants:

Choose an idea they’re excited about

Define their goal and who their “customers” are

Plan what they will offer and how

Set a short time frame and simple steps

Run the project and reflect on what worked (and what didn’t)

The lesson also encourages self-reflection and includes checklists and guiding questions to help participants evaluate their experience and decide on next steps.

Conclusion
Mini projects are a powerful way for young people to explore self-employment in a safe, creative, and hands-on way. Lesson 10.3 helps deaf and hard-of-hearing youth move from thinking to doing, building skills, confidence, and experience through small, meaningful actions.