Teens take the summer to build
businesses and their future
CARRIE KELLY
The future business leaders who will impact the community may very well be attending this summer's Alberta Youth Entrepreneurship Camp (AYEC).
Celebrating its 20th year, the camp is unique in many ways, including that there's no cost to attend. Not only do youth attend for free, they go home with the profits they've made from running their own business for the week.
"The kids get the full camp experience of bonding with other kids and ziplining and playing paintball and they also get to create a business. They actually negotiate borrowing money with a banker and negotiate with suppliers," said Sean Blewett, camp director and general manager of Community Futures Entre-Corp, which developed and administers the camp. "We put through 60 kids every year."
Community Futures Entre-Corp and the Rotary Club cover camp fees.
Held at Eagle's Nest Ranch in Cypress Hills, AYEC educates youth ages 13 to 15 about marketing, advertising, preparing a cash- flow statement and writing a business plan. Ten business teams of six members each are assembled and over the years they've sold products such as board games, calendars, jewellery and food. The last day of camp is Business Day, where campers operate their businesses and sell their wares. Profits first pay off the loan from the bank with the remainder divided among campers.
"The skills that they learn through the process are transferrable in their future whether they're working for someone else or themselves," Blewett said.
Teenagers are beginning to consider future careers and this camp provides them with some food for thought, said Joel Higgins, camp co-ordinator.
"Working with youth is important so they can see there are organizations like us out there that are helping businesses. The kids
This summer marks the 20th anniversary of the Youth Entrepreneurship Camp, which teaches teens how to start their own business. Photo courtesy Community Futures Entre-Corp.
that come to the camp often come more than once and end up being camp leaders," he said.
For some, the program offers the encouragement they need to start their own business over the summer break instead of applying for a job to work for someone else. Past campers have started a variety of diverse businesses, including a summer lawn care business, operating a snack shop at a local skating rink and starting a guitar building and repair business.
At AYEC, they learn the art of choosing the type of business they want to start, about marketing and how to make a business plan.
The positive impact of the Entrepreneurship Camp continues with awards given out on the final day for marketing, entrepreneurship and spirit.
Campers are mentored by those who have been through the program. Each year, 10 past campers between the ages of 16 and 18 have the chance to attend a three-day training session and return to camp as volunteer youth leaders.
Samantha Richard, now a university student, attended AYEC for four years as a camper and three as a youth leader. She hopes to return as an adult leader.
"When I was a camper, I had the most amazing youth leaders and I wanted to hopefully give that experience back," she said.
She has great memories of spending one week each summer at Eagle's Nest Ranch, calling it one of the best experiences of her life.
"Some of my best friends are from that camp and we are still very close," she said.
She recalls transforming toothbrushes into bracelets to sell and taking a 'True Colours' workshop at the beginning of the week to discover her strengths. Richard enjoyed the aspect of learning in a "non-pressure environment" and finds herself regularly
using skills she developed at camp.
"Budgeting has been the biggest saving grace, especially with university. I've used the same business plan budgeting structure for university and it has been incredibly helpful," said Richard.
In most cases, as the years go on, summer camp simply becomes a warm memory, but because AYEC is celebrating its 20th year in
2016, past campers will have an opportunity to return on Business Day to bring all those wonderful memories back to the surface.
In addition to operating the annual entrepreneurship camp, Community Futures Entre-Corp offers flexible, affordable loans to build a business, provides small business coaching, supports entrepreneurs with disabilities and creates opportunities for new jobs in rural communities. ■
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