Getting youth involved in entrepreneurship and community business is key to Ottawa’s economic success, local politicians say.
“We are building a world-class city in Ottawa,” says Gloucester-South Nepean Ward Coun. Steve Desroches.
“We need our young people to be involved and contribute to the economy, culture and social life of our city.”
Desroches and other community leaders in Ottawa spoke to young people at the Youth Entrepreneurship and Business Conference, run by Bronson Centre-based community group Jaku Konbit, earlier this month.
The conference brought together African and Caribbean youth involved in a wide variety of businesses, including web design, dance instructing, event management and financial coaching.
Held in support of Jaku Konbit’s Peer-2-Peer Initiative, the conference gave young people a chance to talk about their own business ideas and learn about entrepreneurship.
“With this program we hope to support and amalgamate disadvantaged youth and get them to reach out into the greater community for support,” says Shelly Sawyers, youth program manager at Jaku Konbit.
Jaku Konbit’s Peer-2-Peer Initiative was started in 2000 and aims to foster community engagement in youth through mentorship and hands-on leadership training.
The program gives young people an opportunity to learn about self-employment from other young people in the Ottawa community.
It also organizes workshops to teach them skills to develop their business.
“The idea is that we bring people together to motivate to youth, so that the youth in turn can motivate each other,” says Sawyers.
“By doing so we encourage youth to be positive role models in the community.”
The conference gave young people the opportunity to hear success stories from local entrepreneurs such as Robin Browne, who spoke about his own company, ConsciousImages, which helps local businesses manage their social media.
Browne admitted that though he became an entrepreneur later on in his life, he still faced the same kind of obstacles all first-time entrepreneurs face.
“It is hard because you are taking an economic and emotional risk. It can be scary at first,” says Browne.
“The key is to think big, set goals and have someone else to share that goal with.”
Browne, who still works for Environment Canada, says the way the world is going with the current government entrepreneurs need to put themselves out there, be independent and make their own opportunities.
Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi told participants that community programs such as the Peer-2-Peer Initiative are critical to getting young people actively involved in the community.
“We can’t force youth to get involved, we need to let them determine their own course,” says Naqvi.
“Since Ottawa is a hub for the technology industry in Canada, there is already a lot of creativity in the business community.
“What we need to do is give youth the opportunity to get engaged, network and express their creativity.”