There is no doubt in my mind that our youth is the future of our nation.
When Canada has a healthy youth population, we will find our nation making wonderful headway in terms of overall development and socio-economic progress.
The world today has evolved dramatically into a technology era.
Everywhere I go, I see where technology, in all its many faces, has enabled progress in all fields and levels of our provincial and Canadian society.
You have heard this phrasing before I’m sure, that the technological revolution has changed the face of lives bringing health care, information and connectivity to even the most remote regions that previously were considered isolated.
In many regions, youth entrepreneurship has been clearly recognized as a significant socio-economic tool that can readily help sustain growing economies, integrate our youth into the workforce in the self employment and lead to the continued development of our regional landscapes.
To face and embrace entrepreneurship in any realm of our Canadian society is a sign of progress.
The technology world has been a known playground for youth entrepreneurship.
The need of the day now is to create the healthy business environment that can propel the up and coming entrepreneurial stars to dream big and pursue their ideas for opportunity.
Governments and international agencies must create and stick to long-term agendas to co-operate and collaborate in the development of such strategies that can provide environments conducive to entrepreneurship-friendly horizons.
Two important aspects toward building a youth entrepreneurship culture stand out clearly to me—building through education and promotion.
Today, we have truly began the journey in our regional educational fields both within and external to our educational systems.
That alone is exciting to me, but we’re not quite at the level of a “culture” just yet. Apart from introducing enterprise education, an absolutely critical element that must be included in an entrepreneurship strategy is to address the issue of building entrepreneurial awareness among our youth.
A favourite of mine is creating an entrepreneurial spirit among our youth with the help of our media, social media and other communication avenues. Hosting awareness programs, orientation camps and group discussions that specifically target campaigns to promote youth entrepreneurship events, as well as launching achievement awards and competitions, are wonderful channels for building that youth entrepreneurship culture.
Theory tells us also that a significant part of learning occurs through observing and emulating role models. Doesn’t everyone wish to become a Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?
Quite a few values, thinking patterns, attitudes are imbibed by the individuals based on their role model’s personality and character.
Finally, let me also make you aware of an organization called The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF.ca), a national non-profit entrepreneurship foundation which has a loan program and advisory services for aspiring young men and women between the ages of 18 and 39 who wish to embark on the journey of entrepreneurism.
Our Okanagan Valley Entrepreneurs Society (OVeSociety.ca) is the regional delivery arm of this wonderful tool for your entry into this challenging but joyous world.
