Peggy Revell
A day camp to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs will be coming to Fort Frances after finding success in Kenora and Dryden.
“‘BizKids’ is an initiative that is for nine- to 12-year-olds to learn about small business,” explained Stefanie Armstrong, a small business advisor with the Northwest Business Centre, which is overseeing the camp that will run Aug. 8-12 from 9-4 p.m. daily.
The program is running for its sixth year in Kenora and for a second year in Dryden this summer, Armstrong noted.
“And then through popular demand, we’ve had a request to bring it to Fort Frances, and we were able to pull that together with our community partners,” she explained.
Armstrong said children enrolled in the program spend the week learning about entrepreneurship, touring local businesses and speaking with local entrepreneurs.
“Throughout the week, participants will have the opportunity to create a product,” she noted.
“And on the Friday they will hold a ‘market day’ downtown midday, where they can sell their product and keep any proceeds.
“It’s all positive,” Armstrong enthused. “The kids love it, the parents love it, and the business owners within the community love it, too.
“It’s so great to see their enthusiasm.
“Engaging the kids in businesses at a young age—and giving them an opportunity to dream a little bit and see the possibilities of how they may have a future as business owners in their communities—is one of the best ways to help with the retention of our youth, and to slow down some of the outward youth migration that we all hear about over and over and over again,” Armstrong reasoned.
“For me, the greatest reward is seeing the self-esteem and the confidence build in these kids throughout the week and on market day when they’re running their own business,” she added.
“They are just so full of pride—it is really a cool thing.”
While space is limited at the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre, Armstrong said organizers hope to have at least a dozen youth enrol in this year’s program—and hopefully the camp will be a yearly event so that new youth can attend.
Enrolment is $150 per child, but those registering before July 18 will get an early-bird price of $130.
Applications are available at the local library, the Rainy River Futures Development Corp. office here, and Northern Community Development Services (NCDS), or online at www.nwbiz.ca
