Tiffany Goulet, Experiential Learning Lead for The Northwest Catholic District School Board, arranged an entrepreneurial pilot program for Grade Seven and Eight students funded by the Ministry of Education. This year, the pilot program returned to fund students’ business ideas. According to Gulet, students sold soap, woodworking goods, jewellery, and more while developing their knowledge and skills.
“The way the program works is it encourages our grade seven and eight students to build a business. So, to create a business, to build a business, or maybe create a product or a service,” said Goulet.”Then they can launch their business. The program offers seed funding [from the Ministry of Education] for the material, as well as equipment or training that our students might need.”
Goulet said St. Patrick’s school ran it as a class project, but St. Joseph’s ran it as a club.
“[Students and teachers] can run it as a class project, or it could be like a school club, said Goulet. “St Joseph ran it as a club. So, students who were interested came and worked regularly in building their businesses.”
To build their businesses, Goulet said students “gave up their lunches regularly.”
“The club was held at lunch hours,” said Goulet. “These guys gave up their lunches regularly. Then the craft market was held throughout the day, and classes could come to do a walk through.”
Moreover, this “showcase market” for their businesses came along with “lots of learning.”
“It was nice that we were able to host a showcase market,” said Goulet. “The kids could come and kind of check everything out … I think they were very, very successful as a business, but I think there was lots of learning that went alongside that success.”
However, that success wasn’t abstract or uninvolved. Throughout the process, Goulet said students had “quite a bit of work and skill development.”
“They had to budget,” said Goulet. “They had to source out all of their materials. They had to provide media information for ordering. Then they had to find training opportunities. [For example,] we had a group that was doing some sewing. So, we brought in a seamstress and she taught them how to sew.” Adding, “[It was] a lot of skill development, customer service, [and] they were looking at marketing.
“[Then] they had to make logos and they had to design their table for the market. So, quite a bit of work and skill development, I would say, in that process.”
“It looks like it’s going to continue this year as well,” said Goulet. “I’m hoping that it’s going to continue over the years. I think it’s an opportunity that a lot of kids don’t get.”
