Young entrepreneurs in Scarborough are being given a helping hand as the federal government announced a large sum of money will be given to a locally run job training and employment program.
It was announced Tuesday, Feb. 17, that The Shouters Youth Entrepreneurship Program will be receiving $198,951 to spend on training, financial support and providing equipment for eight youths from Scarborough that are interested in running their own business.
"In today's environment, it is more important than ever that youth develop the skills that will enable them to participate and succeed in the job market," said Senator Consiglio Di Nino on behalf of Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, Diane Finley.
"This project will allow young Canadians facing barriers in entering the work force to gain the skills, knowledge and work experience needed to become entrepreneurs."
The money will come through the federal government's Skills Link Program and will be given to the Shouters Youth Entrepreneurship program which is a non-profit organization that has been helping aspiring young businesspeople since it's conception in 2002.
Through a 44-week program, at-risk youth are trained on the basics of how to set up a business and run it professionally. They are paid during their education so they can focus all their time on building their idea and at the end of the program they incorporate and take full ownership of their business.
The driving force behind the program is it's founder, Archbishop Dr. Deloris Seiveright. She started the program after running mentorship programs that she felt just didn't do enough to help youth she worked with.
"They still weren't doing anything after the mentorship, so I decided to start a longer program," said Seiveright. "This is my vision, it's my passion and it's my dream."
Her organization has helped almost 60 young entrepreneurs since its opening and with this new funding she is going to be able to ensure top quality service to her eight new students.
The new recruits are all from Scarborough and even though the organization is associated with the Shouters National Evangelical Spiritual Baptist Faith International Centre of Canada, people from all faiths and backgrounds are welcome to apply.
"Nobody from the program belongs to the church, it's all for the public," said Seiveright.
"It's all to do with community and that is the beauty of it."
Success stories from the program now own a diverse variety of businesses across Scarborough including publishers, clothing stores, daycare centres and many others.
Recent Shouters graduate Jeremy Gordon, 27, heard about the program through a friend and is now the proud owner of his own musical production company, East.Boro Productions.
"Before, I was working side jobs here and there, just trying to find some income to start my business," said Gordon. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without the program."
Though still a work in progress, Gordon has been able to take the opportunity given to him and run with it. He is actively expanding his clientele and as East.Boro Productions has grown, it has been able to provide jobs for several of Gordon's friends that were looking for work.
In an area where Gordon said there is, "really not that much for youth to do," he hopes that government money will be able to provide even more people with the experiences and learning he had.
"A lot of kids aren't in school and they aren't working so they are amounting to nothing," said Gordon. "There should be more of these programs so that kids can get away from crime and these jobs where you don't really get anywhere in."