From the Atlantic Region

Youth Ventures – Assisting Young Entrepreneurs

“Youth Ventures”, an innovative and highly successful program, is up and running once again this year.  It assists students across Newfoundland and Labrador aged 12 to 29 who are interested in starting their own business.  Through a team of 24 coordinators located across Newfoundland and Labrador, this program provides students with access to entrepreneurial assistance regardless of where they live. These coordinators provide assistance in coming up with a business idea (if needed), writing a business plan, developing appropriate marketing, and directing the ‘entrepreneur’ to appropriate sources of financing and mentoring.  Some of the businesses that were started through this program in the past now operate year round and even employ other students!

More information on this program can be found at www.youthventuresnl.com

Lisa Russell is the Seniors Arts Career Development Coordinator at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She is the Atlantic Regional Voices Representative.

From Quebec

“Learning by Doing” Pedagogy for Job Seekers

As explained on the Canadian Practice Firms Network website (www.rcee-cpfn.ca), “A practice firm is a realistic simulation of a business with all of its administrative functions. The commercial transactions, which are carried out with the other 3000 similar practice firms around the world, allow these firms to perfectly recreate all of the facets of local and international business. As a matter of fact, everything resembles reality except the actual production and exchange of money, which remain fictitious.”

The focus of a practice firm is to help job seekers develop their skills and to better understand business realities. The concept of practice firms was started in Germany more than 50 years ago, and rapidly extended to other European countries. The first practice firm in North America was started in Quebec City. Soon after, many other practice firms were created in other parts of the province and also in Ontario, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Even though there are practice firms in other regions, Quebec still counts close to 75% of the 40 practice firms of the Canadian Network. The majority of the workers in a practice firm are unemployed except for a couple of individuals responsible for the operation of the firm. The turnover rate in practice firms is very high because of the very successful participant placement rate of 80%. Here is an example of a rare situation where employee turnover is viewed in a positive light and is often seen as a goal in itself!

Nathalie Perreault is a career counsellor from Quebec. She graduated from Laval University where she now teaches one course in the “Sciences de l’orientation” bachelor program. She is also the Program and Content Manager for OrientAction.