Helping unemployed young people create new businesses and new jobs is the focus of a new government program being administered in the Prince George area by Community Futures Fraser Fort George (CFFFG).
The Youth Skills BC - Entrepreneurship Pilot Program, announced Tuesday, will provide as many as 25 young people, ages 15 to 29, with grants of up to $5,000 each.
CFFFG is looking for candidates who have a sound business concept and are looking for help to developing the concept into a formal business plan.
"Youth are our entrepreneurs of tomorrow," said CFFFG general manager Susan Stearns. "We need to do everything we can to support their education, training and development in this field of expertise.
"Without focusing on this type of development we will begin to see a decline in locally owned businesses within the next five to 10 years, as an increasing number of business owners are looking to retire."
Community Futures has been awarded $207,458 to administer the local project, which is part of a larger, $1.65-million pilot program introduced by the B.C. government and funded through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement.
Pilot project funding is also going to groups in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna. For more information, visit www.cfdc.bc.ca.
