Programs and courses on kids entrepreneurship help children to learn about planning and goal setting and master skills such as time and cash management and communication.
Entrepreneurship Skills
Skills that aid career development and effective business planning include networking, communication, problem solving, and ability to cope with burnouts and stressful situations. Skills that children can master are innovative thinking, problem solving, ability to handle challenges, curiosity, and confidence and self-esteem.
Programs in Canada
Entrepreneurship Adventure
Offered in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Alberta, and Ontario, this program by the Learning Partnership focuses on key skills such as collaboration, problem solving, and critical thinking. Students learn about basic components that make for a good business plan, including relevant laws and regulations, financing, promotional activities and marketing, demand, and more. Advisors and teachers help participants to open a business and master important skills such as team building, business planning, and marketing. The program is open to children and youth from kindergarten to grade 12.
Summer Company
Run by the government of Ontario, Summer Company targets postsecondary and high school students who wish to start a summer business. The program is open to youth aged 15 – 29, and participants benefit from mentorship, advice, and financing of up to $3,000. Only Canadian citizens who live in Ontario are eligible to participate provided that they are enrolled in a university or college or go to high school. Any type of enterprise qualifies, whether a corporation or sole proprietorship, if based and operating in Ontario. Applicants who are accepted in the program are asked to submit licensing requirements, sign an agreement, and prove they have a bank account.
Explorer Hop
Helping women and children to build financial literacy skills, Explorer Hop offers a number of programs, including e-Camp Millionaire, e-Teen Entrepreneurs, and the Art of Storytelling. E-Teen Entrepreneurs, for example, targets children in grades 6 – 9 and teaches them how to open and market a business and raise funds for charitable organizations. E-Camp Millionaire is another program for children in grades 6 – 11, helping them to learn about money, investments, and budgeting.
DECA
Offered by extraurricular clubs, DECA offers students the opportunity to take part in activities such as international, provincial, and regional competitions, business role playing, leadership building, and more. The non-for-profit has more than 15,000 members, 317 chapters, and over 800 advisors. Members can join various events such as the Summer Leadership Conference, Fall Symposium, and Power Conference. The goal is to gain knowledge and skills and become a successful entrepreneur in management, hospitality, finance, and marketing. Partners of DECA include Brock University, CPA Ontario, the Vector Marketing Corporation, and many others.
Shad Valley
A program with a focus on entrepreneurship, engineering technology, and science, Shad Valley is open to students in grades 10 – 12. Students from all territories and provinces are eligible to apply and are offered financial assistance. Application criteria include factors such as academic performance, participation in extracurricular activities, commitment to excellence, and innovation and creativity. International students from different countries completed the program, including the U.K., United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Hong Kong, and the U.S. International admission fees apply. Participating universities that offer the program include the University of Calgary, University of New Brunswick, and Mount Allison University.