Business advising and youth Summer Company program for Prescott-Russell

In addition to a number of services and loan programs for small businesses - highlighted last week in The Review - the Prescott-Russell Community Development Corporation is also partnered with a regional entrepreneurship centre to offer local citizens a free business advising service.

Yvon Pepin, of the Prescott-Russell Entrepreneurship Centre in Rockland, said he both welcomes advice seekers into his office or travels anywhere in the region to meet them.

A business advisor by trade, Pepin said his services are available for free as part of Ontario-wide funding for rural regions. "My goal is to help people take their ideas and put them on paper," he said last week, "as well as giving them contacts."

People from "any stage" in the entrepreneurial process are invited, he noted.

"Whether they are at the idea stage, or have a business plan and don't know where to turn - or find themselves needing a loan - I'll give them the resources to make one and follow them through the process."

"I won't write the plan for them but I will follow them through it, and give them an outside-the-box kind of view," added Pepin. "For example, I won't say they have a good idea but rather, will let them discover it for themselves."

A good portion of the advisor's work is dealing with entrepreneurial youth, he said, to prepare them for the provincial "Summer Company" program.

Available to those aged 15 to 29 and planning to return to studies in September, but interested in running a summer business, the program offers a $3,000 grant to cover start-up costs - with the first half available immediately.

"Last year we had four young people apply," said Pepin. "The program gives these people experience, it really promotes the entrepreneurship spirit, and gives them an idea of what it's like to be one."

"Some people can become entrepreneurs for the rest of their lives."

One youth ran the Cowabunga summer camp in Casselman for students aged five to 12, and managed to hire four employees. "It was a great success and he's actually going to continue on with it this summer."

Another success story in Bourget involved a young craftsman who made patio furniture out of wood; running his summer business gave him "great experience and great contacts."

The program also provides each youth with a mentor, usually "businesspeople that give their own time to help these kids throughout the summer, and give them an idea of what the real world is like," said Pepin.

Those interested can visit www.ontario.ca/summercompany to read more about the program. The next round of applications should be announced shortly.

"The program is open to anyone that wants to apply, and it's a great alternative to working for minimum wage in a store," noted Pepin, adding, "It gives students a chance to get that experience - in sales, marketing, critical thinking, to do it all - and gives them the advantage to go out from college or university and have that on their résumé."