PRESS RELEASE
Black Business Association of BC partners with PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs to unleash the imagination of the youth.
The Black Business Association of BC (BBABC) launches its partnership with PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs to bring the entrepreneurial mindset to children ages 9-12.
VANCOUVER, January 25, 2022 – The Black Business Association of BC, a non-profit organization, leverages funding received through the Government of Canada’s Black Entrepreneurship National Ecosystem Fund to curate an entrepreneurial program designed by Powerplay Young Entrepreneurs. This 5-week program is designed to promote creativity and engagement through entrepreneurship, while building practical life skills that can be transferred to all areas of life.
This initiative offers an exciting real-world program that empowers young people to create their own authentic business ventures. The young entrepreneurs will participate in a series of interactive workshops and have access to an online learning platform. They will also have the chance to learn from, be inspired by and connect with mentors as they move through the business planning steps. At the end, the young entrepreneurs will showcase their achievements in a dynamic community event.
“Empowering young Black Canadians to become the next generation of innovators will help drive economic diversity and build a better, more inclusive Canada,” said the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development. “Congratulations to the Black Business Association of BC for launching this program to help address barriers, build confidence, and foster the dreams of young entrepreneurs in BC.”
“I am thrilled that the Black Business Association of BC and PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs have partnered to make entrepreneurship more accessible to young black Canadians in Surrey-Newton and across BC,” said Sukh Dhaliwal, MP for Surrey-Newton. “I look forward to hearing more about how this program is igniting new ideas and learning more about how we can help the next generation of Black business owners succeed.”
“Students today need to be flexible, adaptable and resilient. With this project, students take charge of their learning, treat mistakes as learning opportunities and use their critical thinking skills to solve problems that may arise along the way,” says Bill Roche, Co-Founder and Executive Director of PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs. “These tools will help them be more successful in school and in the future, regardless of what career path they choose.”
“The global issues of today and the future demands that we prepare our children to lead. Entrepreneurial skills and mindset are transferable life skills that will set the foundation for our kids to mobilize as global citizens,” says Nerissa Allen, President of the BBABC.
About the Black Business Association of BC
Co-Founded by Nerissa Allen and Clavia Alleyne, the BBABC provides tangible operational support to Black entrepreneurs and small businesses. Programs designed to engage and inspire new interest in entrepreneurship. As we emerge from the pandemic it is imperative, we continue to look for ways to support the business community through skills development, increased market access, and sustainability practices.
About PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs
In 2017, Charles Chang and Bill Roche co-founded this registered charity to help young Canadians develop the entrepreneurial mindset, skills and relationships needed to thrive in our rapidly changing world. PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs is Canada’s largest teacher-facilitated entrepreneurial education program, having already reached over 85,000 students. Students explore their passions, talents and interests as they plan and implement their own business ventures.
