Applications open for Grade 11 & 12 youth entrepreneurship program

Applications are now open for students to apply to this year’s Young Entrepreneur Leadership Launchpad (YELL) program. This business-oriented program is targeted to students entering Grades 11 and 12 and helps to foster future entrepreneurs and teach students about the business world.

The program is held in partnership with YELL Canada, a national charity that partners with schools to create opportunities traditionally not available to youth. The program focuses on teaching students about developing and evaluating business models, creating networks of contacts and developing and pitching business concepts to potential stakeholders. 

Informed by university entrepreneurship programs, as well as best practices from industry, YELL connects students with guest speakers and local business leaders. Students will also be put into teams that are then matched up with a mentor to help them develop and expand upon their business idea. The program will culminate with student teams from across Canada coming together to take part in a national venture competition.

Former Surrey student Aaron Anandji, an alumnus from the 2019-2020 YELL cohort, credits YELL with providing him the tools needed to get to where he is today.

“The YELL program gave me the confidence booster and career direction I needed at the time,” he said. “The program helped to kickstart my passion for entrepreneurship and venture capital and lead me to studying at McGill University, working for a startup and writing for (startup and tech news site) BetaKit.”

According to YELL Canada, over 84 per cent of students who have taken YELL have made one or more connections with a mentor or leader with whom they plan to stay in touch, while 81 per cent say they are more confident in finding or creating a career that aligns with their purpose and passion.

YELL will run from Sept. 20, 2023 to May 22, 2024 and will take place from 4-8pm every Wednesday at Queen Elizabeth Continuing Education at 9457 King George Boulevard.

Deadline to register is Sept. 14, 2023. To learn more or register, click here.

To learn more about YELL Canada, go to www.yellcanada.org