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Business Camp for Kids -- [View All Articles]
Over the course of the summer months, parents of tweens and teens will hear two questions frequently from their children. Can I have some money? I'm bored. What can I do? Youth First of Washington County is here to provide an answer to both of these questions that challenge the minds of our youth and parents.
Youth First of Washington County is coordinating a week long summer camp, EntrepreneurShip Investigation(ESI). ESI Camp will be held the week of June 21 – 25 from 9am to 3pm each day at the Community Learning Center in Salem. Lunch and a light breakfast will be provided. Campers must be in the 6th through 9th grade during the 2010-2011 school year to be eligible.
Small towns across the Midwest are plagued by the out migration of youth as they graduate and leave for college – often never to return. The "brain drain" as it is often referred to decreases the pool of qualified candidates when employers are in search of new employees. As new employers struggle to find qualified employees to grow and further their business, they will look elsewhere to start their business or close their doors entirely. Youth First hopes that the campers experience in ESI will open their eyes to the employment and career opportunities right here in Washington County.
The ESI Camp gives youth the opportunity to explore starting their own business. Through the camp students will investigate their interests and talents to see if they can connect them with a service or product they could provide to our community. Once the students have identified their business concept, camp facilitator, Beth Armstrong, will guide them through the steps of starting their own business. Campers will learn how to identify their target audience, create a marketing plan, build a budget and practice good customer service.
Campers will also have the opportunity to make money through ESI. When a business owner requests a loan from a bank to start or expand their business they are asked to make a down payment. The campers will have the opportunity to do the same. There is no registration fee for the camp but campers are encouraged to make a deposit towards the start of their business. For each $1 a camper commits to their business on the first day, Youth First will match that dollar up to $75. If a student commits $20, they will have $40 to start their business. If a camper commits $75, they will have a $150 to start their business.
Youth First Coordinator Beth Armstrong states, "The ESI camp is an opportunity for youth to exercise some of the 40 developmental assets like decision making, youth as resources, personal power and responsibility but the value doesn't stop there. ESI is also the opportunity to begin planting seeds in our next generation of business owners, employers and leaders in our community."
Registration is limited to the first 15 youth and is due by Monday, June 16th. To register, contact Beth Armstrong at 883-5565 or beth.amrstrong@wccf.biz. Youth First is also looking for adults with business experience to volunteer to serve as mentors for the camp. Questions can be referred to Beth Armstrong.
ESI Camp is made possible by a grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs as well as the continued support of Youth First by the Washington County Community Foundation.
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