BACEL ‘Street Entrepreneurs’ Program is a national project-based learning program that aligns Black youth with entry-level entrepreneurial skills.

The Program is funded by the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) and utilizes popular culture as a catalyst for youth engagement and to discover entrepreneurial paths that align with their interests, personality traits, and skill sets. This program will foster positive social behaviours as youth become ready to develop personal entrepreneurial goals and hone transferable skills, as they reach their potential.

Street Entrepreneurs’ Objectives

• To provide the tools for the Black community to be better prepared socioeconomically, with a focus on applying social skills and enhancing their financial and business literacy
• To ensure that the Black community has a greater sense of how to sustain a routine that will allow them to build wealth, while also maintaining a healthy trajectory of personal development.
• To increase understanding between the affiliation of how life skills can increase and support financial well-being
• Offer opportunities to enhance character development and leadership skills in personal and professional scenarios.
• Engaging participants in interactive learning and capacity building
• Providing participants with practical transferable life and professional skill sets that will render them competitive on the open marketplace and in any number of industries and personal interests.
• Completing a project with tangible results, such as personal portfolios that will continue to inspire further achievement.

The Street Entrepreneurs delivery method consists of online classes, interactive dialogue, role play, video, breakout sessions, guest speakers, team exercises, portfolio documentation, and presentations.

Summary of Activities

• Conduct recruitment of 50 Black youth across Canada
• Deliver 16-weeks of experiential learning sessions focusing on professional, entrepreneurial, and life skills
• Provide individual coaching and case management
• Connect Black youth to additional supports and pathways to entrepreneurship
• Conduct community building sessions to foster prosocial youth engagement
• Develop final projects with Black youth cohorts
• Present final projects in national showcases