There is a new thrust to develop entrepreneurial interests in young people aged 15 – 19 through a summer camp dedicated to teaching them the principles and practical approaches to entrepreneurship.

The ‘Entrepreneurship Summer Camp for Teens and Tweens’ will begin this summer under the direction of Yaneek Page, managing director of Future Services International Ltd, Jamaica’s first legal funding and Enterprise Risk Management company. Page told Sunday Finance that the camp will train up to 50 youngsters on various issues surrounding entrepreneurial activities including what makes a great idea, how to prepare a simple business plan, practical financing options and how to get the venture off the ground, among other things. The camp will culminate in a competition and awards ceremony to celebrate excellence and highlight the best business idea or plan.

Page said the aim of the camp is to “encourage and ignite a passion for entrepreneurship among the young participants”.

“What makes this camp exciting is that the experience and resulting business plans may forever change the lives of the participants. They will learn from young entrepreneurs who have done it and are living it,” Page said.

The camp will last for three weeks and for a fee of $18,500 per participant, they will learn how to come up with an innovative business idea and transform it into a viable business plan. The main presenters are entrepreneurs. Already on board is writer and Business Lab entrepreneur Kimala Bennett, who recently launched her ‘Starting a Business in Jamaica’ manual’.

Page said the teens will also be guided by Bennett’s latest manual, “Starting a Business in Jamaica for Teens’, geared towards the group.

“We will provide them with appropriate information, tools, and resources for entrepreneurial success. We’ll demystify the major challenge for many people – how to come up with a great business idea,” said Page.

She proposes that the camp would be “life changing” for the participants.

“We will be reinforcing the reality that you can create wealth from entrepreneurship. You don’t need to be limited by the traditional careers of being a lawyer, doctor or accountant. We will also be focusing on character development and building confidence as these are essential for entrepreneurial success,” Page said.

She added that society can benefit economically and socially from the success of the initiative of having youngsters use their passion to create employment for themselves and others.

“We would like to start an entrepreneurial revolution in Jamaica, and we are focusing on youth,” she said.