LIVERPOOL - Junior Achievement Nova Scotia is looking for volunteers to help out with its company program in Liverpool.
The free, hands-on program is set to begin at Liverpool Regional High School from 6-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 17. Students from Grade 9 to 12 and volunteers participate for approximately 18 weeks, with the program wrapping up in mid March.
“A lot of the volunteers will work a number of years with the students, so you really get to see them grow up and expand their skills and knowledge and confidence and all of those types of things,” said Brenda Kenney, director of programs for Junior Achievement Nova Scotia.
Kenney said the organization is looking for volunteers who have some sort of business background.
“It could be an entrepreneur, it could be somebody in the banking industry or the financial industry, it could be some somebody that has experience in production,” Kenney said.
She added each volunteer would bring her or his strengths to the program. But there also needs to be at least 80 per cent commitment on the volunteer’s part.
About Junior Achievement
“They’re going to do the full life cycle of a business,” said Kenney about what students will learn during the program.
The first phase will involve developing an idea. Next, students will be responsible for determining how to make a product, and then they’ll have to make it.
“Some of them decide to do a service and that’s OK as well,” said Kenney.
The company has to come up with its executive, so students will choose the president, vice-president of finance and vice-president of human resources, for example.
Participants will open a bank account and create a business plan as well, said Kenney.
“They’ll go through the process then of marketing and producing their product, actually selling it, and then at the end of the 18 weeks, they’ll go through a liquidation phase and get ready to close their company,” she said.
In addition to the once-a-week commitment, students also take part in a few other events. One is an event called Pitch It, which is kind of like the CBC television show Dragon’s Den, explained Kenney.
Junior Achievement has been running its program in Liverpool on and off for about 25 years. One year, a Junior Achievement company in Liverpool did concrete flowerpots. Another group created beanies made out of fleece. There was also a group that made candleholders from birch trees.
Students who take part in the program for three years earn a business environment credit from the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC). Other benefits of being involved with the program include scholarship opportunities and networking, Kenney said.
“We’re excited to get it started again,” she said. “Liverpool’s always had a very strong company.”
Students can come out to try the program for a few weeks before making a full commitment.
Anyone interested in volunteering with Junior Achievement can contact Brenda Kenney at 902-691-2233.
Go online: For more information about Junior Achievement Nova Scotia, visit http://www.janovascotia.ca/.
