Surrey Board of Trade Supports PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs

One third of Surrey’s population is under the age of 19. As part of their commitment to boost youth entrepreneurship in our growing community, the Surrey Board of Trade recently launched a Youth Entrepreneurship and Advocacy Action Plan (YEAAP) providing targeted services and programming for Surrey’s young people. The Action Plan is carried out by the SBOT Youth Entrepreneur Team, comprised of local youth and business leaders and includes work experience, business events, business competitions and mentoring. One component of this plan is to give grades 4-8 students an exciting, hands-on opportunity to explore the world of business. 

At Boundary Park Elementary, 59 students have been having fun preparing to launch their own small business ventures this spring with innovative, project-based program PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs. Participating students develop business plans, conduct market research and make decisions about product design, advertising and pricing. They then showcase their achievements in a dynamic trade event called the Young Entrepreneur Show where they interact with customers and earn real money. They even donate a portion of their profits to charity. 

“An important part of our role as a proactive civic business organization is to inspire, support and prepare Surrey youth with the practical life skills that they will need to succeed in today’s fast-paced world,” says Anita Huberman, Surrey Board of Trade CEO. “Today’s elementary, secondary and post-secondary students are the city’s future professionals and business leaders. Regardless of the career path they choose, PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs helps them develop practical success skills.” 

Representatives from the Surrey Board of Trade have also been coaching the students with preparing their business plans. The volunteers report that they are very impressed with the ingenuity of the young entrepreneurs. Some of the creative products include hand-crafted jewelry, terrariums, bath products and fun toys. 

PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs aligns with BC’s new curriculum and helps teachers create a dynamic real-world learning experience for their students. “The young entrepreneurs each set their own individual goals for the project and take responsibility for achieving them,” commented Program Creator Bill Roche. “The students actively develop core competencies such as creative and critical thinking, communications and social responsibility as they move through the business planning process.”