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Category: Youth Entrepreneurship

THE FNQLEDC MEETS STUDENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY OF MISTISSINI

Just under 450 kilometres northwest of Quebec City, Mistissini is a community with approximately 5,000 members. We were warmly welcomed, and we were very pleased to have the opportunity to discover their magnificent territory bordered by Lake Mistassini.

Myriam began her training by conveying different concepts of entrepreneurship with a particular emphasis on the business plan. This training was provided in the premises of the Sabtuan Regional Vocational Training Centre (SRVTC) to about ten construction students. We discovered an institution that is close to its students both culturally and humanly. The atmosphere is jovial and mutual support between staff and students is very present.

Their teacher, Marc-Yvan Ravary, has been teaching in Mistissini since 2019. His program focuses on woodworking, carpentry, and construction company management. He explained that this program gives access to an RBQ license without having to pass the exams. In 2021, as part of their courses, they built two houses and a garage on the school premises. The students most invested in the project had a chance to win one of the three constructions, which is obviously a great source of motivation for a student! The winners decided to sell their prizes to people in the village. Seeing a house that they built as part of their studies in the community can be very rewarding for the students. This is a tangible example demonstrating the relevance of going to school and the concrete results it can yield.

The school combines incredible educational opportunities with an enriching student experience. They offer practical training for real jobs in Eeyou Istchee. Vocational training programs build the futures of workers as they are practical and focus on the skills students need to get a great job. In addition, all programs are accredited, which means that students obtain a professional degree and are prepared to face any challenge that awaits them in the job market.

Training

During the two days of training, our Youth Entrepreneurship Advisor, Myriam Vallières, provided all the tools necessary to design a business plan while ensuring that it is designed professionally.

Here is an overview of the many topics covered during the training: FNQLEDC training, given by Myriam Vallière, youth entrepreneurship advisor

– The business plan: essential elements

– The essentials of financial forecasts

– Overview and familiarization with the software

– Exploration of financing possibilities

– Finance 101: Financial forecasting

Youth entrepreneurship

The FNQLEDC offers personalized services and support to entrepreneurs for all stages of creating, expanding or transferring a business. All services are offered free of charge.

We are happy to have met with future young Cree entrepreneurs. Since we were able to feel their enthusiasm and see the energy they dedicate to their studies, we believe that they will be able to successfully carry out their entrepreneurial projects. We like to think that we will see the community of Mistissini flourish with its new businesses that promise a certain future.

If you are an Indigenous institution interested in receiving training from our Advisors, please contact us at info@cdepnql.org.

You will be able to discover the different businesses of the students who received the training in Mistissini on the website of our Indigenous Business Directory.

To peruse other business portraits, please visit our blog.

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In 2023, the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Economic Development Commission (FNQLEDC) awarded eleven (11) Nikanewin Bursaries of $2,500 in addition to one $5,000 Bursary. These grants were awarded specifically to First Nations people aged 18 and over living in Quebec (inside or outside the communities) who have a business project in mind and want to take action. Today, we present to you one of the recipients of the 2023 edition, Ms. Lily Duchesneau, and her Hutte de médecine étoilée (starry medicine hut) project.

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