Anishinabe Atisokaywin is the first organization to take advantage of the province’s new Young Rural Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Initiative (YRAEI), Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced today. The organization is using provincial funding to host a conference focusing on self-empowerment, and economic and social development opportunities.

 

The minister noted YRAEI is part of the province’s Creating Opportunities initiative. This program focuses on Aboriginal people under the age of 40 living in rural and northern communities. The program can assist with the costs associated with a business startup and provide support to community organizations in covering the costs of entrepreneurial activities aimed at young, rural and northern Aboriginal people.

 

The provincial contribution will help to fund the cost of the keynote speaker, nationally recognized visionary and award-winning entrepreneur Chief Clarence Louie from the Osoyooos Band in British Columbia.

The one-day conference being held today at the Westman Centennial Auditorium in Brandon is titled A Day of Inspiration.  The program targets Aboriginal youth, 15 to 29 years of age, across the province and will include seminars and a trade show/career symposium with employment and educational displays.  Organizers hoped to attract 500 youth to the event from all 36 southern First Nations and rural communities in Manitoba.

“This first application for an Aboriginal youth event  will be an excellent opportunity for these young people to learn from inspiring role models and we are proud to partner with Anishinabe Atisokaywin to present this program,” said Wowchuk.  “The speakers chosen for this event have topics relevant to this audience and can prove the will to succeed is an empowering starting point in future careers and business.”