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Mentors for Young Entrepreneurs

Non-Governmental Organizations

Last Verified: 2007-10-29

To qualify for the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) program and financing, you must also participate in their mentoring program, including the online portion "Meant2BTM".

Eligibility Criteria

  • Between 18-34 years old
  • Eligible to work in Canada
  • Produces a complete and viable business plan
  • Has been in business, fully operating, for less than 12 months
  • Lives or opens the business in the community which is offering the CYBF program
  • Has some training/experience related to their business idea
  • Work with mentor for a period of two years
  • Has a business that creates full-time sustainable employment for the applicant
  • Must hold at least 51% voting share in the business (if a partnership)
  • Not a full-time student
  • Loan proceeds may NOT be used for the refinancing of existing debt

Eligible Activities

Business start-up.

Summary

To help your business succeed, CYBF ensures that you are matched with a qualified mentor for a minimum of 2 years during the critical start-up period. CYBF’s program revolves around three guiding principles:

  • relational matching,
  • foundation building, and
  • ongoing support for both entrepreneurs and mentors, aimed at maintaining a successful mentoring relationship which will ultimately increase success rate of the young entrepreneur’s business.

Benefits

  • You, as a young entrepreneur, benefit from business advice and guidance that is often too expensive to access during the early years of a start-up.
  • Mentors pass on years of business knowledge and experience to you, which helps to prevent common pitfalls.
  • Allows for you to gain hands-on experience with performance evaluation.

New Brunswick Contact(s):
See National Contact.


National Contact(s):
Canadian Youth Business Foundation
Suite 1410
100 Adelaide Street West
Toronto, Ontario  M5H 1S3
Fax: 1-877-408-3234
Toll-free (information): 1-800-464-2923
Web site: http://cybf.ca/contact-us/