Intense business training for Region’s youths

A project to build business interest among young CARICOM nationals makes its next stop in St. Lucia, October 13-17, 2014.

The “Creativity for Employment and Business Opportunity” (CEBO) project is being implemented by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat in collaboration with the Government of St. Lucia, with financial support from the CARICOM Spain Citizen Security Project.

CEBO is a tool to engage, inspire and create entrepreneurial interest and action among young CARICOM nationals in and out of school and from all walks of life. It addresses psychological and social development issues and makes the link between entrepreneurship, the dreams and aspirations of young people and regional integration.

This intense six day training programme is expected to to engage, motivate and inspire entrepreneurial interest and action among youth 16 to 30 years old.  It emphasizes creativity and teamwork and is delivered through hands-on, interactive youth friendly methodologies.  The participants set up and staff simulated companies, develop a basic business plan and create, market and sell products and services using seed money provided by the simulated Bank of CEBO.

At the end of the workshop companies prepare a profit and loss statement, analyse their mistakes and successes and share profits in accordance with criteria which they themselves develop.  The workshop therefore provides practical experience in addition to business training. Youths in several other parts of the region have already been exposed to the training.

The CARICOM/Spain initiative involves various projects across the CARICOM Region. Another project which is being implemented in St. Lucia as part of this collaboration is the reducing youth on youth violence project which started earlier this year with a consultation in the Babonneau community.