Government Of Saskatchewan Partners With Junior Achievement Canada And Martin Family Initiative To Support Youth Professional Development

Released on December 2, 2021

The Ministry of Education is pleased to support two not-for-profit organizations that promote youth financial literacy, entrepreneurship and career development opportunities.

Junior Achievement Canada (JAC) and the Martin Family Initiative (MFI) run programs that provide opportunities for students to learn about and develop skills in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, work readiness and career planning. The Martin Family's Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Program (AYEP) is specifically geared to First Nations, Métis and northern students in the province.

"Preparing students for the workforce through professional development should be a key priority for our education system," Education Minister Dustin Duncan said. "Thanks to both of these organizations, students can develop necessary skills that will lay the groundwork for a successful transition to their future career."

JAC delivers free-of-charge programs to elementary, middle and secondary schools in partnership with volunteers, businesses and educators. In 2020-21, JAC delivered 393 programs in 164 schools in 19 school divisions in Saskatchewan.

"I took the Junior Achievement Company Program in my Grade 12 Entrepreneurship 30 class and got to be the president of my own company," Greenall High School teacher Amy McFarlen said. "It was such a great experience, I knew I wanted to offer it to my students when I started teaching entrepreneurship 10 years ago. JA really encompasses every aspect of business, from marketing and sales to finance and human resources, environment and safety and corporate social responsibility."

In McFarlen's Entrepreneurship class this year, there are three student-run companies and through Junior Achievement those students have the opportunity to set up a booth at the Cornwall Centre in Regina to sell their products.

"I am so impressed with the Martin Family Initiative and their Entrepreneurship course," E. D. Feehan High School principal Krista Hayes said. " The students are learning so much about running a small business. The students' final projects are so creative, well organized and detailed. This is an excellent program for our students and we look forward to working with the Martin Family Initiative this school year."

This school year, the MFI will facilitate the Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Program in eight to 10 Saskatchewan schools, helping First Nations and Métis students recognize entrepreneurial opportunities, generate ideas and organize resources to plan successful ventures.

This fiscal year, the Ministry of Education is providing $183,000 to Junior Achievement Canada and $60,000 to the Martin Family Initiative.

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