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 The Deh Cho Business Development Centre has received a national award for best community initiative in the NWT. On hand to accept the award at a Pan Canadian Network of Community Business Development Centres and Community Futures ceremony in St. John's, Nfld., last week were Ruby Jumbo, a board member from Trout Lake, and John Hazenberg, right, chair of the board. At left is Andy Mitchell, Secretary of State for Rural Development. - photo courtesy of Community Futures |
The Deh Cho Business Development Centre's creation of a youth development officer (YDO) position earned the board an award last week. The initiative assisted more than 100 young people through events such as an "Art and Professional Practices" series of workshops and an NWT youth business conference.
Through the YDO position, held by Tonya Makletzoff, $173,000 was secured through other departments, agencies and private sources to fund seven initiatives in total.
The YDO's purpose was to help address youth unemployment in the region and provide insight into customer service and business planning.
"We hope the initiative highlights the need for and the importance of youth development officers and business initiatives for youth throughout the territory," said Todd Noseworthy, general manager for the Deh Cho BDC.
It is one of seven community-based centres in the NWT, which provide financial and business counselling assistance to small and medium-sized businesses. From April 2001 to March 2002, these boards approved 112 loans totalling over $2.6 million, assisting in the creation and maintenance of an estimated 449 full-time jobs in the NWT.
