Grassroots entrepreneurship project expands
Inspire Nunavut helps youth diversify community economies
Beth Brown
Northern News Services
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
IGLULIK
Nunavut is getting a new group of entrepreneurs.
Angela Amarualik works on a business model canvas during Inspire Nunavut entrepreneurship training in Iglulik. - photo courtesy of Inspire Nunavut
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Inspire Nunavut, a youth empowerment and community development project, began an expansion this month to Iglulik, Arviat and Baker Lake.
The program, which began last year as a pilot project in Iqaluit and Pond Inlet, will also expand to select Kitikmeot communities in June.
Curriculum for the seven-month program combines traditional best practices of small business development with tactics of social entrepreneurship. As a Nunavut-specific model, it also incorporates Inuit culture and values through the principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
"Our vision is to have local businesses established. It will be awesome to the community as a whole and (youth) can become role models to the community. It's a really unique, if not a once-in-a-lifetime, opportunity," said Richard Amarualik, who is one of two new program coordinators for the community of Iglulik.
Students spend the first eight weeks of the program learning to build a business model and creating a trial product to practice these skills in a risk-free setting.
In Iglulik, students were setting up online stores as part of a Shopify challenge. One group began beading necklaces while another was putting logos on baby clothes and another was designing Inuit-themed iPhone cases.
The students also benefited from presentations and pointers by community entrepreneurs.
"(We're learning) the basics of running our own business, the business model canvas, and business logistics," said Carolyn Tapardjuk, 24.
"I like the local entrepreneurs coming in because by hearing different entrepreneurs I understand business models more."
Her group is designing t-shirts with an inuksuk logo that is printed in a sealskin pattern.
The group is starting with a sample size of 15 to 20 t-shirts, to stay within their budget of $300. Once the business kicks off, they will be looking to order four different renditions of the logo, with hoodies as well.
She said the first challenge was coming up with an idea for their business, which students did by identifying trends in a brainstorming and Google search session. She said a hill in the hamlet, known as Inuksuk Hill, is a landmark for the community and a common place for visitors to go, so they chose that theme.
Business projects within the Inspire program must have elements of social development or environmental aid, with an end game of creating more independent and resilient communities.
"This is a very unique program and I think it is a very good opportunity for Nunavut youth, I'm so glad it went really well in the pilot project communities, and that it is starting to expand," said Amarualik.
According to Inspire founder and president Ajmal Sataar, the expansion is on track.
"We had over 100 applicants across the three communities," said Sataar.
He said any kinks have been worked out, and youth feedback has been that they feel very lucky to have such an opportunity in their communities.
"The main thing is, the young people have energy, they're very bright, but they don't feel they have a way to express it or utilize it in a way that is positive and productive," said Sataar.
"We'd like youth to create a foundation for entrepreneurship and economic development at a grassroots level, so they can create economic activity rather than wait for it to be created by big business or government."
