John Abbott College, in partnership with West Island Community Shares, officially launched the first Social Entrepreneurship Competition on Friday.
Students at John Abbott got to partake in an open panel discussion with four local social entrepreneurs that have done work with the Montreal community.
Teams of students from several cegeps, including Vanier, Cégep Gérald Godin and John Abbott, will compete against each other by providing ideas and projects to foster social change in Montreal.
John Abbott’s Sandbox coordinator Mary Rupnik said the two-hour event allowed students to rub shoulders with successful business owners and even Quebec Member of the National Assembly Geoffrey Kelley, who was also in attendance.
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“It starts with a spark, and that is what we are trying to foster with this competition,” Rupnik said.
West Island Community Shares director Leanne Bayer says the event hopes to steer young people into socially engaging activities, but also to harness entrepreneurial skills “not just to make money, but to also give back to the community and have an impact for positive change.”
With coaching from PME Montreal, students from the three schools will have to pitch their community-based business ventures in the fall.
The winners of the competition will receive $3,000 to put towards their nominated project idea.
The final powerpoint pitch presentations will be due on October 9.
Students can sign up to register for the competition here.
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