Saugeen Connects take on record-breaking numbers for Saugeen Student Start-Up

WELLINGTON COUNTY – This is the fifth year running the Saugeen Student Start-Up Program with Saugeen Connects, and the program has now provided over 250 students with start-up funding and interactive training/workshops to try entrepreneurship over the summer months.

This summer, 51 students have started 47 various businesses, including: body scrubs, natural lip balm, traditional Chinese dumplings, homemade crepes, beeswax lunch pouches, freeze dried candy, horse treats and kit, and other creative entrepreneurial businesses.

The Saugeen Student Start-Up Program (SSUP) is offered to students in Grades 6 through 12.

The Student Start Up Program is made possible thanks to member municipalities and by acquiring private sector funding, and this year Saugeen Connects has raised a total of $24,450.

“Look for the Saugeen SSUP participants as they participate in your local farmers’ markets and at the student vendor markets,” officials state.

Wellington North has nine students this year; Carly Stevens, Hudson Breau, Gavin Levine, Reece Small, Henry Bolton, Jacob Rowley, Julia Baia, Livia Baia and Rylea Brace.

Minto has fifteen students; Abbygale Golley, Logan Foster, Briar Burnett, Blainne Enriques, Gariel Tshilongo, Abdulrahman Almohamad, Sydney Jacques, Marshall Hopf, Camilo Duran, Spirit Hamilton, Logan MacIntosh, Tovinia Stewart, Khaled al Hassan, Oakley Sharkey, and Elana Dilts.

Saugeen Economic Development Corporation and seven municipalities partner to create the Saugeen Connects project.

The mission is to positively impact area economic growth, support youth retention and development, support growth and retention of businesses, and integrate efforts to support workforce development and leverage immigrant attraction to the area as residents, workers, entrepreneurs, business owners, operators, and investors.

For more information and to connect with SSUP youth, visit saugeenconnects.com.