(TORONTO) May 14 2021 – The Enactus student team at Saint Mary’s University have created Options Youth – an employment subsidy program in partnership with Service Canada and Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre. They have also created Options Online – an online platform for youth to learn the skills necessary to make a successful transition into the labour market.
The Saint Mary’s University Enactus team has been named 2021 CWB Financial Education Challenge National Champion by Canada’s largest experiential learning platform, Enactus Canada, and program supporter Canadian Western Bank (CWB).
“Financial literacy is fundamental to sustaining a financially–stable life.” said Nicole Almond, President of Enactus Canada. “With the CWB Financial Education Challenge, Enactus students are able to tackle an issue that many Canadians are not aware of. Their ability to educate people on such an overlooked issue is crucial for Canadians and our economy.”
Through these initiatives, the Enactus team at Saint Mary’s University has helped increase participant’s income by over $29,000 and has generated over $14,000 towards local businesses during COVID-19.
“Canadian Western Bank is proud to support Enactus students as they strive to improve financial literacy within and outside of their communities,” said Jeff Wright, a senior vice president at Canadian Western Bank. “We believe all Canadians should have the opportunity to achieve financial empowerment and the work Enactus students are doing to help drive that is both innovative and thoughtful. They are making impacts on a diverse group of people, building financial literacy throughout the country, which will in turn strengthen our economy.”
The CWB Financial Education Challenge empowers Enactus teams to identify, create and deliver projects that address the specific and unique financial education needs and opportunities in their communities. Over the past two years, this challenge has engaged 1,715 students across the country, resulting in 180 financial education outreach projects, and directly impacting the financial futures of 23,265 people.
Student teams demonstrated the impact of their financial education projects to panels of business executives as part of the Enactus Canada National Exposition.
The Enactus Canada National Exposition unites 1,500 delegates including the country’s brightest university and college students, academic professionals and top Canadian CEOs to enable progress by supporting entrepreneurial action through competition, recognition and education.
For competition updates, visit nationals.enactus.ca. All competition results will also be published on enactus.ca/events/national-exposition following the event.
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ABOUT ENACTUS CANADA: Enactus Canada, a national charity and the country’s largest post-secondary experiential learning platform, is shaping entrepreneurial leaders who are passionate about advancing the economic, social and environmental health of Canada. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, more than 3,000 post-secondary students led 275 community empowerment projects and business ventures last year in communities coast to coast, directly impacting over 39,000 lives.
As a global network of 35 countries, Enactus uses the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. For more information, visit enactus.ca.
ABOUT CWB FINANCIAL GROUP: CWB Financial Group is a diversified financial services organization providing proactive business and personal banking, trust and wealth management across Canada. Headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, we’ve offered customized financial solutions for over 35 years and operate with a clear focus on meeting the unique financial needs of business owners. We’re obsessed with providing the right banking, lending and investment solutions for our clients – by asking the right questions, sharing our industry and financial services expertise, and genuinely believing that great relationships get results. Learn more at www.cwb.com.
Media Inquiries:
Gaston
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Enactus Canada
gaston@enactus.ca | 647.867.6357
Marcus Miller
Manager, External Communications
Canadian Western Bank
Marcus.Miller@cwbank.com
780. 508.8289