NEUSTADT: Saugeen Connects, a partnership between Saugeen Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and seven municipalities; Arran-Elderslie, Brockton, Hanover, Minto, Wellington North, West Grey, and South Bruce, are promoting youth starting their own business this summer with the Saugeen Student Start-Up Program (SSUP). This is the program’s third year running and has helped over 147 students gain entrepreneurial experience by providing start-up funding and valuable training opportunities to try entrepreneurship.

This summer, 47 students have started various businesses, including baked goods, hand-made merchandise, lawn care, clothing apparel, babysitting, concession stands, teaching English, soil sampling, and various other creative entrepreneurial businesses. The Saugeen Student Start-Up Program (SSUP) is offered to students in the Saugeen Region who are in Grades 6-12.

SSUP is presenting local youth entrepreneurs a virtual welcome presentation by keynote speaker Alfonso Cuadra, as well as online workshop training, start-up funding, a meet-and-greet with sponsors, and an opportunity to earn bonus cash through active participation in SSUP initiatives. The Student Start-Up Program is made possible thanks to member municipalities acquiring private-sector funding, and this year Saugeen Connects has raised a total of $25,500 to go towards funding these student businesses. 

Look for the Saugeen SSUP participants as they participate in the student vendor markets organized by the Durham 150 Homecoming on July 2nd, 2022 & the Hanover Raceway on August 6th, 2022. 

 In total;

• Three students are from South Bruce; Joel Ireland, Tyson Ireland, and Felicity Dobson. 
• Eleven students are from Hanover; Mackenzie Peckham, Evie Kingston, Lucas Kroeplin, Ainslie Salvatore, Linda Cotter, Ashley Lantz, and Neptune Scoops at Launch Pad– Daphne Mannerow, Jeremie Masse, Jorja Lardy, Chantal Whelming, and Dylan Vincente. 
• Twelve students from Minto; Finly Chris Diemert, Samantha Cray, Reid Smith, Rylan Dowler, Emmett Bowman, Carly Voisin, Abdulrahman Almohamad, Graham Blahut, Lachlan Weppler, Brynleigh Weber, Carter Shannon and Maddison Hallman. 
• West Grey has five students join this year; Ryleigh Grubb, Sebastian Watt, Mitchell Galbraith, Zasha Ortman, and Peyton Grubb. 
• Wellington North has six students this year from their area; Mya Rowley, Jacob Rowley, Isabella Clemmer, Noah Seddon, Jacob Seddon, and Reuben Seddon.
• Seven students are from Brockton; Domenic Valeriote, Connor Lundy, Leah Bruder, Breanna Schmidt, Ava Emke, Kyle Graul, and Eva Sutton. 
• This year Saugeen Connects also had four students from other areas in the Saugeen Region admitted to the program; Charli Marshall, Emily Borth, Jayden Rahn, and Mallory Luxton.

SEDC and seven municipalities; Brockton, Hanover, Minto, Wellington North, West Grey, Arran-Elderslie, and South Bruce, banded together in a partnership to create a project called “Saugeen Connects”. The mission is to collaborate and 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.

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