Business is Jammin’ inspires young people to explore entrepreneurship and social enterprise through hands-on learning. While not every young person wants to start a business, our programs help them build an entrepreneurial mindset by encouraging initiative, creativity, and leadership in their communities and future workplaces. Through real-world experiences, youth discover new career paths and uncover strengths they may not have realized they had.
Youth 8-15 Years Old
Social Entrepreneurship Camp
Introducing students to viable career opportunities
Social Entrepreneurship Summer Camp
Program Period: One week during Summer
Purpose: To help youth learn how business can be used to create positive change in their communities.
Program Goal:To empower young people to identify community challenges and develop creative, socially responsible business ideas that promote equity and sustainability.
Participant Ages: 8-14 years old
How it Works: The Social Entrepreneurship Summer Camp allows participants to explore real local community issues and design entrepreneurial solutions with social impact. The program ends with a Youth Market where youth showcase and share their ideas with community members.
March Break Camp
Program period: One week during March Break
Purpose: To build confidence, creativity and presentation skills for Nova Scotia Youth through a business camp.
Program Goal: Focus on leadership and entrepreneurship through education and personal development in an energetic and interactive environment. Youth explore how their passions can be transformed into innovative business ideas.
Participant Ages: 8-14 years old
How it Works: Our March Break camp gives youth the opportunity to learn a variety of business skills, including financial literacy, pitching, brand development, and marketing. Participants engage in hands-on workshops led by real entrepreneurs and industry professionals, create a brand and product from scratch, and showcase their work at a youth market, interacting with real customers and keeping their profits.
Youth 16-20 Years Old
Role Models on the Road
Program period: September to June every school year
Purpose: The program promotes awareness of entrepreneurship while emphasizing the importance of education. BIJ’s outreach focuses on encouraging youth to value education and to see entrepreneurship as a viable and achievable career path.
Program Goal: To connect Black entrepreneurs from across Nova Scotia with youth through schools, community groups, and other youth-centered spaces.
Participant Ages: 12-18 years old
How it Works: Each panelist volunteers their time to share their career journey, discuss what their work involves, and offer guidance on staying in school, setting goals, and pursuing entrepreneurship. Sessons are held at various locations throughout Nova Scotia.
Experiences-In
Program period: One day during the school year
Purpose: Experiences In is a career-exploration program designed to introduce high school students to a range of career pathways.
Program Goal: Experiences In strives to introduce Black and racially visible youth to careers where they are underrepresented. The long-term goal of the program is to affect an increase in the participation of Black youth in these fields, resulting in a more diverse sector.
Participant Ages: 14-18 years old
How it Works:Through this day-long experience, students spend time with industry representatives and engage in hands-on learning alongside community partners, staff, and faculty. Participants explore career options through interactive activities, mini-lectures, conversations with partners and insights from industry leaders.
STEM Entrepreneurship Summer Bootcamp
Program period: One week during Summer
Purpose: To empower Black and African Nova Scotian high school students by combining science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) learning with entrepreneurship in a supportive and engaging environment.
Participant Ages: 14-18 years old
Program Goal: To help youth build confidence, leadership skills, and practical experience by showing how STEM interests can turn into real-world business ideas and future career paths.
How it Works: The STEM Entrepreneurship Summer Bootcamp is a hands-on, week-long program that blends STEM activities with entrepreneurship training. Participants work with mentors, develop leadership skills, and take part in experiential learning that is interactive, supportive, and fun. The week culminates in a Pitch Competition where participants have the opportunity to showcase their projects to a panel of judges.
Youth Leadership Summit
Program period: Bi-annual, one-day summit (in-person)
Purpose: To empower Black youth to explore leadership, entrepreneurship, and community engagement while building confidence, skills, and meaningful connections.
Program Goal: To provide high school students with hands-on leadership and entrepreneurial learning opportunities, exposure to community resources, and inspiration to pursue their personal, academic, and career goals.
Participant Ages: 14-18 years old
How it Works: The Youth Leadership Summit brings together Black high school students from across the region for a full day of interactive leadership and entrepreneurship development.
Participants engage in workshops, group activities, and skill-building sessions focused on topics such as leadership, business development, personal growth, and career exploration. The summit also provides opportunities for youth to connect directly with community organizations, mentors, and professionals who can support their future pathways.
Youth 21-35 Years Old
Networking Series
Program period: Ongoing (virtual and in-person sessions)
Purpose: To build community, connection, and collaboration among Black entrepreneurs, students, and community members across Atlantic Canada.
Program Goal: To support relationship-building, knowledge-sharing, and professional growth in a welcoming, culturally grounded space.
Participant Ages: 19-35 years old
How it Works: The Networking Series brings together young Black business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, students, and community members through both virtual and in-person events.
Each session features one to three guest speakers who share their experiences and insights, followed by a Q&A. The event then moves into an open networking session where participants can connect, exchange ideas, explore partnerships, and grow their professional networks.
