18 Nov Celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week with T&T Host – YBTT
Mr. Shedron Collins, General Manager, Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago
Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago (YBTT) is an accredited member of Youth Business International (YBI), an international network of youth business programmes. YBTT, with the support of the business community, helps young persons to work for themselves by providing access to loans, entrepreneurial training and business mentorship. Sitting at the helm of the organization as the General Manager, is Shedron Collins, a young and visionary professional, who, through his developmental journey with the organization since 2009, has a clear understanding of the entrepreneurial needs of young persons between the ages of 18-35 years who come into contact with the organization on a daily basis either through social media, visits to the company’s website, or walk-ins.
According to Collins “whilst we understand that all young persons can’t become entrepreneurs, YBTT is committed to providing a solid foundation for young Wantrepreneurs by exposing them to a holistic entrepreneurial training programme which we facilitate on an on-going basis.” He continued “entrepreneurship starts with a renewed mindset understanding that once you step into the entrepreneurial ring, the sky is the limit to achieve your biggest business objectives; YBTT’s most important offering is the opportunity to take risk and become an entrepreneur.”
The After-Care support provided by the organization is one of its major assets, a service that is rarely provided by other institutions. Collins added “it is our belief, that the after-care approach towards entrepreneurship is an ideal, as you’re able to monitor and measure the success and/or failure of the business, and in so doing, use appropriate interventions to treat with the relevant issues.”
Because of its astuteness in addressing the needs of young entrepreneurs, the organization has been the Trinidad and Tobago host of Global Entrepreneurship Week for the past five (5) years, an initiative which is considered to be its flagship. GEW, which is celebrated in more than 160 countries in November of each year and endorsed by world leaders including US President, Barack Obama, is the world’s largest celebration of innovators and job creators who launch start-ups and bring ideas to live, drive economic growth and expand human welfare.
As Collins puts it “during our period as the T&T host, we have been successful in not only galvanizing support from major corporate sponsors and partners, but we were also able to influence and motivate individuals into becoming entrepreneurs; our major role as Host, is to bring as many partners on board as possible.”
GEW in Trinidad and Tobago has been growing tremendously as entrepreneurial stakeholders have been demonstrating their commitment in a profound way. In addition to the annual partners such as the Arthur Lok Jack Biz Booster, Civilian Conservations Corp.,Council for Competitiveness and Innovation (Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development), Conec Professional Services, Export Centres Limited, Junior Achievement of Trinidad and Tobago, Launch Rockit, The Lily Foundation for Human Development (Tobago), NEDCO, University of Trinidad and Tobago and YTEPP, there are new partners who have endorsed the significance of GEW through their participation for 2015. These include a cross-section of Rotary Clubs, the Institute of Gender Studies (University of the West Indies), Powerful Ladies of Trinidad and Tobago, Jason Charles and Associates and Yo Pro(a global NGO).
GEW promises to be a national conversation beyond the week of November 16th – 22nd, 2015. To be part of this journey visit the GEW website at tt.gew.co.
