Canadian Youth Business Foundation awarded international honours for advancing youth entrepreneurship

Canadian Youth Business Foundation awarded international honours for advancing youth entrepreneurship  

CYBF receives Prince’s Youth Business International Citizenship Award

Toronto, ON – October 3, 2013 – The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) received the inaugural Network Citizenship Award of The Prince’s Youth Business International (YBI) during its international Summit in London, England, September 9 -12. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the success of the YBI network in advancing youth entrepreneurship and is determined by a vote of 40 leading youth entrepreneurship organizations from around the world.

Created and led by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, YBI is a global network of independent non-profit initiatives devoted to providing young people with the resources and support they need to start and grow their own businesses and create employment. YBI members represent tens of thousands of young entrepreneurs who are united by the desire to start a business and contribute to their communities. In 2012 the YBI network helped start nearly 12,000 businesses around the world and provided enterprise training to over 100,000 young people.

CYBF is the Canadian member of the YBI network and has provided over 5600 Canadians 18-39 with mentoring, training and access to finance designed to give them the skills they needed to turn their business ideas into reality. CYBF shares its expertise with other YBI members and this award will allow two CYBF representatives to visit another YBI member to share experiences, best practices and to foster entrepreneurship globally.

“We are deeply honoured to be recognized by our global peers and to represent Canada in an international setting,” said Julia Deans, CEO, CYBF.  “We share this recognition with our CYBF entrepreneurs and with the many partners, volunteers, and government and private sector funders who work with us to expand entrepreneurship in Canada.”

“YBI congratulates CYBF for being selected to receive this reward for the role it plays in supporting the ambitions of aspiring young entrepreneurs in Canada, and for setting a global example,” said Andrew Devenport, CEO, YBI. “Our shared success in helping close to 12,000 young people start a business and create close to 90,000 jobs is thanks to the expertise and passion of organizations such as CYBF.”

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About the Canadian Youth Business Foundation

The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to growing our nation’s economy one young entrepreneur at a time. We look at character not collateral, when providing youth aged 18-39 with pre-launch coaching, business resources, low-interest financing of up to $15,000, and industry-leading mentoring to help them launch and sustain successful businesses. CYBF’s co-financing partner, the Business Development Bank of Canada, leverages CYBF’s application process to provide up to $30,000 in additional support for CYBF entrepreneurs.

Established in 1996, CYBF has been recognized as a global leader in advancing youth entrepreneurship. CYBF is a founding member of the global G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance, the Canadian member of The Prince’s Youth Business International and the Canadian host of Global Entrepreneurship Week (November 18-24, 2013). www.cybf.ca.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Nicolee Tattersall
Manager, Media Relations
CYBF
416-408-2923 x2208
ntattersall@cybf.ca