Amplifying Youth Potential in Entrepreneurship

At Youth Ottawa, we believe that youth are not only our future but our current reality. Their innovative ideas not only have the power to spark change within their own lives but also have the power to make our communities stronger. 

Youth often are most observant of the social issues that require solving in our communities. That is why their ideas are revolutionary. 

That is also why we have been running the Summer Amplified Fellowship since 2019. The program amplifies the entrepreneurial ideas of youth through a three-step process: business development training, mentorship, and networking. 

Every year, we support young entrepreneurs to boost their businesses to the next level. By hiring them to work for themselves throughout the summer, fellows can transform their social innovation frameworks into long-term and sustainable social enterprises.

After a brief pause in the fellowship due to the pandemic, we welcomed Drayton and Nathan as our summer amplified fellows in 2022. Now is a great chance to meet them and see what they’ve been up to since!

The 2022 Summer Amplified Fellowship cohort

Image of Drayton Mulindabigwi Jabo

Drayton Mulindabigwi Jabo

20today20tomorrow

Drayton’s business, 20today20tomorrow, envisions a vibrant community of youth who are active in their communities. By bringing together a group of young innovators, 20today20tomorrow works to identify and address social issues with creative solutions. For example, their Inspire the Next initiative provides youth with a platform to share their experiences and ideas through a podcast and a live show format. Today, the organization is working on continuing its Inspire the Next shows. Who knows what will come tomorrow?

Image of Nathan Monpremier

Nathan Monpremier

HopeisFamous

HopeIsFamous is a clothing brand that empowers young athletes. Using high-quality materials and a durable design, HopeIsFamous ensures athletes feel and perform at their best. Nathan and his team have recently expanded their clothing line into the world of customizable sportswear for local sports teams and other organizations and have continued their work in community outreach to promote healthy lifestyles.

What's next?

Interested in becoming a summer amplified fellow? Applications will open on June 5 at 9 a.m. and will close on June 16 at noon.