Self-Employment Assistance Program
Objective
The Self-Employment Assistance Program provides financial assistance for people
in receipt of Employment Insurance (E.I.) or without Income who want to start
their own business but will normally lose E.I. benefits as a result of this
decision.
To encourage individual entrepreneurs to work with local resources to ensure
they build viable business plans.
Eligible Participants
To qualify for the Self-Employment Assistance Program individuals must:
- Be members of Six Nations.
- Be a qualified Employment Insurance Claimant or be without income.
- Have no previous participation in a self-employment assistance
activity funded by GREAT.
- Have a business plan prior to starting Self Employment Assistance.
May seek assistance to develop a business plan (i.e. Business Development Bank
of Canada, Two Rivers Development Corporation, Community Futures, etc.).
- Start a new business or take over an existing business in which the
individual had no prior ownership.
- Agree to work full time on the business while receiving financial
assistance.
Individual must be registered with Grand River Employment and Training
(G.R.E.A.T.).
Individual will provide a resume to G.R.E.A.T. at the discretion of the Program
and Services Officer, (PSO) after assessment has been completed.
Financial Assistance
Participants will receive the greater of their E.I. benefits or a basic training
allowance. Participants may also be entitled to supplementary allowances.
Participants without income will receive a basic training allowance and may also
be eligible for supplementary allowances.
Participants may be eligible to receive a contribution of
up to $5,000 for the purchase of basic equipment, equity, etc.
Training allowances depend on a participant’s circumstances and the applicable
rates. Allowances are approved according to G.R.E.A.T. policy.
Financial assistance may be available to cover tuition costs of appropriate
training course i.e. bookkeeping.
While on training, a participant may qualify for a dependent care allowance to
pay for supervised care of dependants. The amount will depend on the number of
dependants needing care and the number of hours of supervision required up to
the maximum rate as established by G.R.E.A.T. policy.
Special costs related to a disabled participant may be provided if required.
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