The next time a friendly youth serves you at a local business, remember that many Sooke businesses rely on youth employees and customers. In fact, in the recent Sooke Youth Council survey of 50 local businesses, wefound that 48% of employees are youth ages 13-25!
We want to highlight and celebrate the many ways local businesses support youth in our community. We havetwo additional goals: to improve relations between the business community and youth; and show why and how businesses support youth to ensure a strong and connected community.
In a focus group at EMCS, we learned that the most important aspects of a Youth Friendly Business are that they respect and trust youth, support youth activities and hire and train youth employees.
Members of the Sooke Youth Council learned research skills, including how to develop and professionally administer our survey. Once trained, we conducted interviews with local businesses. Next we analyzed the gathered data, selected the top ten Youth Friendly Businesses in Sooke and presented them with awards. We presented the results of our survey to the Mayor and Council and the members of Sooke Rotary.
In our survey of 50 businesses we found:
* In 22 businesses, youth made up more than 50% of the workforce.
* 31 businesses said they value youth as customers and feel comfortable when a group of youth enters their business.
* 25 businesses support youth fundraisers all of the time. 19 support sports teams and other youth focused recreational activities all the time.
* 6 businesses consistently support youth scholarships.
* 20 businesses pay minimum wage to youth, 16 pay above minimum wage, 8 pay minimum or above, and only 2 businesses pay the training wage.

2011 Top Ten awards were presented to (in no particular order):
•Serious Coffee
•AdrenaLINE Zipline Adventure Tours
•Seaparc Leisure Complex
•Freedom Arts
•Stone Pipe Grill
•RBC Royal Bank
•Sooke Cycle
•Western Foods
•People's Drug Mart
•Coast Capital Savings

2010 Top Ten awards were presented to (in no particular order):
•Adrenaline Zip Line
•Andy’s 2 for 1 Pizza
•Coast Capital
•Freedom Arts
•Home Hardware
•Pure Elements
•Salts
•Sooke Cycle
•Sooke Harbour House
•Western Foods

This initiative by the Sooke Youth Council was funded by SEVEC, SPARK, the District of Sooke, the Juan de Fuca Electoral district, SEAPARC, the Edward Milne Community School Society, Sooke Lioness, WorkLink Employment Society and the RCMP Community Consultative Committee.
Thanks to all of the business, youth and sponsors involved!
View the Y.F.B.P. Photo Gallery!