Where culturally-centered learning meets production-ready infrastructure — build ventures, test pilots, and create media that tells your story.
SSLP Venture Hub at Fraser Street Studios
The Supports for Student Learning Program (SSLP) is a no-cost after school program with mentorship for Black youth in BC that aims to support youth in their journey to post-secondary education.
Next cohort: Summer; Tuesday, June 9th – Saturday, August 4th
- Professional studio and community space in East Vancouver powering Venture Hub outputs
- Two right-sized tiers (Foundational → Builders) that move youth from learning → doing
- Practitioner-led curriculum, hands-on labs, partner pilots, and public showcases
ABOUT THE SPACE
What the Venture Hub is
Fraser Street Studios is the Hub’s engine. As a production-ready studio and community space in East Vancouver, the studio gives participants professional tools and workflows for multi-camera shoots, pro audio, lighting, and editing so their work looks and sounds like what partners expect. That means pitches that are film-ready, demo videos that work in market tests, and storytelling assets partners can use for promotion and evaluation.
We connect three things that matter: trusted mentors with lived experience, partner-led pilot opportunities that expose work to real customers, and production systems that make outputs shareable and fundable. The Hub’s weekly seminars and monthly labs focus on practice — not just theory — and every Builder cohort finishes with a public showcase where learners present to partners, mentors, and potential employers.
What participants and partners get
For youth:
For partners:
For schools & founders:
How participants move forward
- Register → short intake + readiness conversation
- Placement → Foundation or Builder (we recommend where you’ll get the most impact)
- Learn & make → weekly seminars, labs, mentor hours, pilot work
- Showcase → Builder pitch/demo night + partner placements
Core Readiness
Foundational
- Participants exploring ideas or needing core skills.
- Focuses on safe anti-racism dialogue, reporting literacy, financial basics, digital/AI integrity, mental health and future visioning.
- Outcome: Foundational proposal or career roadmap + personal next steps.
Core Readiness
Builders
- Participants ready to test and scale ideas.
- Focuses on pilot design & testing, compliance, branding & GTM, sales channels & cashflow, pitch prep and leadership + wellness.
- Outcome: Tested mini-pilot, pitch-ready deck, and a practical launch/placement plan.
Curriculum
Foundational Tier
- Introduces safe, privacy-conscious digital practices and guidelines for using technology creatively and responsibly (including digital wellbeing and online safety).
Anti-racism in business
- Teaches how to design businesses and programs that confront racism—embedding equity goals across mission, hiring, pay, marketing and partnerships so impact and profit align.
AI integrity & responsible use
- Practical rules for using AI ethically: disclose AI use, check for bias, protect privacy, avoid plagiarism, and verify accuracy before publishing or acting on AI outputs.
Financial literacy
- Core money skills for life and enterprise — budgeting, saving, basic investing, debt avoidance and simple financial planning for early-stage ventures or personal stability.
Career readiness & market research
- Job- and market-ready skills, including communication, critical thinking, networking, and hands-on market research (trends, customer needs, competitor analysis).
Entrepreneurship
- Idea development, validation and early venture mechanics through practical exercises that develop resilience and business know-how.
Mental health & wellness
- Practical self-care, stress management, and resilience techniques to maintain wellbeing amid academic or entrepreneurial pressures.
Future visioning
- Visioning and goal-setting exercises to help participants map bold futures and design pathways — careers, college, or entrepreneurial trajectories.
Builders Tier
- Assess idea viability (customers, costs, pricing).
Safety, compliance & registration - Workplace safety, regulatory requirements, certifications, sole proprietor registration.
Branding, marketing & pricing
- Brand identity, low-cost digital marketing, pricing strategies.
Sales channels & cashflow analysis
- Channel options, cashflow forecasting, break-even scenarios.
Soft pilot / launch (focus groups & testing)
- Station-based tests (e.g., 20 participants in rotating groups) to refine offerings.
Risk assessment & mitigation
- Identify risks from pilot feedback and design mitigation plans.
Mental health & leadership support
- Leadership coaching and stress management for launch cycles.
Pitch preparation
- Investor/partner ready decks, story arc, financials, and clear asks
Culminating Project — Business Proposal Event
Two pathways: Entrepreneur track (startup proposal with ethics, anti-racism commitments, financials, wellness plan) or Career/College track (3-year roadmap, skills plan, wellness safeguards).
All participants attend; top submissions present at the final showcase.
Outputs participants leave with
What participants create
Venture concept & plan
Pitch & proposal
Pilot findings
Media assets
Career roadmap
speakers & session formats
Practitioners who teach what's real
- Weekly interactive 2-hour virtual seminars (Foundation Tier)
- Weekly in-person labs at Fraser Street Studios (hands-on) (Builder Tier)
- Mentor office hours (1:1 & small groups)
- Builder showcase — live pitch/demo night (filmed and streamed)
Our media studio
Fraser Street Studios production-ready, community-first
Studio quick services
- Podcast recording (2-person and multi-guest setups)
- Video shoots & content production (interviews, reels, promos, education content)
- Editing & post-production support (by request)
- Community space bookings (workshops, cohort labs, partner nights)
Equipment availability varies by session needs and protected programming blocks.
Impact
Proven outcomes
120
Youth served province-wide
90%
Post-secondary enrollment among participants
30
Internship placements
FAQ
Who is the Hub for?
Do I need a business idea?
How long is the term?
Can partners recruit from the cohort?
Who do I contact?
How do I get started with your services?
Ready to turn learning into outputs?
Questions? Email partners@bccommunityalliance.ca