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E-Spirit ownership
The Business Development Bank of Canada, (BDC), retains all rights and privileges. BDC Aboriginal Banking will oversee and deliver the competition.
Indemnification
BDC and/or their representatives assume no liability for damages or injuries caused directly or indirectly from participation in competition.
E-Spirit competition
E-based national Aboriginal Youth business plan competition.
Duration
Approximately sixteen weeks. Beginning dates and ending dates are subject to change at BDC’s discretion.
Delivery
Multiple media. Primarily e-based technology utilizing internet, e-mail, telephone, and personal contact.
Participant Cost
The participating teams are responsible for all expenses while in transit to the gathering event (re food, lodging, mileage and/or transportation), unless prior written approval is obtained from the E-Spirit Project Managers, before costs are incurred. Mileage will be reimbursed at the current corresponding BDC Provincial rate. Any other expenditure incurred will be at the teams' expense, including costs resulting from cancelled flights.
Judged components
- Business plan: 7 modules
- Video: Maximum 2 minute video of business team, idea, advertisement, etc. Videos must be posted on the BDC E-Spirit YouTube Channel.
- Oral Presentation: Maximum 10 minutes in duration with visual aids such as Power Point. Teams will be distributed in random order within the 3 theatres. Teams from the same school may not be in the same theatre. The top three (3) teams per theatre will advance to the Finalist category. All team members are encouraged to participate. Note: There will be a 10 point deduction from overall score for non-show of participants in the audience during Presentation Day.
- Trade booth presentation: All team members present at the gathering are required to participate.
- All teams are only eligible to win: any one of the Special Achievement Awards, excluding Ambassador, Presentation and Tradeshow awards, and one of Top three (3) awards (Gold, Silver or Bronze).
Note: Business Plans, Video and Oral Presentations are judged based on a point system. Prior to the gathering, several awards are pre-determined during the judging process of the business plans.
Online Competition Requirements
Complete business plan, video and Power Point presentation must be submitted by the end date determined by the E-Spirit Project Managers.
An Electronic copy of the business plan must be submitted by USB or Email (PDF/WORD/EXCEL Format) by the end date determined by the E-Spirit Project Managers.
Videos must be submitted in DVD or CD or USB for Windows Media Player format. Any other format will not be judged. NO EXCEPTIONS. Furthermore, all submitted videos will be posted on Youtube or other social networking sites to promote E-Spirit.Any modifications after submission will not be allowed. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Business Name/Team Name
Business name should be the same as the team name. Name of team on business plan submitted for the competition will be the official team name for remainder of the competition. This name will be applied to media, plaques, trophies, etc. No changes after final submission will be permitted.
Eligibility to participate
High Schools within Canada are eligible to compete in the E-Spirit competition.
Participant eligibility
Aboriginal youth enrolled in high school grades 10 to 12, within Canada. Age of participants will be limited to eighteen (18) years of age.
Exception
Learning centres, non-profit training organizations and others with approval of E-Spirit Project Managers.
Facilitation
School representative and/or delegate must facilitate/oversee student participation.
Exception
BDC approved individual associated with an alternative educational organization.
Computer
Schools, educational organizations, and other approved E-Spirit delivery agents will receive a computer of BDC’s choosing their initial year of participation in competition, dependent upon budget.
Registered school assumes ownership of the computer after full completion of the E-Spirit Program.
Exception
The purpose of the computer is to allow easy access for team participants to complete their business plan. Should the team withdraw from the competition, the computer shall be returned to BDC.
E-Spirit teams
Composition
Teams must be comprised of 2 to 4 student participants throughout the competition. NO EXCEPTIONS. Team composition any lower than 2 students or higher than 4 students will not be encouraged or allowed.
Number of teams
Number of actual teams per competition year will be at the discretion of E-Spirit Project Managers.
Registration
Time
Registration will take place in September of each given year. No registrations will be accepted after 16:00 hours, Central Standard Time, on the final registration date of each given year.
Exception
E-Spirit Project Managers may approve late registrations due to technological difficulties and/or other difficulties on an individual basis.
Registration means
Registration may be completed by e-mail registration via E-Spirit website or email to current Project Manager during registration period.
Registration priority
Registration will be on first come, first served basis with regional representation and within budgetary constraints.
Competition rules and regulations
Deadlines
Student teams must complete all modules of the competition within given timeframes.
External assistance
External assistance for student teams must be for guidance purposes only, and must be listed within the business plan.
Internal assistance
Facilitators may advise and guide student teams’ work.
Module completion
Finished modules must be verified as complete by facilitator on or prior to module deadline.
All required components must be cross- checked with completion checklist included in facilitator’s guide, signed by facilitator.
Awards
Awards will be presented to the first, second and third place winners. Each winner in the top 3 categories (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) will receive prizes, i.e.: iPads, Netbooks, etc., in addition to the prize amounts awarded to the schools for each category (Gold - $1500, Silver - $750 and Bronze - $500). Purchased items will be decided upon by the E-Spirit Project Managers.
Gathering & Awards
Invitation & Eligibility
The top 70 teams, who have entered and completed the online competition requirements, will be invited to attend the gathering (based on the final business plan scores). Additional teams may be invited dependant on space and budget, at BDC’s discretion.
Location
Awards event will be held in various venues in Canada each year of competition.
Participation eligibility
Teams must meet each milestone completion date, including completion of business plan.
Teams must complete all 4 sections of competition (business plan, presentation, trade booth, and video) to be eligible for awards.
E-Spirit Teams will have a ratio of chaperone to student of 1:3 per school. If the team facilitator is unable to obtain this ratio, written documentation will have to be provided to the E-Spirit Project Managers. Facilitators hold full responsibility to all of their team members and their school to ensure/comply that there will be no incidents throughout the gathering due to lack of supervision from chaperones or teachers. Written approval is also required for instances that require additional chaperones over and above our ratio.
Chaperones will be asked to provide a criminal check or letter of reference from the participating school principal. Cost of criminal check is a non-refundable expense.
Team disqualification
Peer policing will be encouraged. Should any one student on any invited team be under the influence of any alcohol or drugs, the entire team will be disqualified and sent home.
Security is provided in the host university residence buildings and any misbehavior is to be reported to the university security. This allows us to take whatever action deemed appropriate when a written report is received from said security.
Expenses
Transportation expenses to and from your designated airport will be approved only on an individual basis by the E-Spirit Project Managers. (Furthermore, transportation costs are only covered from Monday to Friday of the official Gathering) In the event of delays in flight or other transportation due to weather or other acts of God, expenses may be approved and reimbursed on approval by the E-Spirit Project Managers. Additionally, meals will be reimbursed at the following rate per person (using BDC’s current training per-diem, Circular 60300); breakfast – up to $15, lunch – up to $20 and dinner – up to $30. Original receipts must be provided for final approval and reimbursement. Substitute teacher’s remuneration will not be considered an approved expenditure.
Expenses resulting from cancelled flights, including the cost of the airfare, will be automatically billed to subject teams’ school.
Meals will be provided at all the gathering activities. Any meals off the host university campus are at the expense of the team. Meal expenses to and from gathering location are also at the expense of the team unless pre-approved by the E-Spirit Project Mangers.
Damage or removal of university property, lost keys, swipe cards or meal cards will be automatically invoiced to the school.
Number of attendees
The number of attendees will be dependent upon budgetary restrictions.
Invitation to attend the E-Spirit gathering will be based on regional representation and within budgetary constraints.
A TEAM’S INVITATION TO ATTEND THE GATHERING WILL BE FORFEITED IF THE TEAM FAILS TO MEET ANY REQUIREMENTS SET OUT IN THIS POLICY.