Self Employment Benefit Program (SEB)

This program, sponsored by the Department of Training and Employment Development, promotes self-sufficiency through self-employment. Participants start their own businesses while receiving financial and business planning assistance. The program offers 45 weeks of income support. Candidates must apply with a completed business plan.

Who Is Accepted?
A selection committee evaluates each application. The highest-ranking applicants are considered for acceptance.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

• Those who are currently unemployed and receiving Employment Insurance, those who have received Employment Insurance within the last three years and haven't returned to work, or those who have received maternity or parental benefits within the last five years after which they remained out of the labour market to care for the child and are now re-seeking to enter the labour force
• Those that have EI administered from the Greater Saint John district office
• Those legally entitled to work in Canada
• Those that will own the majority share of their business
• Those not already in business
• Those that have already or are prepared to complete a detailed business plan
• Those willing to devote a minimum of 35 hours per week to their business

Don't Qualify?
If you do not qualify for the SEB program, you may be interested in taking one of our evening programs. We offer Start Your Own Business (10 weeks) and Introductory Computer classes (3 weeks). A course fee is applied.

To learn more about the SEB application process and eligibility criteria or our evening courses, phone the YMCA-YWCA at 634-7720.