Launch Pad gives local youth business skills
Published on 10 June 2026
The Launch Pad Youth Entrepreneur program grand finale was held on Thursday 4 June, with nine young people being celebrated for completing 12-weeks of business training and furthering their business ideas.
Nambucca Valley Mayor Gary Lee attended the finale event held at Kempsey’s Slim Dusty Centre where he met the Nambucca Valley youth entrepreneurs: Sha-Lohm Jamieson, Lee Collier, and Lily Crease.
“Our young local entrepreneurs are impressive people and supporting them to learn business skills meets community priority number 10 in the Nambucca Valley Community Strategic Plan - supporting young people to thrive,” he said.
“Our community realises it is challenging for a young person wanting to start a business, so our Council has been doing what it can to support young people through delivering engaging youth events like Open Streets and supporting bespoke programs like this.”
Julie Humphris of Business Life Guide led the program and she said it had exceptional outcomes.
“This project started with the idea to expand on other business programs I had run before, however with the specific goal of providing business foundationals and empowerment to young entrepreneurs,” she said.
“Over the past 12 weeks, I’ve taken on nine young people from the Nambucca, Kempsey and Port Macquarie local government areas and together we’ve achieved great things.
“The young entrepreneurs are understanding the ground, foundationals of business now. They have a clear direction and their business confidence has grown.
“There are now confident, well-skilled young entrepreneurs coming out into our areas and into our towns, which will with time support our local economies.”
Nambucca Valley Council Manager Economic Development and Tourism Janice Rooney said the program had supercharged the business skills for these young entrepreneurs in the Nambucca Valley.
“I’m grateful to Julie Humphris for applying for the grant to get this program happening to support our local young people to turn their great idea into a sustainable business pathway,” she said.
“It’s been fantastic to be able to work with other project partners on this project, including Chambers of Commerce, community organisations, Kempsey Shire Council and Port Macquarie Hastings Council with whom we sponsored the project pitch event.”
The Launch Pad Youth Entrepreneur program included training sessions with specialists on topics such as business financials, bookkeeping, marketing, social media and more.
The young entrepreneurs also participated in a pitch event on Thursday 14 May 2026, where they pitched their business idea to business and marketing professionals to gain feedback.
The key grant funder of the Launch Pad was Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. Other project sponsors and supporters were Nambucca Valley Council, Kempsey Shire Council, Port Macquarie Hastings Council, Rotary Club of West Kempsey, Country Universities Centre Macleay Valley, Learning the Macleay, and Macleay Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Participation in the Launch Pad was by expression of interest. Applications were open and advertised from 9-28 February 2026.
ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES TO:
Mr David Moloney
ACTING GENERAL MANAGER
02 6568 2555
DATE: 10 June 2026