The New Brunswick Securities Commission has launched a new guidebook to help young people learn about money management.

The new book is called “Make it Count: A Parent’s Guide to Youth Money Management.”

It is available in print and an online version. It has tools, activities and tips to help youth develop a responsible money management lifestyle.

The program helps parents build teaching into every day family activities, and provides teachers with lesson plans for classroom activities.

It is available online at www.makeitcountonline.ca.

“We know that talking about money is considered uncomfortable by parents and boring by kids,” said Rick Hancox, executive director of the securities commission. “This program helps engage youth in the discussion.”

Recently released results from the 2009 Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) Investor Index show that a majority of parents claim to be at least somewhat confident in their ability to teach their children about personal finances and investing.

Printed copies are available from the New Brunswick Securities Commission at 1-866-933-2222 or by e-mail at info@nbsc-cvmnb.ca.

Business seminar Wednesday

Entrepreneurs who want to learn more about promoting their business through Facebook, Twitter and other popular online products are invited to attend a free seminar called How to run a Successful Small Business, to be held Wednesday, Oct. 28 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in room AB of the Moncton Public Library.

The seminar is organized by BizLaunch and Bell Aliant. In a recent national survey conducted by BizLaunch.ca, small business owners said they liked using Facebook Twitter, Linked-In, blogs and YouTube to promote their companies. But when they were asked whether this actually contributed to sales, only 14 per cent identified Facebook, followed by Twitter at 5 per cent, Linked-In at 7 per cent, blogs at 4 per cent and YouTube at 1 per cent. Across all online marketing activities, a majority of business owners said their website remains the most effective tool for generating sales.

“Building business through social media is not something most small businesses are doing very well right now,” said Andrew Patricio, co-founder of BizLaunch.ca, Canada’s largest small business training company. “Like a lot of new inventions, social media holds plenty of promise yet it is failing to deliver sales for small business owners.”

Entrepreneurship Expo Monday

The first ever Greater Moncton Entrepreneurship Expo will be held at Moncton’s Delta Beauséjour hotel on Monday, Oct. 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The expo includes a trade show, networking lunch and workshops. For more information, visit www.unleashmoncton.ca.

DMCI meeting Tuesday

Downton Moncton Centre-Ville will hold its fall business meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Moncton Press Club.

Admission is free and a continental breakfast will be served. Guest speaker will be Supt. Wayne Gallant of the Codiac Regional RCMP, who will speak on “security in our community.”

Property owners, merchants, downtown employees and the public are welcome to attend.

UdeM students help environmental organization

October marks the start of the third year of operations of the NBELS Environmental Law Clinic. Eight law students from the Université de Moncton and UNB have been assigned to various projects that will help environmental organizations advance work on important environmental issues.

This year’s projects include advancing work on an Environmental Bill of Rights for New Brunswick, assisting the Children’s Environmental Health Coalition and completing a handbook on how to conduct environmental investigations.

Since 2007, individuals can contact the NBELS for legal information, and environmental organizations can propose research projects. The legal information line is (506) 389-8999.

* The Cochrane Report appears each Wednesday and Saturday. Items for publication may be sent by e-mail to cochrana@timestranscript.com, or by fax to 859-4904.