LEARNING TO BE BOSS : YOUTHS MARKET CHRISTMAS CANDLES IN BUSINESS PROGRAM.

Byline: Christopher Noxon Daily News Staff Writer

It has only been a few months since Fernando Martinez graduated from high school, but he's already hard at work getting a new business off the ground.

Two days a week, the 18-year-old reports for work in a small room behind a Central Avenue beauty salon. For the next four hours, Martinez pours warm beeswax into molds shaped like Santa Claus. The candles are then tucked into gift packages with jars of barbecue sauce. The label on the gift packages bears the flashy logo of the new company: Santa Clara River Valley Hometown Creations. Products in the development stage include pistachios, honey, vinegar and T-shirts.

This business is more than just an upstart outfit exporting family concoctions to big-city gourmets. This is in fact an innovative social service program employing 36 youngsters from low-income families. In return for a minimum-wage salary, the kids ages 13-18 learn business - everything from inventory to marketing.

``It's an educational thing,'' Martinez said. ``I'm learning how to make candles and a little about business.''

The business was started by the Ventura Coalition for Human Concerns, a nonprofit social service agency that won a $100,000 state grant to start a youth entrepreneur program. The business provides young people with an income and something far more valuable, said program director Walt Hackman.

``We hope they're inspired to open their own business,'' Hackman said. ``This was never meant to make anyone a lot of money. But it may give kids hands-on business knowledge they can use the rest of their lives.''

Instructor Rory Maus said he hopes by the time the participants see the business up and running, they will be inspired to become an employer rather than an employee.

``This opens up new ideas for them,'' he said. ``We teach them about start-up costs, packaging, taxes - it's a totally hands-on approach. Instead of going to work for someone, this gives them another avenue to think about.''

Hackman said the company has made alliances with local farmers and businesses. Leaders hope to market local products to far bigger markets. By Christmas, the company hopes to stock its products in gourmet shops from Malibu to Ventura.

The participants, who come from Fillmore, Piru and Rancho Sespe, were selected through the Boys & Girls Club. While a few have dropped out since the company was formed a few months ago, most have stuck with it. A few have shown the makings of young moguls.

``They're really energetic,'' Maus said. ``It's hard getting enthusiastic about work after a full day at school, but they really get into it - maybe because there's money involved, but they really take it seriously.''

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color in SIMI only) Fernando Martinez, left,and Manuel Cortez, both 18, make Christmas candles during the Youth Entrepreneur Program in Fillmore. The program trains youngsters from low-income families in hopes of turning them from employees into employers in the future.

(2) One of the Christmas candles made by the entrepreneurs.

Terri Thuente/Daily News