Science Engagement Programs in the Faculty of Science will receive an initial $60,000 in funding from Actua, a Canadian STEM outreach organization, to expand coding and digital programming for youth. The new funding is thanks to the Government of Canada’s new CanCode program, of which Actua recently announced it was the largest recipient.
The Science Engagement Programs at York University offer innovative and engaging programs – including “Code with Kids!” camps for students in grades three to eight — designed to inspire youth to discover exciting topics in STEM. The new funding from Actua will allow Science Engagement Programs to expand its hands-on coding and digital skills programming so that it reaches even more youth in the Greater Toronto Area.
“We are excited to continue our collaboration with Actua,” said Almira Mun, assistant dean, science engagement programs and strategic enrolment management, Faculty of Science. “The Science Engagement Programs team developed a strong proposal that aligned with both Actua’s and the country’s goals for preparing our youth for a demanding future. These monies will enable us to expand outreach and provide more in-depth experiences for the children and youth in the GTA.”
The York University Science Engagement Programs are among 35 network members receiving CanCode funding through Actua and will work with colleagues across the network to develop and exchange content that will help inspire Canada’s next generation of innovators.
“We are honoured to be a recipient of CanCode funding and thrilled to provide additional support to Science Engagement Programs to engage more youth in building digital skills,” said Jennifer Flanagan, president and CEO of Actua. “This support means that thousands more youth in the Greater Toronto Area will have the opportunity to access free, deep-impact, face-to-face learning experiences which are critical to their future success and our future Canadian workforce.”