Did you know that people with digital skills can earn up to 10% more than those with out?
The digital skills gap is becoming an increasing issue in today’s society. Those without proper access to ICT education, equipment and opportunity are going to become more and more marginalised.
A new project launching in East London aims to readdress that balance, by teaching teenagers to design and build their own computer games using a programme called Scratch. Scratch software has been specially designed to get young people interested in computer coding. The programme will be taught at hackjam.it, a free two-day workshop during the May half-term.
The event takes place in Walthamstow, which has one of the highest rates of child poverty in the country. One in five young people live in a family where neither parent works, and a third of 16-24 year olds are unemployed.
So we need to find these young people job opportunities. But they don’t just deserve jobs, they deserve good jobs where they can make a positive contribution to our growing digital economy.
Nobody is making things easy for them though. Education Secretary, Michael Gove has stopped all ICT education in schools for two years while they reassess the quality of teaching. That’s fine if you’re 8 years old. By the time you get to secondary school there will be a nice new programme in place. But what if you’re 14, and you’re from a low income family? There’s no Macbook for you to play on when you get home. The only access to IT may be in your school – and now it’s gone.
hackjam.it is attempting to fill that gap. Working in one of Walthamstow’s poorest wards the aim is to give young people the opportunity to play and experiment with technology in a fun and safe environment.
The event takes place at the Priory Court Community Centre on 28th and 29th May 2013. If you are interested in booking a place please get in touch.
Priority is being give to young people in Walthamstow, particularly those in the William Morris ward. However the overall aim is to support young people who currently find themselves excluded from the digital industry, so applications from young people outside the area, who fit the criteria, will also be considered.
The criteria includes…
- Girls aged between 14-18
- Young offenders/those at risk of offending
- Young people in care/recent care leavers
For more information visit hackjam.it
