FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Year of Code Waterloo Region and Capacity Canada join forces to raise tech literacy
WATERLOO REGION: JUNE 22, 2015: An ambitious project to raise the level of technology literacy in Waterloo Region is joining Capacity Canada.
Led by Stephanie Rozek, Year of Code Waterloo Region (YoCWR) will hold events between July 2015 and July 2016, with four main objectives:
- Tech education to increase digital literacy for all;
- Community engagement through tech and tech literacy;
- Diversity by raising the representation in the tech sector of women, minorities and people with social and mental health challenges in the tech sector;
- Advance Waterloo Region’s global position as a leading technology centre.
“Everybody should know the technology that surrounds them in their lives,” Rozek said. “So, when we talk about year of code, yes, we are going to teach some people about programming and that sort of thing. But we’re also going to be expanding tech literacy in general.”
Year of Code Waterloo Region fits Capacity Canada’s mandate of helping build strong, innovative non-profits in the charitable sector, said Cathy Brothers, Capacity’s chief executive officer.
“The more people understand about technology, the more ideas they will generate for improving our communities,’’ Brothers said. “Year of Code Waterloo Region reaches out widely to those who are curious, inventive — or both — without regard to age or income.”
The project begins July 1 at the University of Waterloo’s Canada Day celebration. Year of Code holds an official launch July 4 at Kitchener City Hall from 1 to 4pm.
In addition to hosting its own technology events to highlight coding and hacking, YoCWR will draw attention to similar events run by other organizations. Next June, it will attempt to set a world record by bringing together the largest number of people to code at the same time.
Rozek’s team currently includes four full-time employees, several part-time employees and volunteers. The project also has a volunteer steering committee.
After July 2016, the momentum created by Year of Code will be picked up by Hive Waterloo Region. Mozilla, the company behind the Firefox search engine, sponsors Hive network communities to promote technology literacy. Waterloo Region is one of them.
For more information, contact:
Cathy Brothers, CEO
Capacity Canada
Office: 519-513-2606 x1
Mobile: 226-808-7220
Toll Free: 866-317-1992 x1
[email protected]
Stephanie Rozek, Project Director
Year of Code Waterloo Region
519-716-1976
[email protected]
Capacity Canada is a national registered charity that brings together the ideas, people and resources that fuel social innovation. Our vision is to change lives through courageous community organizations that excel. We are accomplishing this by providing non-profit leaders new resources and professional support that enhances leadership skills, stimulates cross-sector collaboration, promotes knowledge sharing, and encourages social innovation.
Year of Code Waterloo Region (#YoCWR) is a one-year initiative to increase digital literacy to 250,000+ people in Waterloo Region. #YoCWR was born out of a conversation between between two leading tech organisations (Hackademy Canada and Communitech). We are leading the work to increase access to technological learning, and to shine a spotlight on tech learning opportunities, organisations, and facilities in the region.
