Although HiveWR is closing its doors, many organizations have sprung up addressing digital literacy and digital inclusion in Waterloo Region. Here are some of the ones we know about. Workshops and Training Several organizations offer paid workshops, training and camps related to STEM. The following organizations offer most of their programs for children, but there are occasionally adult programs too. Mindful Makers Tinker Truck Brickworks Academy STEMOTICS The Underground Studio at THEMUSEUM The following organizations offer most of their programs for adults, but sometimes hold child-centred events: Self-directed Computer Training at The Working Centre Canada Learning Code Binary Tattoo: focuses on privacy and digital identity, with content both for children and adults Each of the local library systems also has extensive programming related to digital inclusion and literacy, including 1-1 computer support and different classes. Most of these activities are free of charge. The links below are to (often very […]
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“Girls can’t be what they can’t see”- a call for female mentors
Dealing with bias and stereotypes can be devastating, but mentors are like “social vaccines,” says psychology professor Nilanjana Dasgupta in a recent issue of The Atlantic, “They inoculate the mind against the stultifying effects of negative stereotypes.” It’s no secret that girls are being bombarded from every angle with messages telling them who they should and should not be. What size, what they should be into, and what they should want for themselves. The girls we work with at The W frequently tell us stories about how they feel out of place in science class, how they aren’t given the same opportunities to participate as boys, and about how they are told that instead of engineering, they should pick a career that “better suits their gender” (true story! I know — horrifying). That’s why, here at The W, YWCA Cambridge’s collective space for women and girls, we offer free programming […]
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Hive WR Members Working for Equal Access
The April member meetup brought out a passionate group of members and guests who got to learn about the challenges of kids with disabilities using technology, how a program for youth with developmental disabilities is making a difference, the future of digital education and a very personal story about overcoming bias from a white, male programmer. You can view the presentations below, they are all short! Following the Lightning Talks we had a passionate discussion about bias in the tech sector and what we might be able to do about it. There were some amazing ideas, lots of frustrations and yet, hope. We’ll share those ideas soon here on our blog. Meantime, get inspired by these amazing stories! Lyndia Stacey, University of Waterloo The future of education and the tension between digital and analog Dorothy McCabe, KidsAbility The challenges faced by kids with disabilities and an ask for new eye […]
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Why Build a Hive? The Case For Digital Literacy Today
Over the last four years, Hive Waterloo Region has been evolving into what it is today, and what we envision for our future: a thriving network of individuals and organizations committed to increasing digital literacy in our community, and supporting diversity and equity in our tech sector. We’ve been able to get this far thanks to the support of hundreds of people, not only here but around the world. I’m so grateful for what we’ve been able to achieve thus far, and our team is looking forward to building on those successes. Why is our work so important? I’d like to share with you some comments from Hani, a student in Cambridge Ontario, about why it matters to her: “[It] teaches girls about coding so maybe, they can become programmers when they get older. They teach you things like how to make a website and if you’re making a website, how […]
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