Okanagan鈥檚 youth got a chance to go behind the scenes of the modern age thanks to the United Way Southern Interior B.C.鈥檚 CODEanagan program this month.
The first of this year鈥檚 bootcamps for the tech education program, in partnership with Accelerate Okanagan and Okanagan College, taught how to build a WordPress site from scratch.
The program aims to provide an education for local youths who may face barriers to accessing learning opportunities like this, providing it for no cost and with support to inspire them to explore careers in technology.
鈥淭o watch youth make connections with each other and with potential mentors is priceless, even when we are operating virtually like this,鈥� said Jude Brunt, manager of events & special projects at United Way SIBC.
The 鈥業nfluence Your World workshop ran over the third week of February, and at the end of the two three-hour workshops each of the youth enrolled, who ranged in age from 12 to 21 years-old, had built their own WordPress site and started using it for their blogging.
Students joined the program from Penticton, Vernon, 91大黄鸭, the South Okanagan and even out to the Kootenays.
鈥淚t was wonderful getting to learn from everyone. Once I get a few blogs up and refine the website I learned to build, I鈥檓 going to share it with everyone to increase exposure for my ideas,鈥� said Shael Narayan, a 17-year-old from Oliver.
In 2020, the United Way鈥檚 planned programs had to be postponed due to COVID-19 preventing in-person gatherings. The program was changed to allow for reduced access to shared equipment and materials, but the outreach to youth could cover a wider geographical area once it switched to online content.
Just like in the previous in-person bootcamps, all participants received free pizza both nights via online codes generously donated by Papa Johns Pizza, and all received a Steam online Gift Card at the end in lieu of their usual in-person completion award.
The next set of CODEanagan bootcamps are planned for spring 2021, and updates and availability will be posted on the website at .
To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.
<>
newstips@pentictonwesternnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
