Students from a Liverpool school are today supporting the launch of a new international coding platform.
As part of International Girls in ICT Day pupils at the Academy of St Francis of Assisi will be linking up virtually with girls in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya who have been learning digital skills whilst in the camp with the support of international technology initiative iamtheCODE.
The council has formed a partnership with iamtheCODE to support the council’s aims to reduce the city’s digital divide and to provide opportunities for older people to develop new skills.
Today’s link up between the young people is part of a wider online event to launch a digital learning platform that can be accessed free by anyone in the world.
The platform takes learners though a 12-week course where they learn four coding languages – HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Python – and also have access to a range of other skills content.
Coding clubs supported by iamtheCODE are being set up by schools across Liverpool and community learning opportunities are also being developed which will use iamtheCODE’s digital learning platform.
iamtheCODE’s founder Lady Mariéme Jamme is also supporting girls at Childwall Valley Primary school to record regular podcasts.
Cllr Tom Logan, cabinet member for education and skills, said:
“This is a great opportunity for two groups of young people with very different life experiences to meet up and share their goals for the future.
“The digital platform is a significant step forward in the way people can learn these valuable skills and we’re honoured that a Liverpool school has been chosen to be part of the global launch.
“We’re very excited by what the platform can bring to learners in Liverpool and we are working hard on how we can support learners to have the very best learning experience.”