The UK organisation for the business of Open Technology

• 1200 Digitally excluded young people will receive Gloves complete with micro:bit 2’s
• 100 Schools and Community groups will each receive 30 Gloves
• 800 children will receive a Glove

14 September 2021 – OpenUK today announced its 2021 Kids Digital Glove Giveaway, sharing 5000 Digital Gloves, sustainably made in the UK, and sponsored by Nominet and the Open Data Institute.  With a focus on engaging children in practical open source software coding, whilst teaching the Open Source Definition and the Sustainable Development Goals, the course builds on OpenUK’s 2020 Summer Camp. It aligns with the Key Stage 3 Curriculum across the UK, by providing ten fun, animated lessons and an accompanying digital magazine exploring open data, sustainability, collaboration and diversity whilst featuring insights from industry experts and organisations.

This year, the giveaway has been designed to engage 100 schools and community groups in the Digital Camp experience; OpenUK will provide 30 Digital Gloves to each of these groups, and organise a competition after the Camp. In addition to the gloves distributed to schools across the UK, OpenUK will also give the opportunity for 800 kids to apply for a pair of Gloves.

“Last year, I mentored kids doing the first OpenUK Kids Camp and saw for myself that practical coding activities are essential to link theory to something that kids can engage with and understand. I was in my first year at Cambridge when the opportunity to step up and be this year’s Creative Director for the OpenUK Kids Course came about. It’s been hard work and a massive learning curve, but I hope my relative youth has made the course even more relatable for young people,” said this year’s Creative Director, and second year Robinson College, Cambridge student Lowena Hull. 

With a clear focus on digital inclusion, OpenUK is providing the Digital Gloves complete with micro:bit 2’s, for 1200 young people, focusing on those who have benefited from the provision of tablets and laptops through lockdown. Without this support they would not have the opportunity to take part. 

“Digital inclusion is critical for all young people in the UK. I am extremely proud we can support this at OpenUK, as we teach kids appropriate skills for a future in technology. Supporting the UK’s leadership in open source software will help create the next generation of technologists and business people and build their understanding of relevant technology,” said Amanda Brock, CEO OpenUK

“The power of Open Technology can and should be shared with those living in digital poverty. With it, we can create a more digitally inclusive and flourishing society,” said OpenUK Digital Inclusion Lead, Ashleigh Monagle.

“No one should get left behind in our digital world. Digital inclusion has to include everyone – from school children getting an online education, working adults being able to use the tools to do their job, to pensioners accessing digital services. This reality can happen with everyone #joiningthedots, and the tech industry has a role to play in not only supplying the hardware and software, but in supporting education for everyone to have the necessary digital skills to be part of it. OpenUK have been taking a leadership role in this and their second camp will be educationally valuable at key stage 3 whilst allowing kids to enjoy doing coding,” added Freddie Quek, Chief Technology Officer, Times Higher Education and Founder of Joining the Dots. 

The Digital Kids Camp, sponsored by Red Hat, will commence on 27th September, with Lesson One of the fun animated course and accompanying digital ezine. Lessons will be shared weekly (excluding half term) until December 2021. The course will be followed by a competition from December to February 2022.  Both the course and competition require a glove and micro:bit to take part.

OpenUK will be hosting an education dome in its COP26 Open Technology and Sustainability Day on 11th November at COP26 at the Skypark Fringe. The organisation is also working on creating both an Apprenticeship Knowledge Module and High School Certification in Open Source Software / Open Technology.

The UK supports a range of companies that are involved in open source, from those headquartered in the UK that are growing internationally around open source, through to individuals working for international enterprises that invest in open source software. The UK is Europe’s biggest contributor to open source software and these contributions add up to a vibrant open source software business ecosystem that is part of a globally collaborative community. Despite its status as a global centre of excellence, there is a shortage of skills in this ever growing space and OpenUK hopes that supporting the education of future technologists through its Kids Camp can engage and inspire kids into coding and contribution.  

The OpenUK glove kit giveaway will go live at 10am Tuesday 7th September and to order a free glove and learn more about the Digital Kids Camp visit openuk.uk/openkidscamp

About OpenUK

OpenUK is the UK’s organisation for the business of Open Technology developing UK leadership and global collaboration in Open Technology  being open source software, open hardware and open data. As the UK advocacy body representing Open Technology, it advocates for the use and development of Open technology and associated services while interacting with law and policy makers. As an industry organisation, OpenUK gives its participants greater influence than they could ever achieve alone.

It encourages technology collaboration between businesses, public sector organisations, government and communities to expand the opportunities available to all around Open Technology on a global basis. It is building a visible community, and using that community’s impact to ensure that the UK’s laws and policies work for Open whilst promoting learning in Open Technology. 

OpenUK is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, company number 11209475.

Contact:

Mark Kember

onebite for OpenUK

+44 (0)1635 887707

openuk@onebite.co.uk