Rogers Communications : 4 questions with Canada Learning Code, a Ted Rogers Community Grant recipient

We've partnered with Canada Learning Code to provide a grant of $150,000 over three years to support its Teens Learning Code program. The organization is dedicated to advancing digital literacy for everyone and focuses on communities underrepresented in the tech sector.

Rogers recently attended the 2018 Teen Learning Code Hackathons in Toronto and Saskatoon. The event is a 3-day learning experience for female-identified, trans, and non-binary youth ages 13-17. We got to chat with the organization to learn more about its mission:

1. How do the educational programs at Canada Learning Code support youth in Canada?
Across Canada, only 4 out of 13 provinces and territories have mandated coding in their kindergarten to grade 12 curriculum. Our programming is bridging that gap to make sure that all Canadians - particularly women, girls, people with disabilities, Indigenous youth and newcomers - have access to the knowledge they need to prosper in our digital world. We envision a prosperous Canada in which all people have the knowledge and confidence to harness the power of technology to achieve economic and personal fulfillment.

2. What inspired your organization to host the national Teens Learning Code Hackathon?
Our Teens Learning Code Hackathon was designed after taking a close look at existing hackathons, and not many are . designed with teens in mind. We wanted to offer a Hackathon Experience for teens that included a focus on design thinking, solving problems that teens cared about, gaining an understanding of problems before diving in to creating solutions - and the learning journey throughout the process.

3. In what ways will the Ted Rogers Community Grant make a difference for Canada Learning Code programs?
Empowering teens to change the world by using technology to solve problems is at the heart of our Teens Learning Code program. We are so grateful for the support of the Ted Rogers Community Grants program to help us expand Teens Learning Code to support 5,000 learners over the next three years. By supporting our annual Teens Learning Code Hackathons, we can ensure more participants work together to build a tool that leverages the power of technology to make real change in their community. More teens can also gain the skills and confidence, through hands-on workshops, mentorship from industry experts, and peer collaboration, to become creators, and not just consumers of technology.

4. Can you share an example of someone who has benefited from the program?
Sixteen-year-old Mathurah Ravigulan is the Chief Product Officer of myCryptoHippo, a cryptocurrency trade simulator designed to make it easy and accessible for all. Mathurah was involved in our Teen Learning Code program. Here's what she had to say about her experience:
"Being a Teens Learning Code learner has given me the chance to meet new people who share similar interests and its opened doors to different opportunities. The Teens Learning Code Hackathon has opened my mind to the world of technology, and it teaches girls how to hack problems so we can create our own start-ups in the future. The workshops are presented in a fun, teen-friendly way, and overall the environment of Teens Learning Code is friendly and engaging. This has helped me realize that a high-level career in business and technology is possible."
- Mathurah

For more information on our other national partnerships, visit our