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Meet and Code 2024: Unleash Youths’ Coding Potential with Free Resources

Calling all tech educators and nonprofit organizations (NPOs)! Gear up for Meet and Code 2024, Europe's favorite program igniting a passion for technology in children and young people.

#MeetandCode #DigitalSkills #DigitalImpact
03.05.2024

Mark your calendars. Applications for event funding open on May 22nd, 2024. Bring your creative digital skills workshops to life and inspire the next generation of coders.

If you’re new to Meet and Code, here’s what we’re all about. We support NPOs through funding of €500 and know how to host fun and engaging events showcasing the power of coding and digital skills and how it fuels innovation. Participants will be given the opportunity to dive into the exciting world of digital education, explore its impact on our daily lives, and gain valuable skills for careers of the future.

Whose behind Meet and Code? A dream team! Haus des Stiftens, TechSoup Europe, and country partners from TechSoup network joined forces with Amazon, our primary donor. Through the framework of Amazon Future Engineer, Amazon supports Meet and Code through financial muscle and expertise.

Ready to get involved? Now’s your time to shine!

  • Who can participate? NPOs, schools, IT professionals, companies, computer clubs, libraries, among others can all design events for children and youth. However, the event organizer needs to be a charitable organization to secure funding. 
  • Event ideas? Think hackathons, coding workshops, lectures, film screenings, coding competitions, robotics classes – the possibilities are endless! 
  • Event formats? Choose in-person, online, or even a hybrid approach to suit your needs. 
  • Where's the action? We're sparking imaginations across 13 European countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. 
  • How to apply? Submit your event proposals online at www.meet-and-code.org between May 22 and September 30, 2024. Organizations can submit multiple ideas, and the best ones will be chosen by the local partners in each country. Successful applicants will receive a grant of €500 to support their event. 
  • Event timeframe? Meet and Code events can take place between June 17th and October 31st, 2024.
But wait, there's more:

Amazon Future Engineer is here to supercharge your events with free educational resources. Explore a treasure trove of materials, from teaching and learning Python to Coding for Climate Action projects. Engage students with interactive virtual career tours that explain computer science concepts in real-world contexts, like algorithms, cloud computing, and machine learning. Inspire future career paths with virtual tours that showcase the exciting world of tech.
  • Learn more about the free resources here
  • Looking for more inspiration? Check out our Meet and Code Inspiration Library here. 
Additionally, we are hosting free webinars with a focus on Python in May:

Python is the most widely used language in the IT world. What does that mean? Millions of people use it for all sorts of things. In our May webinars, geared at workshops hosted in different languages, look at different gamified resources you can use for learning and teaching Python coding.  
 
  1. Teaching to Code in Python and Blockly with Citizen Code Python  
Wednesday, May 15th, 3.00 pm – 4.00 pm (GMT); 4.00 pm – 5.00 pm (CEST)

Hosted by TRALALERE, this session explores Citizen Code Python, a free game for learning Python and Blockly coding, offered in partnership between Amazon Future Engineer, TRALALERE, and France-ioi. The program is perfect for classes for ages 9-17 and can be used in classrooms or workshops by educators seeking a fun way to teach Python and Blockly.

During the webinar, we will explore the different features of Citizen Code Python and the different ways in which the product can be used. For example, we will unpack how it can be used in various settings such as in school classes or workshop groups or, how teachers, educators and trainers can use it to teach Python and Blockly. 
 
After a short introduction, we will take a deep dive into the different features, followed by a Q&A session with TRALALERE.

The workshop will be held in English and is ideal for organizers and educators teaching in French and Dutch.

Join the webinar hosted by Hugo Derri, Program Manager at TRALALERE to learn more and integrate Citizen Code Python into your teaching. Register here.  
 
  1. Learn To Engage Your Students with Turinglab - The Free Python Platform for Educators  
Thursday, May 16th, 2024, at 3.30 pm -4.30 pm GMT; 4.30 pm -5.30 pm CEST

This webinar dives into TuringLab, a free platform supported by Amazon Future Engineer, designed to make Python learning fun and engaging for secondary school students. The platform offers well-structured learning modules, gamified elements, critical thinking & problem-solving skills development, and easy monitoring tools for educators.

During the webinar, we will introduce Turinglab's Python Coding Courses and how the platform can support teaching programming within an educational environment. We will also cover an environmentally focused Python coding series, and lightly touch on various short courses available.

The webinar will be hosted in English and is ideal for educators and workshop organizers teaching in German, Spanish, Italian, and English.

Co-founders of Turinglab Henry Lake and Sam Green will begin with a short introduction to the platform, including its content, the various tools it offers, and how you can use them. Following this, there will be a longer Q&A session with them. You are welcome to submit your questions in advance when registering for the webinar, and please note that you can access the platform in your language below: 
  Register here!

Keep an eye on our Capacity Building Page for more information and the upcoming webinars. 
Get ready for Meet and Code 2024, explore the Amazon Future Engineer resources, and find inspiration in our Inspiration Library. Let's ignite the next generation of tech enthusiasts and digital experts.

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Meet and Code 2024 is nearly here!