Future City| Glasgow is inviting the innovators of tomorrow to try their hands at computer programming this summer. A range of Future Makers activities, including coding, will be on offer for youngsters aged five to 17.
Older children will be shown how to build a website or a computer game and will also get the chance to experiment with wearable technology like a hoodie with sensors which monitor the wearer's activity levels. Children aged five plus and their parents will be encouraged to learn about the concepts behind computing through play at drop-in sessions in June. The other workshops will take place between June and September.
Glasgow Science Centre and Coderdojo Scotland are collaborating with Future City | Glasgow on the project which aims to give youngsters a taste of skills which could set them up for life in a technology driven society.
Future City | Glasgow is a £24million programme which is demonstrating how technology can make life in the city smarter, safer and more sustainable. Glasgow beat 29 other cities to win the funding from the Technology Strategy Board, the UK Government's innovation agency, and is now in the midst of developing a range of technical solutions to tackle issues on the themes of energy, transport, public safety and health.
Hundreds of children will be able to take advantage of the Future Makers sessions which will be staffed by Coderdojo mentors and other experts.
There will be three informal drop-in sessions at Hillhead Library on Byres Road on Saturday June 14; the People's Palace, Glasgow Green, on Sunday June 15 and at Scotland Street Museum on Sunday June 22. Booking will be required for all the other sessions at venues including Glasgow Science Centre, the Bridge in Easterhouse and Scotland Street Museum.
All workshop plans and training materials will also be available for free on the Open Glasgow website at the end of summer to enable other interested groups to stage similar events in the future.
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Future City Glasgow, said: "Today's young people are the innovators of tomorrow and these days, even as toddlers, children begin playing with technology like mobile phones or tablets. We hope to harness children's natural thirst for knowledge by introducing them at an early age to skills which will serve them well in later life.
"Having a skilled workforce is crucial to retaining a competitive edge and people have always been Glasgow's greatest asset. By providing free coding classes for youngsters we are creating opportunities which could fuel an existing interest or highlight an aptitude which could lead to an exciting profession in later life. This not only benefits the city's economy but is also great for innovation and individuals."
Pupils from Cuthbertson Primary School helped Councillor Matheson announce the Future Makers project at Scotland Street School. Pictured with Cllr Matheson are Muskaan Ali (7yrs), Faatimah Sajjad (6yrs), Chloe Neale (6yrs), Bilal Hassan (7yrs); Mohid Mahfooz (6yrs) and Usaid Ahmed (6yrs).
Parents can find out more about the events and book places at http://open.glasgow.gov.uk/futuremakers