Ontario Science Centre: Flemingdon Park After-School Robotics Club

http://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/

The Flemingdon Park After-School Robotics Club initiative engaged 10 youth ages 11-18 in a six-week training program in robotics. Using a "train-the-trainer" model, Ontario Science Centre staff taught youth how to deliver and facilitate workshops in science and technology to their peers.

YCF funding enabled OSC to provide tool-kits and equipment for the youth to bring to their own workshops. Upon completion of the training program, the youth leaders then led an 8-week workshop in three local schools, engaging an additional 80 young people and their parents. Youth now lead after-school robotics programs in their schools, as a continuation of the workshops they originally ran as part of the initiative.
Youth are being introduced to a more hands-on experience of science and technology that engages them more effectively than traditional classroom methods have. This initiative is a strong example of community engagement and leadership capacity building in youth from Flemingdon Park/Victoria Village.