Toyota Canada Foundation Announces New Funding For Actua And Its Fall Maker Mobile Tour
Toyota Canada Foundation announced continued support of Actua through a $200,000 investment.
Toyota’s donation will support the engagement of underserved youth across Canada and the launch of Actua’s Fall Maker Mobile tour. The announcement was made by Leslie Miller, Toyota Canada Foundation Board Member, at a special workshop where local Ottawa students were given a sneak peek of the interactive innovation experiences the Maker Mobile will be bringing to youth this Fall.
“The Toyota Canada Foundation invests in national STEM education outreach programs focused on encouraging more youth from underrepresented segments of the population to pursue an education and career in this area,” said Miller. “We’re proud to be providing funding for Actua’s Maker Mobile program as it connects face-to-face with thousands of rural, remote and indigenous youth, engaging them to imagine and innovate, and inspiring them to consider an education and career in science, technology, engineering or math.”
Actua’s Maker Mobile is a moving maker space that allows participants to experiment with hands-on learning and to create their own innovations. The current Maker Mobile tour will visit 20 communities and engage 2,500 youth across Ontario and Northern Quebec through digital and STEM-related experiences. A significant priority for the project is to engage underrepresented youth audiences including girls, Indigenous youth and those with socioeconomic challenges.
“After an incredibly successful delivery of Actua’s national Canada 150 Signature Maker Mobile tour in 2017, Actua is thrilled to hit the road with Toyota Canada Foundation again to deliver more inspiring opportunities in innovation to youth,” said Jennifer Flanagan, CEO, Actua. “For Canada to develop a digitally literate and innovative workforce, we need to plant the seeds early on. Toyota’s re-investment will help Actua build STEM and employability skills that will ensure youth are prepared to lead and support Canada’s place on the world stage.”
The Toyota Canada Foundation funding will also support the engagement of underrepresented youth through specialized national programs including 35,000 Indigenous youth, 10,000 girls and young women in high impact all-girls programming, and 35,000 at-risk youth.
