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PRESS RELEASE

Ottawa, Ontario, August 15, 2024 – Today, Virtual Ventures at 杏吧原创 University announced new funding from , one of Canada鈥檚 leading science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach organizations. As part of Actua鈥檚 national network, Virtual Ventures engages youth through STEM workshops, camps, clubs and special events. Part of this funding comes from a in the Actua network through the Government of Canada鈥檚 Strategic Science Fund, totalling $38.4 million over five years. 

The includes over 40 colleges and universities across the country providing STEM learning opportunities for youth while breaking down barriers to access. Virtual Ventures has been a member of the Actua network since 1994. Through specialized programming, Virtual Ventures engages diverse youth, including Indigenous youth, girls and young women, Black youth, youth facing socio-economic challenges and youth from other equity-deserving communities in programming that builds essential employability skills and confidence. In addition to the Government of Canada, Actua deeply values its esteemed industry partners whose long-term investment has been and continues to be essential in our collective mission to equip and inspire youth to lead Canada鈥檚 future science and innovation economy. 

鈥淓ach year, the Actua network engages 375,000 youth in 600 communities across the country. Virtual Ventures at 杏吧原创 University is an integral part of this national impact and together, we will continue to relentlessly remove barriers so that all youth can be engaged in STEM,” said Jennifer Flanagan, CEO of Actua.

Funding is only one part of the support provided to Virtual Ventures from Actua. In addition to significant investments such as the one announced today, Actua provides day-to-day support, training, professional development and best-practice resources in STEM outreach. Additionally, Actua is the national voice representing the local network to advance STEM engagement, diversity and inclusion within science culture in Canada. 

杏吧原创 Virtual Ventures

杏吧原创 University鈥檚 Virtual Ventures is a network member of Actua. The award-winning not-for-profit organization offers nationally recognized technology and engineering programs for youth between the ages of 4-18. Programs run through Virtual Ventures include summer camp, fall and winter clubs, school outreach workshops, InSTEM (Indigenous Youth in STEM) programs and Girls Outreach Events. Virtual Ventures provides the youth of Ottawa with stimulating experiences in all aspects of computers, information technology, engineering, and science. Virtual Ventures will mark its 30th year of operation in 2024.

杏吧原创 Actua

Actua is a leading Canadian science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach organization. Each year, the Actua network engages over 375,000 youth in 600 communities across Canada in transformative STEM learning experiences that build critical skills and confidence. Actua focuses on engaging equity-deserving youth through specialized programs for Indigenous youth, girls and young women, Black youth, youth facing economic barriers and youth living in Northern and remote communities. Its major funding partners include the Government of Canada, RBC Foundation, Suncor Energy Foundation, TD Bank Group, Google.org, Toyota Canada Foundation, Enbridge, Cenovus, CIBC Foundation, Coveo, Scotiabank, Mastercard and Imperial. For more information, visit . 

Contact Information

Alexandra Sebben
Manager, Communications
Faculty of Engineering and Design, 杏吧原创 University
alexandra.sebben@carleton.ca  

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杏吧原创鈥檚 Virtual Ventures (VV), a network member of, celebrated two major milestones in 2024鈥攊ts 30th anniversary and reaching over 100,000 youth through its award-winning programming!

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A dream and a team of four engineering students.

That鈥檚 what it took to start Virtual Ventures, the award-winning not-for-profit organization run under 杏吧原创 University鈥檚 Faculty of Engineering and Design. This year, we鈥檙e celebrating the organization鈥檚 30th anniversary, and are reflecting on the past three decades of accomplishments.  

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On November 18, Virtual Ventures hosted its third Power Up event as part of Actua鈥檚 Revving Up Diversity in the Automotive Sector project at the Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa. This event engaged high school youth with an immersive exploration of electric vehicles (EVs) and sustainable energy.

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Throughout 2023, the Faculty of Engineering and Design (FED) has moved forward on its commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) just as 杏吧原创 has continued its EDI commitments across the university as a whole.

The 杏吧原创 University EDI Action Plan touches on every aspect of the institution. This allowed FED the chance to create its own tailored plan to identify concrete actions toward tangible outcomes that directly impact its staff, leadership, students and communities.

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Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education is an essential foundation for future career success and Actua is passionate about ensuring all youth in Canada have it. However, not all youth in Canada have equal access to STEM education, nor do all youth feel welcomed within it.

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From July 11-21, Actua and its network member Virtual Ventures at 杏吧原创 University is delivering the Mashkikiikaagen Indigenous Youth in STEM (InSTEM) Land Summit, which brings together Indigenous high-school youth and educators in a culturally relevant, for-credit learning experience that aligns Indigenous Knowledge and STEM.

The summit welcomes a group of Indigenous high-school youth and teachers from across Ontario and is being delivered as part of Virtual Ventures for-credit Indigenous land camp at the Thompson Island Cultural Camp in Akwesasne First Nation, which is supported by CIFAR, Enbridge and Shopify. It will feature Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers from four cultural backgrounds -Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Blackfoot and Cree 鈥� who support the Actua team in delivering culturally relevant STEM activities that build critical skills and confidence.

Over the ten-day camp, youth will build an Indigenous encampment consisting of traditional structures, such as a Haudenosaunee longhouse, a Blackfoot tipi, a Cree Meechwaap and a sweat lodge, and participate in related STEM activities provided by Indigenous cultural specialists and STEM professionals. These activities, such as the Tipis to Telescopes and others, focus on how new and emerging technology, like artificial intelligence, can be used to impact our daily lives and help participants make connections between modern science and traditional Indigenous Knowledge.

Upon completion of the camp, participating youth will be eligible to receive a high school credit. These Actua-issued credits are recognized by the Ontario Ministry of Education and count towards a student鈥檚 Ontario Secondary School Diplomas.

“By administering high school credits to youth participating in land-based learning, Actua hopes to improve participation and graduation rates among Indigenous youth.”

In addition to the land camp for youth, the summit engages educators in , designed to help educators learn how to incorporate Indigenous land-based knowledge into their classrooms. The four-day program is designed, developed and delivered by Indigenous community leaders, Knowledge Keepers and STEM content practitioners. Together, they work to advance reconciliation in western education by reaffirming that Indigenous Knowledge plays a crucial role in STEM and by grounding content in the community鈥檚 unique cultural and educational priorities.

鈥淭he success of Actua鈥檚 existing InSTEM program and the impacts communicated by our Indigenous community partners have produced a growing demand for even more training opportunities for youth and teachers interested in pursuing and applying Indigenous land-based STEM knowledge,鈥� says Jennifer Flanagan, CEO, Actua. 鈥淭his summit aims to address this demand and make an even deeper impact as we work to move the dial on Indigenous participation in STEM.鈥�

鈥淚n delivering the initial pilot of Actua鈥檚 InSTEM Land Camp in 2017 and by continuing to provide this impactful program every summer, Virtual Ventures has developed strong relationships with Thompson Island Cultural Camp in Akwesasne,鈥� says Christine Riddell, Executive Director of Virtual Ventures.

The summit is part of Actua鈥檚 national InSTEM program, which annually engages 35,000 Indigenous across 200 First Nations, Inuit, and M茅tis communities in culturally-relevant STEM experiences that allow participants to recognize and celebrate their existing cultural knowledge as Indigenous Peoples.

Over the years, the program has resulted in systemic impact by improving educational outcomes for Indigenous youth and contributing to the growing recognition that Indigenous Knowledge is equal to and often forms the basis of what we today call STEM.

杏吧原创 Virtual Ventures

Virtual Ventures is a not-for-profit organization run under the Faculty of Engineering and Design at 杏吧原创 University that offers nationally recognized science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programming for youth in the Ottawa region ranging from those who have completed junior kindergarten up to students in grade 12. Initiatives run through Virtual Ventures include summer camps, fall and winter clubs, school outreach workshops, InSTEM (Indigenous Youth in STEM) programs, Girls Outreach Events and more.

杏吧原创 Actua

is Canada’s largest science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach organization representing over . Each year, Actua’s growing network of member organizations engages over 350,000 young Canadians in 500 communities nationwide in transformative STEM learning experiences that build critical skills and confidence. Actua focuses on engaging underrepresented youth through specialized programs for Indigenous youth, girls and young women, at-risk youth, and youth living in Northern and remote communities. Its major funding partners include the Government of Canada, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, RBC Foundation, the Suncor Energy Foundation, Protein Industries Canada, TD Bank Group, Toyota Canada Foundation, Enbridge, Microsoft Canada, NCR Foundation and Imperial.

Media Contact:

Katrina King
Director of Communications
Actua
613-234-4137
katrina.king@actua.ca

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