Awards to Encourage Young People to Develop Coding Skills

Applications invited for projects to help children and young people learn about IT and coding during the EU Code Week 2018.

One-off awards of €500 are available to not-for-profit organisations as part of the Meet and Code initiative, a European-wide programme which aims to introduce children and young people between the ages of 8 and 24 to the world of technology and coding. Funded and supported by German-based software corporation SAP and partners Haus des Stiftens gGmbHnd and TechSoup Europe, Meet and Code events are held to bring young people together and show them how much fun coding can be and how IT affects their daily lives.

Different social groups such as schools, IT professionals, companies or computer clubs may plan and deliver an event but to receive the funding, the event promoter and organiser must be a charitable organisation, such as a school development association.

To be eligible the following applies:

• The event must take place during EU Code Week which is 6 to 21 October 2018.
• Every event must address at least 20 (there is no upper limit) children and young people aged between 8 and 24.
• Attendance at an event funded by the Meet and Code initiative must be free for participants.
• The event is initiated, managed and run by the submitting non-profit organisation.
• Direct and indirect funding resources are only used for the submitted project and charitable purposes.

Eligible project themes are as follows:

• Kick and Code – Meet and Code events that either seek to solve a football-related problem with IT or use football as a topic to bring coding to children.
• Innovation – Meet and Code events that either develop and promote creative teaching methods and/or explore current IT/digital topics.
• Diversity – Meet and Code events that use IT or other digital topics to address and reduce inequalities present in their community or general society.

Organisations can submit more than one event idea, provided their submissions can show significantly different projects, and all event ideas should be planned within the framework of the EU Code Week guidelines.

The following are ineligible for funding:

• Events not developed and implemented in one of the participating countries.
• Political or religious initiatives.
• Projects benefiting only individuals.
• Projects not related to Meet and Code.

In addition, for 2018 the best event ideas in each of the three eligible themes above will be presented at the closing event at the SAP headquarters in Germany. Five finalists for each category will be invited to attend the award closing event and those winning first place in each category will receive additional prize money of €2,500.

Further details can be found on the Meet and Code website.

The deadline for applications is 15 September 2018.

Full details…