A Digital Community Event

From Accelerating Auckland

MĀNGERE DIGITAL EVENT EXPECTED TO ATTRACT 3000

We are pushing aside books at Māngere Town Centre Library on April 11th to make room for digital devices and a whole lot of free workshops on how they work.

Many of us know how to send a text or take a photo from our phones but far too often the skills stop there. That can be a problem when, these days, the confident, critical and creative use of ICT is just as important for getting a job as reading, writing and arithmetic used to be.

Māngere’s ‘Park Jam‘ builds on the highly successful Otara Park Jam (2014) where nearly 1500 locals tried their hand at everything from beat making to game design and digital art.

For the Māngere programme organisers Accelerating Auckland have partnered with Auckland Libraries, the Town Centre, Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board along with local education providers and Creatives, including University of Waikato, AwhiWorld, Coconut Wireless, Good Seed Trust, NZSE, The S.M.A.R.T.B.U.S NZ! from Fountain of Knowledge Trust, Auckland Council Early Childhood Services and Eyes Wide Open Web Design. Critical contributions in Park Jam’s delivery are a set of 30 Galaxy Notes provided by Samsung and a large number of sausages sponsored by the wonderful folk at Five Star Pork.

Around 3,000 locals are expected along to enjoy a fun-filled day including local performances from Adeaze, Southmade and Fresh Movement, free sausages, face painting and even a bouncy castle! More than 10 different digital workshops will include leading edge tech like Augmented Reality, “Social Media for Nannies”, Gaming making, 3D printing, Stop Motion animation and Web Design….and preschoolers are going to be really excited when they check out the S.M.A.R.T.B.U.S.

The following week, workshops continue with Geek Camp for Year 7-8 students from Robertson Road School and Good Seed Trust’s Holiday programme. Feedback from the Māngere Community has been enthusiastic:

Coconut Wireless Founder and Managing Director, Mary Aue: “We can’t wait to share these workshops with our awesome tech savvy Māngere community” Māngere Town Centre Library Manager, Sonia Munro: “We are really excited about Māngere Park Jam –as it is focused on informing people about the options and opportunities available in the digital space” Māngere Town Centre Manager Dave Fearon: “The Town Centre is really pleased to be participating in this work supporting our locals to navigate digital pathways to the future” Leading the programme is NGO Accelerating Aotearoa Inc, working hard to support Choices for Aucklanders through digital skills as the foundation for skilled work.

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Further Information

ABOUT THE ACCELERATING AUCKLAND PROGRAMME

Plentiful jobs and high wages are offered by the growing technology sector but many South Aucklanders do not have access to the infrastructure or the skill sets to participate.

Accelerating Aotearoa has established the Accelerating Auckland programme to address this issue by supporting oung Aucklanders – focusing on those most in need – to prepare and qualify for works this lucrative and rapidly growing employment opportunity.

Accelerating Auckland is improving learning success within early learning facilities, schools, tertiaries and across communities. Together we’re opening up possibilities for South Auckland youth to access the lucrative work opportunities in the technology sector. Supported by Auckland Council’s “Digital Leadership Forum”, delivery is made possible by an innovative collaboration of nearly 40 organisations and over 100 volunteers. In 2014 Accelerating Auckland reached 2000 South Aucklanders; in 2015 they are aiming to reach 18,000 more with plans in place to reach 100,000 by 2020.

Website:  www.acceleratingauckland.co.nz,

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/accelakl

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A great initiative to help the youth in the South to being able to connect with the digital work which encompasses the 21st Century.

I am hoping to make it to Park Jam 2015 to see the wonderful opportunities and experiences at the event and of course (hopefully) be able to tell their stories experiencing the Park Jam 2015.