The GOODS from Chinatown House

Vancouver, BC | This summer, technology-curious individuals of all ages are invited to visit Chinatown House’s Community Digital Lab (188 East Pender Street). Launched with the generous support of Microsoft and the Vancouver Computer Graphic Society (VCGA), the Community Digital Lab offers free programming, workshops, and mentor-led labs in July and August for kids and adults in the DTES.

“Technology is such a huge part of our society today, and it is up to organizations such as ourselves to offer programming to those who are interested but may not otherwise have the means to access it,” says Minna Van, executive director of Chinatown House. “I’m proud of the team for helping this dream come to fruition. Part of the proceeds to get this up and running came from our Ca Phe Vietnamese Coffee House pop-up. I hope the courses, workshops, and lab time really invigorate the community to go after their own interest in tech.”

The Community Digital Lab represents a new kind of learning where kids, youth, and adult mentors work together on projects using technology to explore, experiment and express in new ways. The Lab will have leading-edge software for participants to create their own artwork, animations, simulations, multimedia presentation, virtual worlds, musical creations, and more.

“We are excited to cultivate this digital community through a culturally diverse team of professional mentors from industry to help bring new project ideas to Community Digital Lab,” says Nick Romick, president of VCGA. “We see the importance of tapping into the VFX powerhouse we have in Vancouver. For kids and youths who may have never talked to a professional who has made the movies or games they have seen or play, this opportunity may be a pivotal experience.”

Kids program include:

Code Own Video Game with MakeCode Arcade
Make Your Own Movies with 3D and Mixed Reality
STEM Workshop – Soccer Celebration

Youth and Adult programs include:

A six-part workshop series to help participants learn the tools to achieve more with job search and prepare for a thriving career by creating a solid foundation of skills in the Office tools that will be used every day in both the office and at home.

During lab hours, people can work with mentors in a variety of different topics in technology, such as gaming, film, virtual reality, and augmented reality.

For more details about each workshop, please visit chinatownhouse.ca/community-digital-lab Chinatown House is currently giving organizations, such as Exchange Inner City, and groups in DTES priority in registering for workshops before it is announced publicly on July 1, 2019. Interested participants can email chinatown [at] westcoastfoundation.org for more information and/or to register.

About Chinatown House | Chinatown House is founded by an alliance of entrepreneurs, urban designers, cultural curators and nonprofit organizations with the shared goal of building a Chinatown that is vibrant, culturally and financially sustainable and accessible to all. Chinatown House is a space that facilitates community building by hosting panel discussions and workshops with a mission to sustain ownership of Chinatown’s future by protecting, conserving and growing Chinatown’s creative culture through arts, culture and technology. For more information, please visit www.chinatownhouse.ca.

Chinatown House

Neighbourhood: Chinatown

188 East Pender St.

604-716-9020

WEBSITE