Actua Receives Grant from Google.org to Expand its Cyber Smart Project
Press Release
Ottawa, Ontario - October 4, 2022
Today, Google.org announced Actua will receive a grant of over $670,000 to expand its Engage. Empower. Connect (E2C) cyber smart project that empowers youth from vulnerable groups with the skills, awareness and confidence to be cyber smart.
The announcement was made by Google’s President of Global Affairs, Kent Walker, at Actua’s national office as part of a roundtable discussion on bolstering online safety in Canada, which brought together representatives from key sectors, including media literacy, anti-hate, technology and cyber-security.
“We are incredibly grateful for Google.org’s commitment to our cyber smart project that empowers youth to explore, create and connect safely online.” says Jennifer Flanagan, CEO, Actua. “With the rapid acceleration in digital transformation, young people in Canada are online now more than ever. Google’s funding will help us equip diverse youth populations with the skills and confidence to critically assess online interactions, avert online threats, and safely use technology and participate in its design.”
Over the next two years, Actua will scale up its Engage. Empower. Connect (E2C) cyber smart project across Canada to support more youth in becoming proactive digital citizens equipped with the skills and confidence to use technology in innovative, healthy and safe ways. Actua will engage 30,000 youth in programming that will build digital skills and cyber safety awareness with a focus on engaging youth who do not normally have access to these experiences.
Actua’s goal is to create a new cyber smart generation ready to embrace the challenges of the digital age.
“As our digital economy continues to expand and accelerate, we need to support programs like Actua’s E2C cyber smart project to help ensure that Canadian youth have the skills and confidence they need to safely navigate the online world,” says Sabrina Geremia, VP & Country Manager, Google Canada.
To learn more about this announcement, we invite you to read the following press release and blog post issued by Google.org, which contains an interview with Actua’s CEO, Jennifer Flanagan.
Participants of the roundtable discussion. From left to right: Richard Marceau, Vice President, External Affairs and General Counsel, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Kathryn Ann Hill, Executive Director, MediaSmarts, Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs, Google and Alphabet, Jennifer Flanagan, President and CEO, Actua, Pam Damoff, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, Stephen Brown, CEO, National Council of Canadian Muslims and Laura Berger, Staff Lawyer, Canadian Civil Liberties Association
About Actua
Actua is Canada’s largest science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach organization representing over 40 university and college-based members. Each year, Actua’s growing network of member organizations engages over 350,000 young people 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.
Contact Information
Katrina King
Director of Communications, Actua
111 Murray Street, Ottawa, ON, K1N 5M5
Tel: (613) 234-4137 Fax: (613) 234-4779
Email: katrina.king@actua.ca