Parents are increasingly becoming concerned about the over usage of technology from their kids, with children constantly being hooked to their digital devices. When the holidays roll round though and parents are at a loss for how to keep their brood entertained, sometimes the ipad seems like the only option!

Code Camp, one of Australia’s fastest growing social impact businesses, wants to advocate  ‘good screen time’, by inspiring and empowering tens of thousands of Aussie school students with the skills of tomorrow by teaching them to code.

Code Camp wants to spread that message that not all screen-time is bad, with the popular Code Camps teaching children how to code to create the iPhone apps of tomorrow, with 92 locations across all capital cities.

Kids will have the opportunity to meet successful tech entrepreneurs, learn the basics of iOS coding, and get to take home their own app on their Apple device!  Kids will also learn how to continue on and turn their creative ideas into downloadable apps.

The camps are run by a group of tech-savvy entrepreneurs who love their work and the opportunity to teach the next generation of coders. In today’s world, being able to code is comparable to having a super power; many people have great app and Start-up ideas, very few can turn those ideas into reality.

Code Camp began in 2014, when tech entrepreneurs Benjamin Levi and Pete Neill met and began a passion project sharing the secrets they’d learned in the startup industry with kids in their local area. As the potential to make a huge impact became clear, Ben and Pete were joined by co-founders Hayley Markham and Daniel Zwolenski, all committed to the cause of helping kids move from digital consumers to creators. Since then, this group of four have together built a business which now employs more than 25 full time and 1,000 casual staff,  and has inspired and taught more than 22,000 Australian school students to design and code iPhone apps, online games, digital worlds, and websites during their school holidays.

Code Camp, now sponsored by Westpac and powered by HP, have taught over 20,000 kids from five to thirteen years old, and are on a mission to inspire and empower 200,000 Australian tech superheroes by 2020.

The camps, which run for three to four days, are fun, collaborative, social, creative, inspiring and engaging school holidays programs providing real outcomes (iPhone and Android apps, and websites) students can proudly share with friends and family across the globe.

Code Camp then continue the fun post-holiday camps, by providing access to their brand new coding platform, Code Camp World, and providing weekly video content and challenges for students to continue on at home.

Today, Code Camp is also becoming involved in in-school teaching, inspiring teachers and co-facilitating in the classroom – providing teachers with the resources and tools to teach the new digital curriculum to primary and secondary students.

Co-founder and Co-CEO Benjamin Levi says, “Learning to code is about more than becoming a developer. It allows students to be creative with technology, develop logical thinking and problem solving skills and an understanding of computational thinking. Through app building, students learn about game design, user experience and the entrepreneurial mindset. These skills can be adapted to any industry.”

Co-founder and Co-CEO Pete Neill, says, “We’re on a mission to inspire future creators; we want to show students they can create anything they can imagine. We aim to show kids that technology creates a life full of excitement, exploration and discovery.”

Co-founder and COO Hayley Markham is most excited about inspiring a generation of female coders and innovators. Code Camp’s aim is to hit a 50/50 gender split between boys and girls. Markham says, “We’re setting out this season to tip the scales back in balance and prove to girls all over the country that they can be coding and digital creative super heroes too!”

Co-founder and CTO Daniel Zwolenski says, “When you’re 8 years old, creating your own game is one step short of getting into Hogwarts. Code Camp allows students to be creative with technology, while developing logical thinking and problem-solving skills. We teach them to be creators of technology, not just passive consumers.”

Code Camp offers four courses over the holidays:

Little League (ages 5-6 yrs)

Spark (Beginner – ages 7-12 yrs)

Ignite (Intermediate – ages 7-12 but a step on for those that have already completed Spark)

Blast (Advanced students only – ages 8-13yrs)

Bookings are essential – CLICK HERE for the latest school holiday program.

www.codecamp.com.au

For further information, or to co-ordinate a visit to a Code Camp, or an interview with the Camp Code

Code Camp – 200,000 Australian Tech Superheroes by 2020!