Bringing technical education to families in Sandviken and Gävle
In today’s digital age, technical proficiency is critical to modern life. Recognizing this, Microsoft and other partners are collaborating with the Swedish nonprofit Rapatac to bring technical education to youth and their families in Sandviken and Gävle. Rapatac’s TechBridge Project features creative learning activities that bring together science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). TechBridge has reached hundreds of schoolchildren and community members through various programs, from in-school STEAM enrichment activities to afterschool programs at Rapatac activity centers, summer camps, and community outreach events. Highlights in 2024 included a series of afterschool parent-child STEAM projects and TechChallengeX, a coding and robotics class for children that culminated in a drone programming activity and competition.
Bridging school and home with meaningful enrichment for youth of all ages
Rapatac was founded in 2012 in Gävle and expanded to Sandviken in 2019 to provide local schoolchildren with opportunities for afterschool enrichment. The activity center serves as the missing piece in the puzzle between the home environment and school. Students come to Rapatac after school for homework help, spend 15–20 minutes reading, and then attend a course that complements their schoolwork. These courses, which include STEM, media, music, dance, and others are offered free of charge and provided in partnership with private companies like Microsoft. Rapatac serves youth of all ages, from 6–21 years old.
Growing digital literacy through fun parent-child activities
Together with corporate partners Sandvik and Alleima, Microsoft is working with Rapatac to bring technology education to children and parents alike. TechBridge aims to empower families to learn about technology through fun, interactive activities. By working together on projects involving science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, parents and children bridge the intergenerational gap in technical proficiency and strengthen their relationship through creative play. The program is designed not only to benefit children, but also to encourage parents to discover the value of technical disciplines and skills. Those families who demonstrated the highest engagement in the program had the opportunity to extend their enrichment with a visit to the Tekniska Museet (Technical Museum) in Stockholm.
The TechBridge Project has brought a range of experiences to the Sandviken and Gävle communities. In total, the TechBridge Project has reached over 1,400 students. Highlights in 2024 included an afterschool parent-child enrichment program featuring interactive STEAM activities and a drone programming course and public show.
- Parent-child STEAM activities: Rapatac opened its doors to children and their parents to work together on creative technical activities. This afterschool program also featured courses for both children and their parents.
- TechChallengeX: Elevate Innovation: Phase 2 of the TechBridge project involved teaching 235 Sandviken and Gävle schoolchildren basic coding and robotics by having them program state-of-the-art aerial drones provided by LiteBee. A group of 33 children programmed a drone show involving 20 drones, which was presented to the public in November 2024 in Kulturcentrum in Sandviken. It was a juried show, with four winners.
In keeping with the multigenerational spirit of the TechBridge program, Rapatac trained older youth—high school and university students—to teach and mentor younger participants. These Young Technical Leaders learned to deliver the TechBridge program by participating in an eight-session, two-hour training program featuring lectures and workshops led by technical partner organizations. In addition to providing practical technical training, the Young Technical Leaders program nurtures the leadership potential of local youth.
By integrating drone programming into the school curriculum for grades 6 and 7, we are igniting passion for STEAM disciplines and future tech careers.
—Maria Shishkanova, Project Manager, Rapatac
Reaching out to build digital literacy across the community
In addition to these two initiatives, TechBridge also offered a series of public outreach initiatives, bringing STEAM enrichment to local schools, incorporating STEAM activities into Rapatac’s outdoor summer camps, and offering a series of public events such as lectures by technical experts. As part of this program, technical educators visited three local schools to teach programming lessons to 6th and 7th graders, complementing their curriculum.
Microsoft joined Sandvik and Alleima to provide financial support for TechBridge, and Microsoft employee Daniel King, a critical environment technician from the local datacenter, delivered a public lecture on the topic of STEAM. “Microsoft is proud to partner with Rapatac in the work with children and youth,” reflected Mia Enayatollah, Community Affairs Manager at Microsoft Sweden. “The STEAM activities increase interest in technology and also contribute to integration and inclusion.”
By fostering a collaborative learning environment, the TechBridge program is making significant strides in raising digital literacy among children and their families, ensuring they are well-equipped for the future.