Brilliant Labs is now Charity!
Brilliant Labs was established in 2014 as an Atlantic Canadian-based not-for profit by educators, entrepreneurs and government officials to educate students from all walks of life to learn and graduate. And, to help prepare students to actively participate in a vibrant and growing, 21st century business and technology workforce. We are committed to supporting youth education and empowerment using experiential learning platforms integrated with creativity, innovation, technology, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a socially responsible entrepreneurial spirit. At the same time, we are proud to encourage students to preserve their Atlantic Canadian heritage and maritime culture. Largely funded by all three levels of government as well as by businesses, Brilliant Labs is now a registered charity to ensure our long-term sustainability and growth.
The unprecedented pace of workplace change and shifting employment landscape in Atlantic Canada has created a workforce skill-gap. This means today’s K to 12 students not only need to acquire new and different knowhow and competencies but also have to learn more specialized skills. These include learning how to communicate and work collaboratively, and how to problem-solve, using technology, and dealing with ambiguity and complexity.
To meet these challenges, we recognized that education and teaching had to change.
MAKER-CENTRED, STEAM-BASED LEARNING
Brilliant Labs ignites this change by working closely with teachers, educators, and community and youth leaders on our platforms. To support youth learning and reaching their full potential, we meet them where they are by bringing our activities and programs into their classrooms and communities across Atlantic Canada.
Our platforms use maker-centred learning: hands-on, experiential, project-based, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) learning combined with design thinking to develop students’ computational thinking and digital skills. The inclusion of art in our STEAM approach provides students with additional tools to creatively illuminate the world around them and to express themselves in innovative and exciting ways.
Keely’s Makerspace Story
Keeley, 12, is an outgoing and motivated young woman. In her spare time, she enjoys using design and technology to create novel projects and was absolutely thrilled that her school received a Brilliant Labs’ makerspace! She immediately took on a leadership role by encouraging and supporting her classroom peers in their individual and group project ideas.
By our programs not taking a one size-fits-all approach allows for trial and error, and for students to learn in a safe environment helps to accelerate their learning and understanding beyond what is usually possible within the boundaries of traditional teaching methodologies.
Technology touches nearly every aspect of lives today; however, most schools provide little, if any, authentic and creative technological integration with learning in the classroom. Brilliant Labs works with the understanding that if innovation and technology are to be integrated with classroom curricula and used as educational tools to enhance learning opportunities, this has to be realigned with new teaching methods for students (and for the educators teaching them) to be engaged to explore, innovate, create, and problem-solve.
We apply today’s technology as a way of promoting empathy, social and emotional learning, and sustainable development, which we believe leads to “tech empowerment” within students. Brilliant Labs’ maker-centred approach not only allows students to learn about technology and how to learn with technology, but to also take control of technology to become creators rather than consumers of it. Students exposed to a maker-centred, STEAM environment learn there isn’t a challenge that cannot be addressed with technology, and how it has the potential to be a driving force for positive social, cultural, and economic change.
Brock’s Empowerment Story
Brock, 13, was always interested in robotics. His introduction to coding during our Hour of Code ignited a desire to incorporate this new knowledge of coding and his interest in robotics to create an interactive display. He saw that his school’s makerspace had the equipment necessary for him to create his first robotic project which he undertook for a class assignment. Empowered by the success of that project, Brock went on to design his own video game! He is proud to have moved from simply using technology, to creating with it.
Integrating Brock’s interests, passions and skills with experiential learning has helped him to set a course to develop into an active member of the Atlantic Canada workforce. By supporting his education and empowerment in this way, he can now build a meaningful career and help create sustainable solutions to the big challenges faced by business, institutions, and the planet. Our maker-centred approach propelled Brock, and many students like him to be self-starters and lifelong learners.
DONATING TO BRILLIANT LABS
Brilliant Labs is currently the only educational not-for-profit partnered with all four Atlantic Canadian provinces through their respective Departments of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) that combines creativity, innovation, technology, and social entrepreneurship with maker centred learning in public schools.
Although Brilliant Labs is funded by the government, we now have an opportunity as a charity to engage greater support from individuals, businesses and foundations through donations and grants to serve more young people — especially girls, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) youth, youth living in rural communities, and underrepresented youth groups.
As a charity, 100 percent of funds raised by Brilliant Labs go directly to providing free programs for youth in their schools and communities across Atlantic Canada. All donations support the empowerment of young creators to become innovators, socially conscious entrepreneurs, and leaders. Our work leads to youth taking action, making a difference, and building a brighter and more sustainable future for themselves and their communities!
Help support youth education and empowerment. To learn how you can help empower more youth, please visit: www.brilliantlabs.ca/give.
As a registered charity under Canada Revenue Agency, Brilliant Labs exercises its fundraising efforts in accordance with accountability and transparency, and adheres to the Code of Ethical Standards and The Donor’s Bill of Rights by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
Originally published at https://issuu.com.
