Podcasts about digital skills

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless TD has officially launched the Springboard+ 2025 programme, announcing almost 8,000 free and subsidised places on higher education courses. The initiative offers thousands of opportunities for people across Ireland to upskill or reskill, with a strong focus on 'futureproofing' careers in a rapidly evolving job market. Announcing this year's programme, Minister Lawless said: "Springboard+ is one of the most impactful investments this Government makes in the further education of its people. These courses are designed to respond directly to evolving skills demands, particularly in fast-growing and high-impact sectors. It offers thousands of learners the chance to upskill or reskill in areas where Ireland needs talent, from artificial intelligence to infrastructure planning to cybersecurity. "As Minister, I'm proud to support Springboard+ with €34.4 million from the National Training Fund. This programme empowers people to study alongside work and personal commitments with courses that are heavily subsidised or free, making upskilling more accessible and achievable for everyone. I encourage everyone to look at what is available as whether you're advancing in your current career, pivoting to a new one, or stepping onto the career ladder for the first time, Springboard+ is designed to open doors in an affordable, flexible way that has real career impact." This year, courses are available in areas such as Infrastructure planning, Sustainable Building, Renewable Energy, Digital Skills, Cyber Security and Artificial Intelligence. Two-thirds of people considering a Springboard+ course want to 'futureproof their careers' in an ever-changing workplace. That's according to research published today by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). The Springboard+ programme is funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and in 2025, a total of 7,719 places are available on 249 courses delivered by 37 higher education institutes nationwide. Springboard+ is making 26 'micro-credentials' from this course list available for those interested in shorter courses to upskill in very specific areas. Speaking about this year's programme, Dr Vivienne Patterson, Head of Skills, Engagement and Statistics at the Higher Education Authority, said: "There are many reasons to consider a Springboard+ course, but the two key benefits are the cost and the quality. "If you're eligible to apply for a full- or part-time Springboard+ course, the most you'll pay is 10% of the fees. If you're currently out of work, you'll be 100% subsidised through the Springboard+ programme. The micro-credentials courses, which last around 12 weeks, are 50% subsidised for all participants. "And in terms of the quality of the course and the qualification at the end of it - courses range from Certificate (Level 6) to Masters (Level 9) on the National Framework of Qualifications and are delivered by the best public and private higher education providers around the country." Sean McCaffrey, from Dundalk, spent 16 years in the Irish Defence Forces before completing a Certificate in Procurement Management from University College Cork and a Post Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Leadership in Business from Technological University Dublin. He now works for Iarnród Éireann. "I left school at 18 without completing my Leaving Certificate. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, so I joined the Irish Defence Forces, where I spent 16 years. After leaving, I decided to pursue my first Springboard+ course - a Certificate in Procurement Management from University College Cor,k after which I was offered a job in Iarnród Éireann - a job I wouldn't have been in the running for only for my Springboard+ course. "I saw tangible benefits immediately, so it was a no-brainer to start a level nine Post Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Leadership in Business from...

In the UK, the government is focused on harnessing the potential of digital and data to unlock better, more responsive and effective services. In a recent conversation hosted by Global Government Forum, government data experts discussed the role, opportunities and challenges of using data and AI to deliver on its five missions.  Those five missions include: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, making streets safer, breaking down barriers to opportunity, and finally, building an NHS fit for the future. In this podcast, you will hear from government data leaders on how data insights can be used to achieve these goals, as well as how to drive the changes that mission-led government requires. The challenges that organisations faced were also discussed, including foundational data constraints, and the limitations of legacy systems, funding and digital skills. Listen to find out from government leaders how data can help drive the government's missions. This podcast is based on a webinar Real time insight for missions: how to measure progress on the government's priorities, held on 6 May. Find out more about the session and watch it in full here.  

Ray White speaks with Marina Madale, Executive for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN Group, about how the MTN Skills Academy is building Africa’s digital talent pipeline. Focused on empowering youth and women across the continent, the academy offers free, mobile-friendly training in coding, AI, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship. They discuss how MTN is turning access to digital skills into real job opportunities, ensuring that Africa’s young people are not just consumers of technology, but creators of its future 702 Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa is broadcast on 702, a Johannesburg based talk radio station. Bongani makes sense of the news, interviews the key newsmakers of the day, and holds those in power to account on your behalf. The team bring you all you need to know to start your day Thank you for listening to a podcast from 702 Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 06:00 and 09:00 (SA Time) to Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa broadcast on 702: https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/36edSLV or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/zEcM35T Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Campus Technology Insider Podcast Shorts, Rhea Kelly highlights the latest in higher education technology. The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business introduces a virtual teaching assistant powered by Google's Gemini AI models, set to enhance student engagement. The University of Illinois System is teaming up with One Million Degrees to bolster community college transfer pathways for low-income students, starting spring 2026. Additionally, a new CompTIA report underscores the importance of digital skills for career readiness among community college students. For more detailed coverage, visit campustechnology.com. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:17 University of Michigan's AI Teaching Assistant 00:52 University of Illinois' Community College Transfer Initiative 01:37 CompTIA Report on Digital Skills 02:06 Conclusion and Further Resources Source links: University of Michigan Launches Agentic AI Virtual Teaching Assistant University of Illinois System Sets Sights on Community College Transfers with One Million Degrees Partnership 70% of Community College Students Are Working to Improve AI Career Readiness, Despite Mixed Feelings About AI Campus Technology Insider Podcast Shorts are curated by humans and narrated by AI.

In today's episode, World Bank Director for Global Education Luis Benveniste joins Bob Hawkins, Ekua Bentil and Alex Twinomugisha, from the EdTeach Team, to talk about how education systems can prepare young people for the future of work. They reflect on the Bank's jobs agenda, the need to invest in both foundational and digital skills, and the role AI could play in transforming education and employment. The conversation includes insights from the Africa Centers of Excellence, lessons from the Digital Skills report and practical examples of how to better align education with labour market needs.LinksThe Africa Higher Education Centers of ExcellenceDigital skills to accelerate human capital for youth in AfricaEmpowering Africa's youth: Bridging the digital skills gapDigital Pathways for Education: Enabling Greater Impact for AlStanding together for teachersA podcast produced by Lucía Blasco.

In this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from the Connected America conference in Irving, Texas. Our host, Jessica Denson sits down with the Editor-in-Chief at Working Nation, to discuss the importance of digital skills in today's workforce and how digital navigators are bridging the connectivity gap. Later, Jessica speaks with an individual from Lead for America about their efforts to support digitally disconnected rural communities through the American Connection Corps. Tune in to learn how these organizations are working to ensure all Americans have the skills and access needed to thrive in the digital age.

The Johannesburg Dream Centre is empowering individuals with essential computer literacy skills, but they needed more laptops to meet the growing demand. More at http://hotcares.co.za Hot Cares

In this special PODCASTHON episode of Outrage Overload, we're spotlighting Dev Mission, a nonprofit dedicated to training and mentoring underserved young adults for careers in tech. We sit down with Leonardo Sosa, founder and executive director of Dev Mission, to discuss how the organization is closing the digital divide, increasing diversity in tech, and helping young people from underrepresented backgrounds break into the industry.Leo shares how his passion for technology and workforce development led to the creation of Dev Mission. We'll hear inspiring success stories of young people who, despite limited resources, are now thriving in STEM careers, thanks to hands-on training, mentorship, and access to tech apprenticeships.If you're passionate about closing opportunity gaps, equity in tech, and helping the next generation succeed, this episode is for you. Tune in to learn how you can support Dev Mission—whether through mentorship, volunteering, or spreading awareness.Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, DavidSupport the showShow Notes:https://outrageoverload.net/ Follow me, David Beckemeyer, on Twitter @mrblog or email outrageoverload@gmail.com. Follow the show on Twitter @OutrageOverload or Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload.HOTLINE: 925-552-7885Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the OO hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episodeIf you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That's the best way to support it.Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverload Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.

In In this special Bett 2025 edition of the 'Insights with NetSupport' podcast, Kat Cauchi - Community Engagement Manager at NetSupport interviews Roddy Peters - Group Head of Digital Skills at Windsor Forest College Group.In this episode Roddy and Kat discuss how educators can make the most of AI tools and why it's important not to be afraid to make mistakes. Roddy also talks about Winnie, the first private FE chatbot and the impact it is making across Windsor Forest College Group.You can connect with Roddy on:X: @Roddypeters  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roddypeters Bluesky: @roddypeters.bsky.social

Taoiseach Micheál Martin officially opened Ireland's first dedicated esports complex, the National Esports Centre, this weekend in Cork, marking a major milestone for the country's video gaming industry, digital education and tech sector. The centre represents a €1 million investment in state of the art gaming infrastructure, with the creation of 10 new jobs and further positions available in gaming, media and digital technology expected as the centre continues to expand. Speaking at the opening of the National Esports Centre, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said, "The National Esports Centre is a first for Ireland and marks a major milestone for the gaming sector in this country. This innovative hub will offer unparalleled facilities in gaming, media and digital technology, and I'm delighted it will place Cork on the global stage of gaming." The National Esports Centre will be a hub for professional esports athletes, aspiring gamers, developers, gaming researchers, students and innovators. With its best-in-class facilities, including the WYLDE professional esports academy, digital media and gaming camps for students, as well as partnerships with education and research organisations, the National Esports Centre is committed to developing the gaming sector in Ireland. Steve Daly, Ireland Esports Chair & WYLDE CEO highlighted the impact of the opening, stating: "The National Esports Centre is a game-changer for Ireland, both nationally and internationally. This facility will drive the esports industry and ecosystem in Ireland forward through innovation, education and community engagement, all within a world-class facility here in Cork. Our focus on dynamic teaching environments, collaborative learning and innovation, sustainable career pathways and a responsible culture will ensure that the National Esports Centre stands at the forefront of esports development both in Ireland and globally." Ireland-based studio, VOID Interactive, the developers behind the popular game title Ready or Not, have partnered with the National Esports Centre. "As an Irish-based gaming studio, we are thrilled to partner with the National Esports Centre to focus on their endeavour in building and developing a world-class hub for professional gamers," said Philip Nathan CFO of VOID Interactive. "We are focused on building a lasting partnership that further strengthens the gaming footprint in Ireland, providing a haven for groundbreaking ideas to flourish". Located on South Mall in the centre of Cork City, the National Esports Centre is home to a range of state-of-the-art facilities, including the WYLDE Academy powered by Virgin Media, a dedicated Sim Racing Lounge in collaboration with Williams Esports, and a tournament zone equipped for national and international esports competition. With top tier AV and broadcast technology, the National Esports Centre is also primed for corporate events, training sessions and digital content creation. Its modern, tech-driven learning environments support delivery of the Digital Skills and Esports College, offering accredited education programmes developed to equip students with essential industry skills. The National Esports Centre serves as an elite training ground for Irish esports teams preparing for major global competitions. Irish and international delegations will train at the Centre for events such as the European Esports Championships in July 2025, the World Esports Championships, the Global Esports Games, and the inaugural Olympic Esports Games in 2027. The gaming industry continues to experience rapid growth, with global video game revenue - including esports - reaching $227.6billion in 2023, a 4.6% increase from the previous year. This trajectory places revenue on track to exceed $300 billion by 2028, solidifying gaming as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the entertainment and media industry, according to a recent PWC Report on Global Entertainment & Media 2024-2028. The National Esports Centre stands as a ...

Once past the first point of emergency, integration into a new society is not limited to finding – as basic as the need is – only a safe place to live. It's also about access to services, employment, and a sense of community, too. For many Ukrainians who relocated to Estonia following the full-scale war launched by Russia, digital skills can be the key to more easily addressing the needs of this new reality.  The DEUCE project, led by the e-Governance Academy and funded by the U.S. Department of State, has done great in supporting this transition by empowering Ukrainian refugees with digital skills, strengthening their self-sufficiency, and training community resilience. At the heart of the initiative are “digital envoys” – volunteers, trained to help fellow community members better engage with Estonia's digital society. Through targeted mini-projects, including tools to prevent scams, improve access to local services, and enhance job market readiness, we explore what digital inclusion encompasses with Dmytro Khutkyy, Expert in Governance & Engagement at e-Governance Academy, and DEUCE digital envoy Olena Denysenko, also Analyst in Political Studies at Tartu University. 

Imagine living in today's digital world without knowing how to access the internet, use a computer, or even navigate a mobile phone. It may surprise you to learn that this is a reality for millions of Americans.On this episode, we explore the critical impact of digital literacy and how lacking essential skills affects everything from economic opportunities to health outcomes. Host Jessica Denson speaks with experts behind a new report that sheds light on the growing need for digital skills and what can be done to bridge the gap.Tune in to learn why digital literacy is more important than ever—and what steps can be taken to ensure no one is left behind in the digital age.Recommended Links:READ THE REPORT HERE

In today's episode, World Bank's Global Lead for Technology and Innovation in Education, Bob Hawkins, hosts a fascinating conversation on the intersection of technology, skills, and employability. World Bank's Guillermo Tovar explores Ethiopia's Education and Skills for Employability (EASE) project and its innovative use of results-based financing to train and place youth in employment. Rita Fennelly Atkinson, from Digital Promise, shares insights on leveraging micro-credentials and digital badging to recognize skills and enhance employability. Along the way, we tackle key questions like how to measure digital skills, the role of lifelong learning, and—on a lighter note—whether we need an official "results-based financing expert" badge.Links to learn more:Ethiopia's EASE Project: A Skills RevolutionUnderstanding Micro-Credentials: A GuideResults-Based Financing: Learning from What WorksLearn more about Digital PromiseA podcast produced by Lucía Blasco.

Kellee Roberts is a former teacher who taught for 16 years before going online full time. She wanted to build a better life for her family and live a more simple and peaceful life. Tune into this episode of Wake Up Legendary to hear how she is using multiple income streams and digital skills to drive her business forward online. Subscribe to Legendary Marketer on Youtube Follow Legendary Marketer on Facebook Follow Dave on Instagram Follow Kellee on TikTok

►Reconnecting with Doc Williams: Five Years Later @docwilliams  SummaryIn this engaging conversation, Dustin PolyInnovator and Doc Williams reconnect after five years to discuss the evolution of personal branding, the impact of the pandemic on their careers, and the importance of data-driven decision-making in content creation. Doc shares insights on his journey through various roles, including teaching and program management, and emphasizes the significance of consistency and understanding market trends. The discussion also highlights the necessity of digital skills in modern professions and the value of intuition alongside analytics in building a successful brand. In this conversation, Dustin PolyInnovator and Doc Williams explore the multifaceted nature of branding, personal growth, and the journey of becoming a polymathic content creator. They discuss the importance of understanding one's goals in branding, the mental health implications of personal branding, and the value of pivoting in one's career. The conversation also touches on the significance of documenting one's journey, overcoming learning disabilities, and the evolving landscape of no-code tools in entrepreneurship. Ultimately, they emphasize the importance of self-expression and the unique stories everyone has to share.Previous Interview:https://youtu.be/nzG8j0Ty8bMweb3 mentions:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYCGIt7PHiYhttps://polyinnovator.space/metaverse-nfts-decentralization-blockchain-web-3-0/Links:https://sleek.bio/docwilliamshttps://www.youtube.com/@docwilliamshttps://x.com/_docwilliamshttps://ko-fi.com/docwilliamshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/realdocwilliams/https://www.twitch.tv/docwilliamsthe1sthttps://www.instagram.com/_docwilliamshttps://2024nocodetrendsreport.paperform.co/?ref=polyinnovatorhttps://www.producthunt.com/@_thetoolkitChapters00:00 Reconnecting After Five Years03:10 Navigating Change and Reinvention05:57 The Evolution of Brand Factory11:48 Data-Driven Decision Making14:47 The Importance of Consistency in Content Creation18:01 Trends Reports and Market Insights22:10 Building a Personal Brand25:55 The Role of Digital Skills in Modern Professions36:37 Audience Insights and Brand Scaling37:11 The Evolution of Branding38:53 Goals and Mental Health in Branding40:44 The Importance of Pivoting42:12 Personal Branding and Identity43:34 Overcoming Learning Disabilities46:31 The Value of Autodidactic Learning48:13 Building a Polymathic Personal Brand58:20 Becoming a Modern Jack of All Trades01:02:41 No-Code vs. Entrepreneurship01:07:00 Future Goals and Financial Freedom▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬►Affiliates:Videos Repurposed with Opus Clip:https://www.opus.pro/?via=729b77Podcast Hosted with Transistor:https://transistor.fm/?via=polyinnovatorSocial Posts Automated with Nuelink:http://nuelink.com/?via=dustin▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬►

In this conversation, Justin discusses his work at the intersection of AI, behavioral design, and education. He emphasizes the importance of understanding barriers to learning and how AI can support reasoning and decision-making. The discussion explores the differences between behavioral design and learning design, the role of scaffolding in education, and the potential of AI to make learning more accessible. Justin shares insights from his experiences with a nonprofit focused on digital skills and highlights the significance of creating conditions for effective learning outcomes. The conversation concludes with reflections on the future of education and the importance of imagination in learning. Ready to learn more about Justin Germishuys? https://www.linkedin.com/in/justingerm/ https://germinotion.com/  

Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has revealed that his plan to train one million young people in digital skills will include 5,000 youth from the Kwadaso Constituency

In this episode of Journey To Legacy, we sit down with Jet Van Wijk, founder and CEO of Laptop Lifestyle Master™, a program dedicated to empowering individuals to become successful freelance digital entrepreneurs. Jet shares her journey from influencer to digital marketer and business coach, offering invaluable insights on how to navigate the digital world, build essential skills, and find your true passion. We discuss the impact of social media on our perceptions, the importance of authenticity, and how to link your passions to a profitable niche. Jet also shares her powerful story of overcoming major challenges—such as having her social media accounts disabled—and how she used these experiences to fuel her growth. This episode is packed with practical advice on staying resilient, developing digital skills, and achieving financial freedom through online work.

La fundación Good Things Australia promueve en Yarraville una serie de cursos gratuitos que buscan empoderar a la mujer y ofrecen conocimiento sobre Digital Skills.

In this episode of the Fundraising Everywhere podcast, join us as we delve into the 2023 Charity Digital Skills Report and the exciting announcement of the next Fundraising Everywhere's Digital Learning Grant, fully funded by JustGiving. With guests Phoebe Sabin & Zoe Amar, hosted by Nikki Bell. Discover key findings from the report, including the impact of the cost of living crisis on charities' digital progress, and the role of AI in shaping the future of digital skills in the sector. Learn how your organisation can apply for the 2024 Digital Learning Grant to boost your digital fundraising confidence and capabilities. Perfect for anyone in the fundraising world looking to stay ahead of digital trends and overcome current challenges.   Join us for our first ever Charity Digital Skills Conference on the 25th September! You can register here. Use discount code FEPODCAST for a 50% discount. https://www.fundraisingeverywhere.com/product/charity-digital-skills-conference/?utm_source=Podbean&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=2408PODCAST&utm_content=CTA   If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again! And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

In this episode of the "Giant Robots On Tour" podcast, hosts Sami Birnbaum and Rémy Hannequin interview Dan Clark, the Founder and CEO of MindJam, an innovative platform providing emotional and SEN (Special Educational Needs) support for young people through gaming, game design, and digital skills. Sami shares a personal story about how his mother, an educational psychologist, introduced him to MindJam, highlighting its impact and relevance. Dan explains that MindJam was born out of the need to support young people who feel out of place in traditional educational settings, particularly those with ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent conditions. By leveraging popular games like Minecraft, MindJam builds trust and engages young people in a medium they enjoy, transforming therapeutic support into a more effective and engaging process. Dan discusses the inception and growth of MindJam, which started during the pandemic when traditional in-person support became impossible. This shift to online sessions via gaming platforms provided a new avenue to connect with young people, enabling them to open up and build trust in a familiar and enjoyable environment. Dan emphasizes that gaming offers numerous benefits, such as enhancing cognitive abilities, fostering social connections, and providing a safe space for expression. Despite the negative stigma around gaming, he points out that it can be a powerful tool for personal development and emotional support. MindJam has grown significantly, now with 110 mentors supporting over 2,000 young people globally, showcasing the scalability and effectiveness of this approach. The conversation also touches on the broader implications and challenges of integrating gaming into therapeutic and educational contexts. Dan highlights the need for societal perception shifts to recognize the positive aspects of gaming, counteracting the negative media portrayal. He underscores the importance of educating parents, educators, and social services about the benefits of gaming and how it can be used constructively. Dan shares inspiring success stories from MindJam, illustrating how gaming can lead to real-world achievements and personal growth. MindJam (https://mindjam.org.uk/) Follw MindJam on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MindJamOfficial), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindjam/), or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mindjamofficial/). Follow Dan Clark on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-clark-58533220b/). Follow thoughtbot on X (https://twitter.com/thoughtbot) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/). Transcript:  SAMI: Right, we are back again. And this is the Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots podcast, the Giant Robots on Tour series coming to you from Europe, West Asia, and Africa, where we explore the design, development, and business of great products. I'm your host Sami Birnbaum. RÉMY: And I'm your other host, Rémy Hannequin. SAMI: Let's get into it, Rémy. Joining us today is Dan Clark, the Founder and CEO of MindJam, a platform that provides online one-to-one sessions, providing emotional and SEN support for young people through gaming, game design, and digital skills. Dan, full disclosure on this one: so, about a month ago, right? I get an email from my mom. Now [laughs], this email says, "You've got to check this guy out. Go and take a look at MindJam." And I'm thinking, mom, I don't get these emails from you. This is not the normal sort of thing I'd get from my mom on your average weekday. And I know in the past, like, I've told her that I'm kind of doing this podcast thing, and I'm starting to regret, like, telling her this. Like, what is she throwing my way? But I get into some research...and maybe for some context, actually, which is helpful because my mom isn't just doing research for the podcast, my mom's an educational psychologist. So, she's been doing that ever since I can remember. I remember growing up as a kid, and that was, I mean, she assessed me numerous times. And she works, I guess, similar kind of to the children or people that you're working with, people with ADHD, autism, neurodivergent children, just often who are struggling in school and trying to find where they fit. And I start doing my research. I look into it, hit the website, hit your LinkedIn. And I'll be, like, totally honest with you: We were both just blown away by what you are doing. And this is coming not only from me, and I work in the tech industry, and I've got a history of slight gaming addictions, which we might touch on, but also coming from my mom who works on the other side and works with all the local authorities. She does the kind of tribunals that they have to do to try and get people into the right schools and kids into the right schools. And, literally, we were blown away, and I nearly got lost as well on your website. I found some kind of gaming streams that you do, and I feel almost like we missed a trick here, Rémy, because we could have done this podcast on Minecraft. It's such a nice flow, right, when you're streaming. DAN: Yeah, it makes it easier when you've got that distraction there as well. You can just chat about it. Thank you so much for inviting me on. It's a pleasure being here and, yeah, I'm glad you kind of understand what we're doing here. MindJam itself is four years old now. But I was doing things before in the pandemic, similar. But once the pandemic hit, that was the key moment where everything went online for my support with young people. And, suddenly, the light bulb came on, and I was like, this is a way in. You know, there are so many young people that are struggling, lost, feel they're stupid, and don't fit in. Yet, actually, they're amazing. But, you know, a standard way of sitting in front of them going, "Tell me why you can't go to school. Why can't you do this?" you know, it doesn't work. They don't trust that person. They've got trauma. They've been, you know, battered down by education and by health services. And so, to suddenly have someone who comes in and goes, "Oh, so you love Minecraft. Oh, I love Minecraft, too. Let's join in. Let's go in a world." And then, you can build that trust to then go, "How's your week been then?" Or, you know, and start talking, and you're just on the same wavelength. And, for me, it was something as soon as I sort of realized, it was like, this is...of course, this makes perfect sense. And then, I looked and saw nobody else is doing it [laughs]. So, I started off MindJam just on my own. At first, very quickly, we got working with lots of...in the UK, we have local authorities, which is the councils around, so seeing there is a real, you know, thing that they would work with us. So, that was great, to be recognized as actually a real service, rather than just someone playing games with kids. It's like, no, this is real. This really works. And then, it quickly got bigger than me, and now we are at 110 mentors working for us, and we're supporting over 2,000 young people all over the world. SAMI: That's incredible. DAN: It's a mission of mine, you know, we'll go more into my sort of history, but I've got two neurodivergent children: both autistic, one's ADHD as well. When you see something that you think is going to work for your child, to then suddenly see it's got, like, a two-year waiting list, which most have, it's heartbreaking, and you know it's going to be too late. So, it's always been my mission with MindJam to keep that waiting list as small as I can, but also, obviously, expanding with quality mentors and all that. So, you know, we generally tend to always say about three months before we can sort of get that support for young people. But yeah, it's something very close to my heart that I'm so passionate about and, yeah, it's been a great journey so far. SAMI: You can tell. It's so interesting because, like you say, when you find something that works for your kids. Because when I was younger, I struggled with separation anxiety a lot in school. So, I would have days when I would really struggle to go to school. During my high school period, I went to the Royal Free, which is down in Hampstead, so not too far from where I grew up and not too far from my school. And my parents...I tried to engage with a therapist. But it's almost like, I don't know if I wasn't cognitively or intellectually developed enough to engage in that way, but it didn't work. Ultimately, I did kind of one or two sessions. I remember filling in some questionnaire and thinking, like, I don't get this. This doesn't make sense. And what you're talking about, if I understand correctly, is you're coming to where the child is at. You're coming to a safe space for them, a place where they feel comfortable. It's almost like a world which is predictable. Whereas the outside world is very scary, right? Especially for people who have generalized anxiety disorder, like I said, autism. It's very challenging. And so, you come to their level, and you say, "Right, let's find a place where we all feel comfortable." And then, we can start to engage. And you say, like, you know, the pandemic was a little bit of a light bulb moment. What's been the biggest barrier then? So, you've found yourself kind of going into this and saying, right, this is something which works. It works for my kids. I want to make this available, accessible. What's been your biggest barrier to getting this off the ground and getting it working? DAN: It's the negative thoughts and the way the media portrays and education portrays gaming, basically. That has been the hardest thing is most parents are on board, but they still feel a little bit ashamed of how social media is on gaming and screen time. And they're very worried that they're not doing the right thing. And we come in a way of also educating. We educate the educators. We do training plans for schools, and for social services, and all sorts because there are so many benefits to gaming that aren't recognized. And, you know, gaming is still generally quite new. It's evolved so much in the last even 10 years. It's insane the way the characters have evolved. And the emotional nature of games now is really complex and, you know, young people and older people can get so much from them. But gaming still, in general, people are still like, "Well, get off that. Do something actually worthwhile." It's like, it's so worthwhile. There's so much, you know, strategy game you've got so much from it. And a fast-paced shooting you've got cognitive abilities. The perfect example I've got is, did you hear a couple of months ago a young lad, I think he was 13, he beat Tetris. SAMI: Yes. DAN: He completed Tetris, which is incredible, you know, it's like, oh, wow. And the first thing the newsreader said to them, the media person interviewing him went, "You should get out more." That's the way she portrayed it, rather than going, "What an achievement it is. You should get outside more." I'm literally like, what? What's going on? You know, again, this kid, you know, he's in the Guinness World of Records. What an achievement. He's famous around the world for doing it. It's like, why is that not seen as such a good thing? You know, so yeah, so that was the hard thing was especially schools, you know, they're very frightened of gaming and of change. And so, trying to help them see that, actually, if you meet a young person where they're at in something they love, then you can help inspire them and help find out why they can't deal with the things, why they can't engage with school, and also inspire them for future learning careers. Even healthy gaming comes from having that understanding of how they're gaming. So, if someone's sat up all night gaming, yeah, we all know it's not great for them. But if you just say, "Gaming's evil. Get off it. You're wasting your time. I'm turning that off," they're going to want to rebel against that. Yet if you come in and go, "Oh, wow, I can see why you were sat up all night doing that. But have you noticed that you're not as good at playing when you're really tired or really hungry?" And if you look at the top e-sports players, they're athletes. They exercise; they eat well; they sleep well. So, you know, if you embrace gaming a bit more, you can get that trust and that bond to then help inspire in other ways. RÉMY: I mean, I could talk about it for a long time. It's really refreshing to hear someone talk about video games in such a positive way and talking about the benefits. And you even mentioned strong players like athletes. It's really refreshing. And I'm wondering, how did this knowledge come up to you in the first place? So, I bet you might be someone enjoying playing games yourself. But how did you see all these benefits yourself? Because, unfortunately, it's not something we talk a lot about. As you mentioned, in the press, we hear about all the negativity. Every time there is a strong event, we blame video games, all that. And we forgot all the stories where the video games enhance people, if they have trouble or not. It can be very beneficial to a lot of people. So, how did you see this value yourself? DAN: Yeah, well, yeah, I've always been a gamer, you know, ever since Spectrum 48K, I think you had. I'm showing my age now, but it was mainly when the Sega Megadrive, and from then, PlayStation onwards were my days. And me and my brother used to have great times together on that as well. You know, it was our bonding. But then I think the biggest light bulb to me...before the pandemic, I was a teacher. And I used to teach music and ICT and computers as well, and having my children as well, and both in school connecting with the young people. Because I was a gamer, I could talk about the games that they're playing with them and to see their eyes light up...and you're on a different wavelength with that young person. They suddenly got this trust in you, and they want to tell you all about what they've done on Minecraft, or what the new season of Fortnite's about. And it was having such a beneficial effect on them and same with my family as well. We, you know, both my children are autistic, and we've got, you know, we have a lot of difficulties around that of bonding together as a family, yet our closest moments have been through gaming together. So, Mario 3D World was the first one I remember with my children playing, and we could play at all levels. So, my son was about four and, you know, he was often in a bubble, killed, and floating back onto the screen again. But, you know, we had a great time. And I was suddenly, like, looking, thinking, this is amazing. You know, nobody hears about this side of it that it's bringing us together. And so, from there, I then started doing after-school gaming clubs, so not coding clubs, nothing like that. It was gaming. And the young people they loved it. It was oversubscribed. Masses of kids came to it. We had all sorts of things from Super Smash Bros, if you know that, to, you know, to PlayStation games, Go Simulator, and everything playing. And we just had a whale of a time, and they could really relax and make friends. And, again, it was all coming from the joy of gaming together, basically. And it's, you know, as much as some people might not like it, it's bigger and bigger. It's the biggest entertainment industry now. And, you know, on the other side of it, there are so many careers in it. If your young person has an interest in gaming, see what they're interested, help it, champion it because it's, yeah, you know, there's such a future there. But yeah, that's my story, basically, and where that sort of light bulb came from. And then, I've done a lot of research into the benefits of gaming and how you can use that for connecting with young people. And, you know, so many games now have characters with, you know, emotional things going off, or, you know, you can talk about feelings even in games like Minecraft where the characters don't talk. But you can be like, how must that person be feeling there? And, you know, you can really bring in real-life situations while gaming and also have a lot of fun, which I think is super important as well, which sometimes gets forgotten about. But, you know, real life is really enhanced by having loads of fun, and gaming's fun. SAMI: Yeah. It's so fascinating. As you're speaking, I'm having this internal dilemma, right? Because, in my head, everything you're saying is true and makes sense. And I believe it, and I've seen it. And then, I probably still harbor those feelings that are almost entrenched, like you're saying, in the media with, you know, the person who completed Tetris. And those sorts of feelings are still, like, a little bit entrenched to me in terms of the negative sides of gaming. Like, I guess I grew up probably similar to you, where it was like, "Well, why aren't you outside more?" and the negative aspect of it. I spoke about this in a different podcast, which I've apologized to my parents for mentioning in public. But when I was in university, it's too late now, I also kind of developed, I would call it probably, like, a small gaming addiction. I don't know where it would sit, but I was doing all-nighters Playing Call of Duty, Modern Warfare. And so, there definitely is a negative side. But I like what you say about, well, actually, you can address that in a healthy way. But then, this week, just this week, which is quite uncanny, my seven-year-old comes, and he says, "Daddy, I really want to get an Xbox, you know, my friend's got one." And he's just starting to get to that cusp of gaming. So, in my head, I say, yeah, like that makes total sense, and I imagine the benefits and the fun time me and him could have on an Xbox. But I still struggle with those feelings of...maybe they're my own worries of, well, but what if he neglects his other stuff? What if he goes into like, yeah, with ADHD, he goes into hyperfocus, and that's all he does? How [laughs] can you counsel me out of this concern? DAN: Well, no, I completely understand, and that is where all our fears come from, especially our generation and how it's put through. But I think young people more and more connect through gaming, whereas I think when we were gamers as young, a lot of stuff wasn't online. So, we weren't playing with our friends. We were playing on our own a lot of the time, whereas it's very social now. Platforms like Roblox and Minecraft are the things that are super social, working together as a team, things like that. But also screen time, I can show you that we've got a whole list of benefits of gaming, actually, that I'll share with you because there's studies that even screen time has been proven not to be detrimental the way we're told it is. And I think we must know that through how we work. Most of us work on screens these days, so. SAMI: Yeah, that's such a point of contention in the house because we currently do only on Fridays. So, they get, like, two hours of screen time. I don't know if that's strict. I don't know where I am on that. Do you have, like, with your own kids, or how do you handle that discipline? So, let's say I get the console, right? I bring it into the house to my seven-year-old. Do I limit it with screen time? How would you approach that sort of thing? DAN: Obviously, with a seven-year-old, it's a little bit different from...mine are now 17 and 14. So, we discuss it more, but yeah, definitely, you know, have boundaries. And also, if you're worried about how they're gaming, maybe have the Xbox in the living room, so instead of gaming in their bedroom, they're gaming when you're around, and it's a shared family activity. And then, it's easier to say, "Well, we're going to be having food in a minute. So, finish up on that game." And you can have all that understanding. But I think also, you know, that other side of things of coming from seeing what they're playing. I talk to parents a lot about this, and they get, you know, they see frustrations in their young people when they're trying to get them off. But they don't realize that maybe they're playing something like Fortnite or something that's a bit more online team-based, where if they pulled them off the game in the middle of the match, it could be detrimental to the team they're working with, their rankings. You know, they could even get banned from the game for a few days, you know. So, understanding and them being able to work time management together, being like, "Well, after this game is finished, this is where we're going, you know, we've got to go out. We've got to do this," you know, there is a give and take there. And I'm not saying there isn't negatives to gaming. We need, you know, everybody needs a break as well. But, again, through the understanding of what they're playing, you can have those conversations. If you're not playing them or watching them and don't understand what the game is about, and what the joy is about, there's going to be a gap between you, you know, where the young person is going to be like, "You don't understand me. You don't understand why I want to play this." My kids, you know, we went from the other [inaudible 17:37] because they've had severe problems at school, both of them, through their neurodivergency, and gaming has really helped them both to regulate. And maybe when you're saying about yourself when you had problems, and maybe there was something else going on. And then, the gaming was a way for you to cope, that safe space to go to that was actually working in a way as a little bit of therapy and keeping you grounded, you know, as well. So, you know, there's two sides to see it. But yeah, definitely, I can understand the worries of staying up all night playing it or not doing your homework and playing it, although I have different things to say about homework. But to say it's not actually beneficial is wrong because, you know, you just got to look at something like Minecraft and the amount a young person can learn, everything from biomes, and blocks, and diamonds, or ores to actual mathematics and things. And it naturally leads onto PCs and learning how to code things and who knows where that's going to lead, to creating something completely new. So, I worry for the ones that are heavily restricted on screen time. I worry that they're being held a little bit back. You know, that might sound a bit controversial for some people. But when most jobs are digital and you're not allowed to learn, I mean, the young people I see they're so gifted at such a young age in understanding digital things that they're going to be at the forefront of the new technology. So, it's almost like, yeah, I think it should be embraced with both hands. RÉMY: There's an incredible opportunity to learn new things through video games and to be happy and to share, like you said. And I bet our audience is already quite open to video games, but we never know it. I think it could be interesting if you could provide, like, a very simple, not comprehensive list of famous games and the kind of skills and benefits they provide you. You mentioned Minecraft; you mentioned creativity. But what kind of games and skills benefits you? You could say for our audience to understand more about the opportunity that is out there. DAN: Yeah, I mean, there are so many. But yeah, so, if we look at your normal shooter game like Call of Duty, and Fortnite, and things like that, that is for cognitive ability. You know, getting those dexterity in your hands and learning those [inaudible 20:11] of pressing buttons is more than you think. It's really training that brain and getting that brain working really quick. It's proven to boost your brain power, your gray matter. It's actually proven that gaming, in general, just boosts your gray matter. I mean, we all know about doing brain training games, but all games using that brain, you know, it's much more advanced than sitting watching TV. But then if you go into more things like puzzle games, so things from your Tetris all the way through to more advanced ones like Portal or strategy games like Civilization and things, there is so much you're doing. You're boosting that brainpower, and you're thinking all the time. But then you can get into...yeah, back onto the shooter games as well, they help with spatial recognition. So, it's actually helping to spot things from a distance: dangers or things to collect. You can see them, and it actually enhances eyesight. It is proven to enhance eyesight, which is great. Decision-making and leadership skills, which is a key thing people talk about for business, is all there when you're in your team of shooters. You're playing Overwatch or you're playing, you know, any game like that. You know, there's always somebody leading or, you know, saying what should be best, seeing the best strategies in there. Problem-solving comes into all sorts so, obviously, in shooters and things again, I'd- say, but also your Minecraft. You know, you've got to create a certain thing to defeat the dragon or whatever you're doing. There's always something, or if you're building something. But then, of course, your high-end puzzle games and even things like Mario. I mean, they get so complex in the problem-solving to overcome a level. Again, the brain power, and the brain power seeing these young people that they're way more advanced than we were playing games. The games are so intricate and so hard now. One you never hear about is social skills until...I think the pandemic helped that a bit. People started to see, oh, Animal Crossing, it's a great way to connect with people. And, you know, and Roblox as much as it gets a lot of bad press, for young people to connect and play, and lot of it is almost like playground role playing play, and they're playing together. You know, there's games just based in Ikea, and they're shopping, and [laughs] things like that. It's really good for them to be doing that. And health and fitness surprisingly, of course, is in gaming. So, obviously, a lot of Nintendo Switch games are sort of standing up, you know, playing switch sports and things, but then virtual reality is huge for that. And if you've ever tried Beat Saber, that's a real workout, which is really good. But there's loads of boxing ones. There's one that kids play now called Gorilla Tag, where, oh my God, that is such a workout. I have mentees that I work with, and then we'll be like, "Oh, Gorilla Tag," an hour of that, I am exhausted. Because you're just flinging your arms around like a gorilla trying to move fast. It's amazing. SAMI: I saw a post you did recently about there's, like, a Greek mythology level on Fortnite, like, an educational aspect [laughs]. It's so funny because I remember playing God of War on the PS2, and I learned so much about Greek mythology. Everything I know comes from God of War. And so, there's also that educational aspect. DAN: Yeah, exactly. You get this deep dive into something, and you really find what you're interested in. So, I've got a kid, and he loves this game called War Thunder, which is all about planes, World War planes, and he can tell me everything about every plane and what country it's made. He can spot it a mile off. You know, "Oh, that's a Russian plane from so and so. Its weak points are here. It was built by so and so." And it's like, you're a genius, and it's all come from, you know, this game's sparked this real interest. And, you know, like I said, Fortnite brings it in, God of War, of course. Assassin's Creed is amazing for things like that, history, it goes from Egypt times. And they even now have walkthroughs in the game where...this needs to be used in schools. I don't know if schools embrace it yet, but you don't have any of this story and the killings and stuff. You just are going through history and walking through the towns and things like that, which is brilliant. The latest one for Assassin's Creed was Vikings, wasn't it? And that was brilliant because that brought in the UK and how it was when the Vikings came over. There's so much stuff. I've got a young person, and he loves this game called For Honor, which is all about medieval sword fights. And he got such an interest in weapons that he's then become a blacksmith. He's enrolled onto a college course apprenticeship being a blacksmith. He wants to be making armory and swords for movies. You know, he said like, "Look, Lord of the Rings, that's all made properly, isn't it?" I mean, that's [inaudible 24:50] SAMI: Wow. DAN: Yeah, it's amazing. One other thing that the games bring, which I think is amazing, is mindfulness as well. There's a huge thing of that. Yeah, like I said, going back to maybe yourself when you were gaming at night, and you maybe needed to destress and maybe take your mind off something, you can get into a game and almost...there's a thing called the grind in the game. Minecraft has it a lot, where you've just got to get yourself a hundred diamonds, or whatever [laughs]. So, it's like, you can almost turn your brain off and just do that, you know, and it can be so super relaxing. And you can get into this thing called flow state. A lot of driving games are like that. If you hit every corner perfectly, you're kind of just in this dream-like state where you just...everything's going well. And that brings a euphoria, too. There's so many good things. But now there's loads of games that are actually based around mindfulness. Tetris is one that's been proven for that. But I don't know if you've heard a more recent one called PowerWash Simulator. Now, this game was one of my most favorite for the last couple of years. All you're doing is washing stuff with a power washer. But the way it works, it gives you a little ding when you've cleaned something properly, like a [vocalization]. And it just...you stand back and look at your job. Honestly, it's amazing. But now Oxford University are doing a full study on it because they realize how beneficial it is to relaxing and chilling out, you know, and just making yourself just feeling happy when you need to just de-stress. It's amazing. RÉMY: I can totally relate. I remember a few years ago, I played GTA 5, and GTA 5 is the kind of game famous for arbitrary violence or all this kind of stuff we hear in the media. But I remember me playing and sometimes I wanted to play just to take a bike and to go on the road and to see a sunset. And, of course, we could argue that I can see the sunset out there, but, in a game, it's just a piece of art. At work, recently, we just had a conversation about beautiful games. So, we weren't interested in all the features or how the game would work but just how beautiful it is. And sometimes we just play video games because they're beautiful. And so, they could provide so much on the intellectual level, on the skills, but also, just as piece of art, just beautiful things made by beautiful artists. DAN: Yeah, it is amazing when you see that. And yeah, I get that completely with GTA. It gets a lot of bad reputation, you know, and story-wise, it is very adult. But, you know, it's the biggest game in the world for a reason. And, you know, like you said, you climb the mountain, you look at the view, you know, it is such a lovely thing to do. There was a game, Red Dead Redemption. I had a young lady I was mentoring, and she was situationally mute, which means, you know, she couldn't talk to anybody. She used to type her responses to me. But she loved Red Dead Redemption, loved horses. And she actually created a group from all around the world, where they would all meet her on a Friday in the game, and she would take them on horse trails. And so, this is all in the game, and she would just take them around to beautiful spots, do nice little jumps with the horses, setting up camp, you know, and, I mean, that's [inaudible 28:08]. It's amazing. And yeah, she ended up making a horse game on Roblox, and that doing really well, and her actually working for Roblox themselves. So, yeah, you know, it all inspires them to work on that. And, I think, sorry, I'm going on tangents here, but also, as you say, appreciating art. There are so many different sides to gaming. A lot of people used to think gaming is just coding, and I don't want to be a coder. That's confusing. I don't want to do that. If you look at the credits that roll on a main game, and they go on for, like, about an hour. There are so many different jobs from artists, storyboard writers, level designers, musicians. There's everything there. The coders are just one part of it. So, as I said before, there are so many career opportunities there, either starting up your own business as a self-employed person or getting involved in it. One I love...a lot of the neurodivergent people I work with [inaudible 29:07] is being a games tester. Because the first thing my son ever does is, if he gets a game, he tries to break it. He tries to find where he can walk through a wall, or something like that. So, it's like that job would be ideal for you. It's like, it's amazing. And that's a job. That's a really important job as well. SAMI: Yeah. When you talk about these stories, they are inspirational. Like, I feel like almost, like, a flutter in my heart as you talk about this kid who maybe felt he has kind of no hope or very little opportunities to actually honing in on this Viking game and then being able to go and become a blacksmith, or this other person you mentioned who's now with Roblox. Yeah, I almost wish, like, they had more publicity around them. And maybe we're kind of doing some of that work now. What would you say is your biggest success story? DAN: I guess MindJam in itself I think is just, I mean, it's way bigger than me now. Obviously, it was born from this idea of giving young people the time and the respect. They are doing something that they love to do and is beneficial. That's what I found was everybody...even when I was teaching, we used to have this connection with the kids, and I used to work one-to-one with the, you know, special education needs, young ones. And a great connection talking about gaming, and their eyes would light up. They would talk about their week, and how they were feeling, and what they achieved. But then it would always be, in the back of my mind, we need to get back onto what we're supposed to be doing and, you know, I need to tick these boxes. And there's always something wanted from them. And it's the same if they go and see a health service. There's always something that they want from that young person. Yet if you just approach them and say, "You know, let's do what you want to do." It's child-led. It's low demand, and let's see where that takes us. That's where we got to discovering about the blacksmith thing. And that's why we've got young people making albums and things with MindJam. You know, it goes anywhere. I've got one young person who shows me Tai Chi, you know, that's our MindJam session. It started off from Rocket League. So, it can really go anywhere. But yeah, sorry, going back to the big success, it is every day now I get a message saying how one of my mentors has helped a young person to help the whole family. That is just the best thing in the world. You know, this is something we've created, and we work hard. We work really hard to make sure we've got the best people. You know, and we're well-trained, and informed, and everything. To hear that it's really making such a difference, and, you know, some people say we're saving lives, and, you know, I just have to pinch myself. Me and my wife we were just like, we can't believe it really how amazing it is. But we're just on a mission now to make sure it's accessible for as many people who need it. SAMI: Yeah, I've seen some of the reviews on your website, and they're heartwarming. But, like, it kind of makes sense, right? Like, for some people, this is the only place that they feel safe. They feel comfortable. You imagine all the cortisol that's going through someone when they're in that fight or flight moment, and there's lots of stress and anxiety. And they enter into a gaming world, and they can escape. And all of a sudden, that reduces. You're dealing with a different person. You're dealing with someone who feels happy, who feels content. And then, you're opening up their mind to have other conversations, you know, like you say. I really recommend it to our listeners. Go and check out the stream. You do kind of...I've seen you've done a few episodes of streaming with other mentors. And it's fascinating to see how all of you, whilst you're playing, are in a conversation about, "Oh, how was your week? And how's that been going?" And, you know, something happened over there. And it's like, you're just in a more of a relaxed state to have those conversations. DAN: Yeah, you know, it's been used before, you know, LEGO therapy is kind of like that. You know, that's what MindJam is in a way is play therapy, but there's so much more you can do with the digital platform. And we're at an amazing age as well, where most bits of software are free. I'll click on like, you know, if they want to look into 3D modeling, it's easy to get a copy of Blender. If you want to get into Unity or Unreal Engine, I mean, there's always into...and it's all, you know, what a wonderful time. When we were younger, if I wanted to get into game design, it was so complicated. You didn't know where to start where, you know, so yeah, it's really amazing. And another thing that I love as well is the mentors that work for us. Most of them are really [inaudible 33:28]. I struggled when I was in my early twenties, and I remember seeing a counselor. And it felt like they had no idea what they were...yeah, they're reading from a textbook, you know, and I remember just really patronizing me. And I was just like, you've got no clue. Whereas I think all the mentors we have all said, "I wish MindJam was around when I was a young person." And I thought, that's the key thing for me, their empathy, their understanding. We don't have to solve it straight away. It's just being there and going, "Yeah, that is hard. Yeah, you know, you'll be okay though. And there's, you know, you're not on your own here." And, you know, I think that is...so many people seem to have to try and heal people straight away. And it's like, no, people just need time to talk, and it's the same as adults as well. Yeah, it could just carry on really to all ages really, couldn't it? SAMI: Yeah. And you've also got that buy-in, right? Whereas, you know, I think of myself perhaps going to therapy at that young age. I didn't really buy into it because I was sitting there with an adult who I didn't really know what we were doing. And I was just kind of there for a conversation. And here you've got...you're doing something that they like, and they enjoy. To put my parent and adult hat back on [laughs] because it's something I want to pick your brains on, right? So, working in the tech industry and working in coding, I've read articles about games, which kind of it says that they're more and more...you see it maybe more on the games on the mobile phone. So, they're employing, like, these kind of gambling tactics, so a lot of the stuff where it's treasure chests. And what is it? On Fortnite, it's the packs. On FIFA, it's also, like, you open up the pack and you see what players you get. So, that sort of stuff I also find scary where I feel like you have from the industry...so, whilst you're using the industry in this way, is the industry itself there to promote and perpetuate the benefits that come from games? Or are they looking, I want to get people in; I want to get them hooked; I want to use these gambling techniques, A/B testing, whatever it is? DAN: From all big companies, we get both sides, obviously. So, you got your unscrupulous ones that, oh, go for it. You loot boxes. But I think more and more, especially with young people, they're more and more aware. They're far more savvy than we are in these things. And the good one is EA with, you know, FIFA. They get review bombed because as soon as someone's putting in loot boxes and things, people are just like, you're just after our money. This is a con. It's pay to win. Mobile games are the worst for it, of course. You know, they're quick cash-making things. Again, instead of, like, saying, "All gaming is evil. We should never do it," it's being aware and being aware of what these games are trying to do, which, again, when you're looking at a young child, is having shared gaming experiences. So, you can go, "Ah, can you see what they're doing here? You know, they've hooked us in. We've played this for two minutes, and we've had free play. And now they're asking us to pay five pounds for extra things. That's a bit of a con, isn't it?" And, you know, you can actually bring that awareness, and then they're not going to fall for things like that. But at the other side of it, I see firsthand...I've luckily enough to work closely with Sony. One of their great companies is called Media Molecule. I don't know if you've heard of them. They did LittleBigPlanet, and lately, they had a game called Dreams, which is actually making games on a PlayStation, which is really cool. But they're so accessible. It's all about, you know, making everybody happy, giving people the keys to creativity, and really help making everything accessible. Again, they worked with this wonderful, wonderful artist who created characters, character designs. They'd never met her. She was so socially anxious. She never could leave her house but was actually one of their top artists that they would send the work, send the brief. She'd send this amazing art back, and then they'd pay her. They didn't have to come into the office nine till five for no reason whatsoever. And there's a lovely side, and, of course, there's a business unscrupulous side. And yeah, again, bring that education of that. This is what I think should be in schools. Instead of avoiding the whole issue, is actually talk about being toxic gamers and what that means, and how to deal with toxic gamers, and how not to be a toxic gamer yourself. For those that don't know toxic gamers, it's just people that are really, really mean to everybody, which seems to be a set thing that people do, especially to a new player. It's like, learn how to encourage people in. And there's now games coming out where they ban people straight away if they're being toxic, and it's all about helping that new player feel like part of the team. But again, yeah, let's say if this was actually brought into education, so then we learn about loot boxes and, you know, pay-to-win type games, then young people would be on that same wavelength. They would get it, either that or it would make gaming so lame that no one would play gaming anymore because it's in schools [laughs]. Like, oh, it sucks now [laughs]. SAMI: Yeah, I think that that way that you embrace kind of what gaming is and you say, well, actually, we can see that it's got a benefit. We can see that it's positive. How do we get the absolute most out of this? How can we not hide, stick our heads in the sand to the issues that might be there? And how can we then say, "Let's use this?" And I think, I mean, my mom will be listening to this podcast for sure. But I think it's something which it's quite disruptive what you're doing. I really do feel that way kind of dabbling in gaming, working as a consultant in the coding industry. I actually teach neurodivergent kids as well on the side. And I'm actually mentoring another kid in coding as well. And what you're doing, as I said at the beginning, it's mind-blowing, and we could talk to you for hours. We have a little chat on this podcast, which listeners can't see. And I asked Rémy, like, "Do you have any questions before you want to wrap up?" And Rémy was just like, "I just want to keep listening. I'm loving it." And I'm exactly...I feel like we can listen to...I think me and Rémy game and we dabble here and there as well ourselves. So, it's definitely something which speaks to us so much. But I've got to thank you so much for your time, for taking the time to jump on with us, give us such an insight into the work that you're doing with MindJam. Let's talk about the BAFTA Young Game Designers Award Ceremony Open Day. Give us some info. DAN: Oh yeah. Well, this is a lovely thing. I've luckily enough to be involved with BAFTA on this for a few years. An early success of MindJam was I was nominated as Mentor of The Year and finalist for Mentor of The Year for BAFTA in 2021. And they run this thing called Young Games Designers every year, and it's brilliant because they do...it's two sides to it. One is actually making a game, but then, of course, not all young people are ready to make a game. And, you know, so the other side is a games concept where you could just send in sketches, ideas, things like that. And that's really accessible for lots of young people we work with, of course. But yeah, in July, I don't have the date; it's early July, we have the award ceremony, which is on this Saturday. But then on the Sunday at BAFTA in London, it's an open day for families to come. You have to apply and get a ticket. I'm sure you guys can put the link on here later on. But yeah, MindJam will be there, but there's loads of game places. I think TT Games will be there who make the LEGO games. And there's all sorts of...we have D&D there. We have all sorts and talks on how to get into the industry and things like that. So, it's really a great thing to come to if you're a young person who's interested in gaming. SAMI: That's really cool. So, parents, if you're listening, save up all that screen time so you can use it. A month's worth of screen time [chuckles] at the BAFTA Awards, Young Game Designers Awards Ceremony in the Open Day in London. If people want to get hold of you, Dan, where's the best place? They've heard this. They're inspired. They feel like they've got someone who would benefit from your services. Where's the best place to get in touch? DAN: If you go to our website, it's mindjam.org.uk, and you can email us at hello@mindjam.org.uk. And I think you said this podcast is international, isn't it? So, we do offer sessions all around the world. We have mentors in America, in Australia, in Japan, all over the place basically. MindJam is universal. So, wherever you are, get in touch. And if you're interested in being a mentor as well, get in touch as well, so... SAMI: Definitely, I highly recommend. And I've already got people I can think of that I'm going to be passing your details on to. Listeners, listeners, listeners, our lovely listeners, no one likes missing out on things. Remember that flight you missed? The train that passed you by? Your partner's birthday? I've been there, by the way; I missed one recently. It's a horrible feeling. I cannot deal with you missing out on these things, but I can make sure that this feeling doesn't come about when it comes to our podcast. So, move your thumb. Yes, you, move your thumb. Hit that subscribe button. I can guarantee you, you will never miss one of our podcasts. And you'll hear amazing guests, just like Dan, as we get them in, and we have great chats together on the Giant Robots on Tour podcast. You can find notes and a complete transcript for this episode at giantrobots.fm. If you have questions or comments, you can email us at hosts@giantrobots.fm. This podcast is brought to you by thoughtbot and produced and edited by Mandy Moore. Check her out at mandymoore.tech. Thanks for listening. See you next time. Bye.   AD: Did you know thoughtbot has a referral program? If you introduce us to someone looking for a design or development partner, we will compensate you if they decide to work with us. More info on our website at: tbot.io/referral. Or you can email us at: referrals@thoughtbot.com with any questions.

In this episode, we talk about juggling multiple jobs, dealing with lots of questions, and valuing your time. Plus, we touch on the importance of learning new skills and staying organized. Tune in for practical tips and real-life experiences! All links to contact/contribute/follow us: http://www.mindheistpodcast.com The Shepherd's Way free chapter: https://www.theshepherdswaybook.com/free-chapter The Front Row waitlist: https://life-digital.typeform.com/to/sSbmk2If Join the Telegram group for MH listeners: https://t.me/+XOu4ggsyqRk3OWRk Sisters only group: https://t.me/mindheistsisters Find out about Ameen's projects: https://www.ameenomar.com Find out about Mohamed's projects: https://many.link/akhitweet Video version of the pod: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5ZvWFoIJNmQISsKE1PZB3d7KcpnEcJy7 Leave us a great review if you're enjoying the show too! Stay blessed!

Joe Whittinghill is the Chief Learning Officer at Microsoft, where having a growth mindset is at the heart of the organization's culture, and key to its  success. He joins host Olivia Neal to share his lessons in building a learning culture across 220,000 employees, based in 115 different countries. Joe shares practical insights as well as perspectives on the neuroscience of learning and the role of AI, to help us keep up to date at a time when pace of change has never been quicker. Click here for transcript of this episode.   Click here for the corresponding blog post for this episode.   Olivia Neal [host] |  LinkedIn   Joe Whittinghill [guest] |  LinkedIn  Microsoft Public Sector Center of Expertise for more information and transcripts of all episodes.  Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at news.microsoft.com/podcasts/. 

Send us a Text Message.It's amazing what you can find when curiosity is your guide.I was on a reporting trip in Taplejung district in northeast Nepal, bordering Tibet and India. I had an extra day so I thought I'd look for a school that provides meals to its students. It's a topic I've been following for the past couple of years. I asked a guy I met at the hotel if he knew of a school principal in town— it turned out that he was the head of the committee of a local school. He took me to see the noon meal being served, then gave me a tour of the entire school area. I was shocked to see a new building that might have been imported from Europe. With a light-coloured exterior of sharp angles, inside it featured huge windows, tall ceilings, a super wide, wooden staircase, and — perhaps most pleasantly surprising to me — a coffee bar. The astonishing looking building in Taplejung, on the grounds of Bhanu Jana Secondary School, is the IT Academy. It's been running for the past couple of years and includes a studio, where we recorded this episode, with Head Teacher Kishor Kumar Rai. The main aim of the Academy is to train recent graduates with online skills so that they can work from Taplejung instead of joining the tens of thousands of young people migrating from Nepal every month. The IT Academy was built with support from the Human Practice Foundation, a non-profit from Denmark,So far the Academy has graduated 61 young people. 14 of them are employed online as digital creators for companies in places including Denmark, Singapore and South Korea. Those are small numbers, I know, but you have to start somewhere and it does seem that the management team has a growth plan. By the way, the donor that Kishor Rai mentions is Mr Waldemar Schmidt. Learn more about the IT Academy in our conversation now. ResourcesIT AcademyBhanu Jana Secondary School (Facebook)Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

At the second annual Microsoft Dream Space Showcase held in Dublin to mark the end of the school year, Microsoft announced that it has engaged 300,000 young people and teachers in its immersive Microsoft Dream Space STEM experience, which has been designed to help young people pursue their interest in STEM and shift their perceptions about the role technology can play in their future career choices. This important milestone comes just 18 months after the company pledged to provide almost 1,000,000 students and their teachers across the island of Ireland with the opportunity to develop their digital and AI skills. Over the past year, the company has introduced a suite of new programmes, which has helped to broaden the reach of Microsoft Dream Space. The company joined forces with RTÉ Learn to present Microsoft Dream Space TV: brAIn_waves - a series exploring the evolution of AI, which enabled primary and post-primary students to develop their AI literacy. The Microsoft Dream Space hub in Leopardstown also hosted the largest 'Capture the Flag' cybersecurity event for post-primary school students in Ireland, which sought to inspire the next generation of cybersecurity leaders. To address inequalities in accessing STEM careers among post-primary students in socially disadvantaged communities, Microsoft Ireland, together with Maynooth University, Science Foundation Ireland, and the Department of Education, expanded the STEM Passport for Inclusion initiative nationwide with the ambition to engage a further 5,000 students. The second annual Microsoft Dream Space Showcase held at One Microsoft Place this week brought together over 400 students from rural areas to demonstrate the many ways in which their digital skills can help to solve some of today's sustainability challenges. Other Microsoft Dream Space innovations introduced within the past 12 months include the expansion of the Dream Space Ambassador and Dream Space LIVE programmes, the launch of the Dream Space Minecraft Teacher Academy, the relaunch of the Dream Space Digital Academy and the rollout of bespoke Dream Space events for people with disabilities. The continued expansion of Microsoft Dream Space builds on Microsoft's recent commitment to help 'Skill Up Ireland' by providing people of all ages, experiences and ambitions with the opportunity to develop their AI fluency and skills. James O'Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Vice-President Microsoft Global Operations Service Centre, said: "As part of our commitment to Skill Up Ireland for the era of AI, we're incredibly proud to have engaged 300,000 young people from across this island in our Microsoft Dream Space experience. "With digital technology transforming our lives, work, and education, it's crucial that every student, regardless of socio-demographics, can engage in STEM learning as early as possible and prepare for our AI future. That's why 18 months ago, we committed an additional €3 million investment in our innovation and education hub, Microsoft Dream Space, over four years. "As a result, we've been able to significantly expand our Dream Space programming and introduce new innovations to broaden its reach and impact. The significant increases in STEM interest and confidence that we're seeing as a result, particularly among girls and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, highlight the power of the programme. "Through the continued growth of Microsoft Dream Space, I'm confident that we can provide every student on the island of Ireland with the chance to engage in STEM and AI learning and empower the next generation of digital leaders." Speaking about her experience of the Dream Space Student Ambassador programme, Isobel Fay, a student from Our Lady of Mercy Convent School in Booterstown, said: "Since taking part in the Dream Space Ambassador programme, I've learned so much about new technologies like AI and how they can be used to solve different problems in society. All the training ...

Laurissa Christen is a hair stylist who wanted to spend more time at home with her kids and less time working. Tune into this episode of Wake Up Legendary to hear how she is using the digital marketing skills she has learned through Legendary to take her hair business online! Subscribe to Legendary Marketer on Youtube Follow Legendary Marketer on Facebook Follow Laurissa on Tiktok

In this one off special, guest host Harry Waters explores how Apps for Good, a provider of free introductory computing courses for primary and secondary students, can support schools to provide innovation in their digital offer to students. Guests include Emma Darcy and Leonie Molloy. Book a call with the Apps for Good team here if you want to explore the opportunities showcased in this show. Apps for Good give schools free introductory computing courses. The courses are for everyone, including those who aren't computing teachers, and they're fully equipped with resources mapped to the UK Computing Curriculums. Students will develop essential and digital skills by working in teams to create a prototype 'app for good'. Visit www.appsforgood.org to find out more!

Coding Ireland is excited to announce the publication of the Coding Ireland STEM Report 2024, the largest survey and analysis of the current state of STEM and Digital Skills education in Irish Primary and Secondary Schools, Youth Centres, and Libraries. By surveying teachers from schools around Ireland, including DEIS schools, as well as youth centres and libraries, the report gathers essential data on current practices, challenges, and resource availability in the teaching of Digital Skills such as Coding and Robotics. The report, including charts, statistics and commentary, can be viewed at https://www.codingireland.ie/STEMReport2024 Areas of Focus: 1. Current Practices: Investigating how STEM and Digital Skills are currently being integrated into school curriculums, youth centres, and library programs. 2. Resource Availability: Assessing the availability and adequacy of equipment and materials for effective STEM education. 3. Teacher Training: Evaluating the level of professional development and training that teachers and educators have received in coding and robotics. 4. Barriers to Implementation: Identifying the obstacles that schools, youth centres, and libraries face in adopting and implementing coding and robotics programs. Key Findings: 1. National Integration of STEM & Digital Skills: Two-thirds of educational bodies in Ireland are actively teaching STEM and Digital Skills, showcasing a significant commitment to preparing our students for the future. 2. Barriers and Supports Needed: 58% of respondents cited lack of funding as a major barrier, while 72% expressed the need for more professional development opportunities to enhance their teaching methods. 3. Professional Development: 60% of educators across Ireland participated in STEM-related professional development in the past year, highlighting a strong interest in improving their skills and knowledge. 4. Funding and Resources: A significant 62% of educators identified a critical need for increased funding to improve STEM education in their institutions. 5. Awareness Among Parents: 55% of educators believe that increasing parental awareness about the importance of STEM will significantly benefit students' engagement and learning outcomes. 6. Future Outlook: An optimistic 80% of educators across Ireland feel positive about the future of STEM education, foreseeing substantial growth and improvement in the coming years. About Coding Ireland: Coding Ireland is dedicated to making coding and robotics education accessible, engaging, and fun for students of all ages. We work with schools, youth centres, and libraries across the country, providing a digital skills curriculum designed to support STEM education from Junior Infants to 6th Year. "We are thrilled to launch the Coding Ireland STEM Report 2024. By providing a detailed overview of the current state of STEM education in Ireland, we hope to inspire improvements that will benefit students and educators alike," Alan Joyce, Founder, Coding Ireland

Each year, Skillnet Ireland provides digital upskilling support to over 13,000 people in businesses through the delivery of cutting-edge programmes and initiatives and supporting SMEs to embrace digitalisation. Skillnet Ireland and its technology Networks have developed a wide range of academic programmes in partnership with enterprises in areas such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, blockchain, and data analytics. Through 70 Skillnet Business Networks, and national initiatives - including Skillnet Climate Ready Academy, Skillnet Innovation Exchange and MentorsWork - Skillnet Ireland works with businesses in each industry sector and region across Ireland, putting enterprise in control of their upskilling and talent development. This year, Skillnet Ireland will take part at the Dublin Tech Summit, which is expected to draw a crowd of tens of thousands from across Ireland and further afield to the two-day event in Dublin's RDS, on May 29th and 30th. Mark Jordan, Skillnet Ireland's Chief Strategy Officer, who will be speaking at the Dublin Tech Summit, said: "Working in partnership with industry and the tertiary sector, Skillnet Ireland is continuing to develop the key digitalisation supports needed to ensure businesses can stay ahead of the curve, embrace the digital transition, and utilise the potential of modern technologies. Our highly skilled workforce is what gives us our competitive edge in Ireland. By upskilling their workforce in key digital skills, Irish businesses can unlock new opportunities for growth and expansion." Many of the 70 Skillnet Business Networks providing business support to specific sectors or within a given region specialise in digital and technology skills, including the Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet, Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, Tech Industry Alliance Skillnet, ITAG Skillnet, Cobotics Skillnet, Connected Health Skillnet; Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet; Irish Medtech Skillnet, MIDAS Electronic Systems Skillnet and CITA Skillnet. These technology-based networks provide upskilling solutions to help businesses be the best they can be and maintain Ireland's position as a leading global technology hub. Some of the upskilling programmes offered in the digital space include the National MSc in Artificial Intelligence offered by Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, in partnership with the University of Limerick, Dublin City University and University of Galway, which were the first AI Masters qualifications in Ireland. The MSc in Leadership, Innovation & Technology designed by Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet in partnership with Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) has been delivering essential skills to industry for over a decade, while a new Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation from the Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet and TU Dublin was launched recently. This pioneering new programme is designed to equip participants to become a leader in the emerging SportsTech industry, fusing data with insight from top SportsTech industry figures and unparalleled peer learning. Skillnet Business Networks that provide supports to businesses across multiple sectors, also deliver a range of digital literacy programmes such as digital marketing, word processing and data analysis tools which all focus on raising the baseline of digital skills to ensure Irish businesses position themselves with the right skills to take advantage of digital innovation. In a recent report from Skillnet Ireland in partnership with IDA Ireland focussing on 'Data and Digital Skills for Non-IT Roles,' it was found that the demand for data and digital skills within Ireland's key industries is rapidly increasing across all types of roles. This demand is set to increase in the future. Industry leaders identified particular skills as requirements for all non-IT roles, including data input, analysis, validation, manipulation and visualisation, as well as dig...

As the former CIO for the City of Kelowna in Canada, Jazz Pabla led a small team charged with delivering digital services and meeting the developing needs of a growing city. He talks with host Olivia Neal to explore how the team used Generative AI to test new approaches to service delivery, to support developers, and to create a culture of innovation that attracts and keeps talented people. Click here for more information about the City of Kelowna and their conversation.  Click here for transcript of this episode.   Olivia Neal [host] |  LinkedIn   Jazz Pabla [guest] |  LinkedIn  Microsoft Public Sector Center of Expertise for more information and transcripts of all episodes  Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at news.microsoft.com/podcasts/. 

Young women in Ireland are less confident in their digital skills than young men. Just 59% of young women compared to 80% of young men believe that they have the digital skills necessary to succeed in the workplace. While young people are no strangers to the world of digital, young women are also less confident than young men that Gen AI will have a positive impact on their career prospects (48% of women, compared to 55% of men). This is according to new research from Accenture, who surveyed 18-24-year-olds ahead of International Women's Day. The findings reveal a clear gender divide when it comes to perceptions of generative AI and digital skills as young people look to enter the workforce. Despite some hesitancy around its impact, young people are still eager to embrace generative AI, with 86% of 18-24-year-olds interested in its capabilities. Nearly three out of 10 young people (29%) are using generative AI multiple times a week. In addition, three in five 18-24-year-olds (59%) are actively using the technology for writing text and 57% of young women are using generative AI to create ideas, compared to 43% of young men. 36% of those surveyed believe generative AI will free up time at work to help them to become more efficient. Furthermore, 42% of young women are confident that generative AI will help them be more creative in their jobs, compared to 34% of young men. The research also indicates that women feel less equipped than men to enter the workforce. 59% of young women, compared to 80% of young men believe that they have the digital skills necessary to succeed in the workplace. In addition, eight in 10 (80%) young women feel that their education has not adequately informed them about future career paths. While the concern that generative AI could necessitate new skills is common across genders, women express greater anxiety. Commenting on the research, Dr. Michelle Cullen, Managing Director, and Inclusion & Diversity Lead at Accenture in Ireland said: "The opportunities presented by generative AI and next generation technology are limitless at an individual, professional and societal level. I'm very excited by the prospect of using the wave of technology advances to build a better future for all and bridge the digital gender gap. "On International Women's Day, it's encouraging to see the interest and uptake of next gen technology amongst young women. But it's important to acknowledge that this isn't just about technology, it's about shaping a future where all genders stand on equal footing, harnessing the power of AI to create a more inclusive, empowered, and balanced society where no one is left behind. "We must intensify our efforts to ensure young people, especially young women, are fully aware of the diverse career opportunities awaiting them. By collaborating to address the educational gaps and the perceived lack of opportunities they face, we have a real chance to build confidence in our future workforce and increase equality of access to the paths that lead to fulfilling careers." The research also assessed attitudes towards careers in STEM and showed that three in five (60%) of young women are interested in a career in a STEM field, compared to the slightly higher 66% of young men. Of young women who are interested in careers in STEM fields, 78% are interested in a career in science and technology, compared to only 20% who are interested in mathematics and engineering. Of those interested in careers in STEM, 43% say 'educational factors' and 35% say a 'lack of opportunity' would be barriers to entering those career paths. Additional findings from the research include: Over three in five (62%) of 18-24-year-olds are confident that they can help others develop their digital skills; now, and in the future. 73% of young women believe that the IT sector will be the most heavily impacted industry by technological advancements over the next five years, compared to just over half (51%) of young men. A quarter (24%) ...

Join host Olivia Neal as she meets Mary Odile Longard, the CEO of i-CITY. Marie Odile shares the approach that she and her team have taken to enable the digital transformation of the City of Brussels. She introduces BRUCE, the new omni-channel platform used by the city, explains the impact of this work on citizens and employees, as well as her lessons for others.  Click here for transcript of this episode.   Olivia Neal [host] | LinkedIn   Marie Odile Lognard [guest] | LinkedIn  Learn more about I-CITY and BRUCE on their website: Home | i-CITY (brucity.be)  Microsoft Public Sector Center of Expertise for more information and transcripts of all episodes  Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at news.microsoft.com/podcasts. 

PREVIEW: #PRC: #PANAMA: Excerpt from conversation with colleague Chris Riegel of Scala.com re the growing numbers of young Chinese nationals, mostly military age males with digital skills and the translator app in the smart phone -- recently some families -- coming through the Darien Gap, to find a Starlink to connect with their banks accounts in Asia-- heading to the Southern border and life in the freedoms of the USA.  What does it mean? 1913 Panama Canal

In this episode of "The Encore Entrepreneur," Lori interviews Lori Kennedy, an entrepreneur with a background in personal training and nutrition, who shares her journey of transitioning from in-person services to an online business. Lori Kennedy discusses the challenges she faced, particularly as a single mother, and the limitations of a service-based business model. She talks about her initial online venture, inspired by Weight Watchers, and the importance of digital skills like email marketing. The conversation covers misconceptions about online entrepreneurship, the need for a business mindset, strategic planning, and mentorship. They also touch on setting realistic goals, list building, and using social media to drive email list growth. Lori Kennedy emphasizes the learning process and offers a free course on creating online programs, highlighting the potential for success with dedication and strategy. Lori's free course - Create and Fill Your First Online Coaching Program - Click HERE for the program Lori's Website Connect on Social:  https://www.facebook.com/lorikennedyinc  https://instagram.com/lorikennedyinc   Lori Lyons' Resources: Are you frustrated that your business isn't growing? "Messy to Magnetic: Unlocking the Secret to Effective Marketing" is a free course that goes over the top 10 mistakes small business owners make with attracting their ideal client and converting those clients to leads. Click here for your free gift!   Join Lori's private Facebook group - Make Your Marketing Simple. Lori interviews her guests in the group (giving you advance listening!) and has a community of small business owners just like yourself to connect and grow their businesses. Join now!    Schedule a Website Biz Accelerator call. Answer just a few questions and Lori will audit your website for the ONE biggest change you can make to your site to get more clients. Schedule here! 

Robyn Scott, the CEO and Co-founder of Apolitical joins host Olivia Neal as they discuss the findings of a new report on generative AI in the public sector. Using examples from Japan, Canada and Portugal, they explore the potential for generative AI to transform government operations. Robyn shares the lessons other public sector organizations can learn from these leading examples, and the ‘balance towards optimism' of public servants.  Click here for transcript of this episode.   Olivia Neal [host] | LinkedIn   Robyn Scott [guest] | LinkedIn  Read the report: Transforming Public Sector Services using Generative AI  Microsoft Public Sector Center of Expertise for more information and transcripts of all episodes  Apolitical  Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at news.microsoft.com/podcasts/ 

In this captivating journey, Sandeep shares his remarkable career trajectory, blending the realms of pharmacy, IT, and business. From early exposure to pharmacy through his dad's printing business to selling digital health solutions into the NHS, Sandeep's story is a testament to the power of diverse experiences.  Sandeep is a Pharmacist who has dedicated his career thus far to digital health and the practice of using data and data driven insights to advance healthcare. Sandeep's journey took an international turn as he transitioned to the Digital Health industry supporting private organisations to develop clinically safe and effective solutions in Qatar! Four years in Qatar provided him with profound insights into a different healthcare system and culture, fostering personal and professional growth. Returning to the UK marked a shift to pharmaceutical sales for Sandeep, where he honed communication and problem-solving skills. Now, he navigates the challenging landscape of selling digital health solutions into the NHS, emphasising the importance of stepping outside one's comfort zone. Dive into this extraordinary journey with Sandeep and share your thoughts. Let's celebrate the diverse paths that shape our careers and lives!  Highlights from the episode: His first major role was as a band 7 pharmacist  implementing e-prescribing at Guy's and St Thomas' - a huge change management challenge. The experience provided great personal growth and set him up for the future. Looking for a new challenge, he took a role in Qatar which involved a big move with a 5 month old baby. The first few weeks were a major culture shock but Qatar soon felt like home. In Qatar, Sandeep managed doctor relationships and digitisation across the healthcare system. He gained fantastic experience of different viewpoints and ways of working. Friendships became like family in Qatar.. The community and cultural openness were real highlights. After 4 years, a desire for career progression and family reasons led Sandeep back to the UK. He moved into pharmaceutical sales - another new challenge. Sandeep now sells digital solutions into the NHS. He finds it rewarding to design tools improving healthcare but funding pressures are a constant frustration. He believes overseas experiences gave him huge lessons applicable to the NHS in thinking differently. Sandeep uses AI in his work and sees chatbots as especially beneficial for mental health in future. PARTNERSHIPS: The Naked Pharmacy is offering my podcast listeners a 20% discount on all their products. Use discount code PD20 at checkout to receive the offer. https://www.thenakedpharmacy.com/ FREE PDF GUIDE: 5 Steps to Streamline Your Week and Add 5 Extra Hours to Your Schedule! Inside these digital pages, you'll discover a carefully crafted strategy designed to bring order to the chaos, providing you with the keys to unlock additional time in your week. As we step into a new year, it's the perfect moment to redefine how you approach your days, allowing you to reclaim precious hours for what truly matters. Let's make 2024 the year of transformation and unparalleled efficiency! Don't miss out on all this FREE content friends. Here's the link to ⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠! CONNECT WITH SANDEEP: LinkedIn: Sandeep Gusai Instagram: @sgusai Twitter: @digitalgusai FILMED AND EDITED BY: Sunjay Vyas: https://www.sunjav.uk/ Follow me on My Website, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you'd like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

The idea of “adulting” and independence is often on the minds of youths, past and present. However, while young people used to wait until they marry before applying for a flat, more young Singaporeans are moving out of their parents' homes and renting a place on their own as a rite of passage to adulthood, a topic explored in the fourth episode of "IPS On Diversity" Season 4. In conjunction with IPS' annual flagship conference, Singapore Perspectives 2024, themed around the topic of youths, host Liang Kaixin, Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies, engages with Dr Chew Han Ei, IPS adjunct senior research fellow, and Klinsen Soh, a 32-year-old working adult who has chosen to move out before getting married. The episode delves into the motivations and implications of this trend, revealing insights into the challenges and experiences of young adults navigating their journey towards independence. In this episode, Dr Chew Han Ei discusses findings from the Youth STEPS study, highlighting factors such as the desire for personal space, the impact of the pandemic on work-from-home dynamics, and financial considerations. Klinsen, on the other hand, shares his personal journey, emphasising the importance of creating one's own living space for personal growth and independence. Find out more about adulting and housing in Singapore: Straits Times (11 September 2022): Rental, shared housing more appealing to young S'poreans, though most still want to own homes: Study Channel News Asia (8 May 2023): 'Way over budget': Why some young adults have given up on renting as prices rise Today (11 September 2021): The Big Read in short: Young, single and living away from parents  About our guests:  Chew Han Ei, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies   Chew Han Ei is Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). He is concurrently an international expert at the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab and a board member of SG Her Empowerment. During his adjunctship, he is spearheading a new research initiative on digital trust. Dr Chew is a quantitative research specialist and has a keen interest in pursuing research work on social issues, especially on technology adoption in societies. Some of his key international projects for UNESCO include “Reading in the Mobile Era” and “I'd Blush If I Could — Closing Gender Divides in Digital Skills through Education”. At the IPS, Dr Chew is Principal Investigator of the Youth Study on Transitions and Evolving Pathways in Singapore (Youth STEPS), the first national-level longitudinal study of youths in Singapore funded by the National Youth Council.  Klinsen Soh, 32-year-old working adult Klinsen Soh is a public servant at the Ministry of Communications and Information as of January 2023. Aside from his current roles in strategy and foresight, he has experience as an analyst in the fields of AI, transportation and logistics, and geopolitics. His interests include social policy, internet culture, and consumer behaviour. He produces his own podcast and is a freelance stunt actor. More from On Diversity Season 4 Episode 3: Hustle Culture and Quiet Quitting with Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and He Ruiming, Founder of The Woke Salaryman Season 4 Episode 2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS with Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor of NUS and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Action for AIDS Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE Season 3 Episode 9: Being Biracial in Singapore with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS and Dave Parkash, Co-Founder at Fook Kin Restaurant Season 3 Episode 8: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination with Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work and Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 7: Palliative Care for the Young and Old with Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After Season 3 Episode 6: Social Worker Burnout with Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children's Aid Society Season 3 Episode 5: Leaving the Law Profession with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Digital skills feel like a superpower. Because if you can use computers and the internet, the world opens in front of you,” says Kristi Kivilo, Senior Expert in the Governance and Engagement unit of e-Governance Academy. And digital skills, indeed, are the perfect example of something rather small, but that may have a tremendous impact on people's lives.That holds true in rapidly growing countries, in nations tackling issues of digital and media literacy, or in the day-to-day with common cyber hygiene practices. Kristina Mänd, Senior Expert on Engagement at the e-Governance Academy holds the microphone, in this podcast episode, and joins as a host her colleague Kristi Kivilo. Together, they discuss the relevance of developing digital skills, how did that go in the past couple of decades, and what lies ahead.

Feedback & Shout Outs Xhausted Educators RechargED with Kyle Hill - November 2 Teachers on Fire - December 16, 2023 House of #EdTech Smackdown Featured Content Managing student technology use is crucial for productive, engaged classrooms. Learn vetted tips for setting screen guidelines, dealing with digital distraction, limiting off-task time, and bolstering curriculum through IT best practices across elementary, middle, and high school grade levels. Whether you're striving for targeted 1:1 implementation or just troubleshooting bring your own device policies, this engaging episode breaks down research and hard-won experience on everything from monitoring software to incentivization tactics. Tune into this insightful discussion evaluating real-world policies, responsible use contracts, tablet time allocation, charging stations, music listening policies, and more. With balanced takeaways across all K-12 environments, educators leave equipped to reinforce digital citizenship, nurture creativity, and build life-ready skills. Think about... How can teachers set clear expectations around learning-focused tech use across grade levels? What troubleshooting tips help minimize digital distractions and reign in device misuse? What creative incentives motivate students to self-monitor and stay engaged during tech-based activities? How can device policies balance educational value, productivity, and age-appropriate online access? What best practices allow students to leverage technology for collaboration, creation, and enhanced learning?

Liz Downes is a community activist who lives in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork. She admits to originally being afraid of technology, however has now become a High Digital champion and is passionate about how this has enriched her life at 74 years of age. She is an advocate for the national age-friendly Ireland program, active throughout towns and cities in Ireland to prepare for the rapid aging of our population. Having become a digital champion,she is dedicated to bridging the digital gap between generations.

We chat with Zoe Amar, founder of the Charity Digital Skills Report, about the 2023 results and what it tells us about the state of our sector. We're joined by Phoebe Sabin from JustGiving to see how it all plays out on the frontline. Listen today to find out where digital skills are going in our sector - and how to register for free digital training funded by JustGiving (* Just Launched* Digital Skills Learning Grant!). Want to stay on top of everything that's happening? Sign up to get emails from the humans at Fundraising Everywhere & Everywhere+ with cracking fundraising tips, news, promos & updates on upcoming events. And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere podcast possible.

Ebony Cooksie is the Market Development Manager and Government Affairs Coordinator for NextLink Internet and we talked at Net Inclusion about how she transitioned from working in education to digital equity. With so many people new to this field, transitioning often from health and medical fields, we thought it would be helpful to talk about the transition. 

As organisations face disruption from digital advancements, a parallel skills shortage is being experienced in the labour market. In the face of these two challenges, Learning & Development teams are seeking ways to make a predictable and reliable impact on developing their people. In this episode, we explore what Aviva is doing to upskill and re-skill in digital skills to ensure the company thrives in the future. KEY TAKEAWAYS  All 22,000 colleagues at Aviva have access to learning, so they can perform at their best and develop their careers. Take a collaborative approach, consult the experts in your business and understand what your learners want to achieve. Start small to learn what works for your organisation. Initially, focus on a few roles. Take a multi-prong approach, provide the learning in a range of formats. Once you have identified what works best you can potentially dispense with some programmes. Some people are resistant to being educated about digital tools. One-hour immersion sessions are a good way to ignite interest and overcome this reticence. Make sure that those who engage in the learning process can actually progress in their careers. BEST MOMENTS'Learning for the future is where we're really focused right now. ''Our digital boot camps are split into two different sectors – software engineering and product.''Start with a handful of roles, ' ABOUT THE GUESTSarah Allen BioSarah is Head of Learning at Aviva and previously Head of Learning, Talent & Leadership for AXA UK, having risen through the ranks of the L&D team at AXA Investment Managers.You can follow and connect with Sarah via:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahnelsonallen/ Molly Howes BioMolly is Foundry Project Lead at Aviva having joined the company in 2015 and transitioned into roles including Team Leader and Digital Product Owner. The Aviva Foundry is a learning community, developing the knowledge and skills Aviva needs to succeed in an increasingly digitised world. You can follow and connect with Molly via:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-howes-3a76a71b2/details/experience/ EPISODE RESOURCESUK Skill Gap Report - https://industrialstrategycouncil.org/sites/default/files/attachments/Rising%20to%20the%20UK%27s%20skills%20challenges.pdfhttps://decoded.com/ VALUABLE RESOURCESThe Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/ ABOUT THE HOSTDavid James David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D.  CONTACT METHOD Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/This show was brought to you by Progressive Media

Extended Shownotes:  https://www.micheleschmidtmoore.com/podcast/60Our younger children may be digital natives, but they still need explicit instruction in using technology.  Designers, let's welcome our special guest, Debbie Tannenbaum. Debbie, a passionate advocate for digital literacy in young learners who shares her insights on teaching children to navigate digital tools, fostering critical thinking, and sparking creativity. Learn how she ditches traditional, algorithmic instructions, and uses a unique approach combining picture cues and rubrics, empowering students to understand the functionality of different digital tools and pick the one that best fits their purpose.Debbie also challenges the common assumption that children are natural digital natives and underlines the significance of actively teaching them digital skills. She shares intriguing anecdotes from her classroom experiences, discussing her effective approach to teaching collaboration and communication skills. Get drawn in as she talks about the "three seeds of creation" - choice, collaboration, and clickability, and how these serve as guiding principles in her teaching. Whether you're an educator or a parent, get ready for a trove of strategies to prepare your children for a future that hinges on digital skills. Get ready to revolutionize your approach to digital literacy!Connect with our HostDr. Michele Schmidt Moore on InstagramDr. Michele Schmidt Moore on TwitterDr. Michele Schmidt Moore on FacebookConnect with our Guest@tannenbauchtech on Twitter@tannenbaumtech on InstagramTannenbaumtech WebsiteTeach Better Network PodcastSupport the showGrab Your Free Project You 30-Day Action Planner!How's it going? Share your experience with Project YouWant to get started with your own podcast? Check out Krystal Proffitt's in-depth course. It was invaluable in the reboot of Design Lessons. Krystal's teaching style is precisely what you need to organize and launch your own passion project podcast.Please note that this is an affiliate link. If you join Krystal's course using this link I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.Want to know more about my experience with the course. Send me a dm @mschmidtmoore on any of the socials or email me at hello@micheleschmidtmoore.com

On this episode of "Career Cheat Code," we have a conversation with Brian Lucero Contreras, who currently serves as the Public Affairs Manager for Kaiser Permanente's Golden Gate Service Area in Northern California. Throughout the discussion, we follow his journey from his hometown of Southgate, California to the halls of power in Capitol Hill, and we explore his path from high school to his current position. We delve into his initial aspiration of becoming a journalist, the significant role mentorship played in his professional development, his methods for capitalizing on his abilities, and his experiences with both career growth and burnout. Additionally, we examine his transition from Wells Fargo to Kaiser Permanente and his reflections on his personal and professional development through media. This episode provides valuable insights into resilience, adaptability, and the impact of mentorship.Follow Brian Lucero Contreras:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-lc/Recommendations:ProgramsCongressional Hispanic Caucus InstituteBooksBecoming by Michelle ObamaPlease Rate & Review on your listening platform. Follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn @CareerCheatCode040 | Adapting and Thriving in Public Affairs with Brian Lucero Contreras

Have you ever dreamed of swapping the 9 to 5 grind for the freedom of running your own online business? Join us as we sit down with Matt Raad, a man who traded zoology for the digital business world, and hasn't looked back since.Together with his wife Liz, Matt shares the intricacies of their transition from farming to online entrepreneurship, revealing how they unlocked a lifestyle of flexibility and freedom. For those considering dipping their toes into the world of business, Matt imparts some valuable advice, including why he steers clear of businesses involving physical inventory.In an era where remote work is becoming the norm for many, we explore the rise of online businesses. Matt and Liz's journey captures the essence of this, as they balance their young family with a thriving business, all thanks to the power of the internet. Amid a global pandemic, the mindset towards work has shifted dramatically, making space for the boundless potential of the knowledge economy. Non-traditional businesses that offer a high income without the need for trading time for money are on the rise, and Matt and Liz's story is a testament to this.But the conversation doesn't stop there. We delve into their ingenious business strategies, including how they turned a $4,500 website into a profitable venture pulling in $8,000 a month. Uncover the benefits of living in Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam and the transformative power of affiliate marketing and SEO for online companies. Plus, get a glimpse into the future of buying and selling websites and the untapped potential of YouTube as a tool for online business success. Tune in to this episode and let Matt and Liz guide you through the world of online entrepreneurship.Some topics we discuss:1. Leveraging Digital Assets for Financial Independence2. Buying, Selling and Renovating Online “Real Estate”3. Replacing your income within 12 months using websitesAs you're inspired to embark on your own side hustle journey after listening to this episode, you might wonder where to start or how to make your vision a reality. That's where our trusted partner, Reversed Out Creative comes in. Specializing in strategic branding and digital marketing, Reversed Out Creative is an advertising agency dedicated to helping you turn your side hustle into your main hustle.With a team of experienced professionals and a track record of helping clients achieve their dreams, they are ready to assist you in reaching your goals. To find out more about how they can elevate your side hustle, visit www.reversedout.com today and start your journey towards success. Our blog is also full of great information that we work hard on to provide you with a leg up on the competition.We also recently launched our YouTube Channel, Marketing Pro Trends,  which summarizes all of our blog posts.https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingProTrendsSupport the showSubscribe to Side Hustle City and join our Community on Facebook

The tech sector has been going through an unprecedented period of layoffs in the last few months. However, the demand for digital skills in the wider market will continue for years. So what strategies are employers putting in place to ensure they have the skills they need for their businesses in the future? My guest this week is Alexia Pedersen, VP of EMEA at O'Reilly Media. O'Reilly has been helping businesses develop digital skills for over 40 years, and Lex has insights and advice for employers looking to gain a competitive advantage through skills acquisition and development. In the interview, we discuss: The current state of the tech talent market Will digital skills shortages continue for the long term? The constant demand for new skills How employers are investing in their future Understanding the internal skills gap Reskilling and upskilling Creating a culture of learning that serves different learning styles Breaking down silos in HR to enable talent mobility Implications of generaive AI How will the most successful companies of the next ten years think about talent? Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.