Digital Healthcare: A vehicle for capacity building in ICT skills and public engagement

COVID大流行使计算机科学和数学中的许多概念流行起来。诸如计算机模型和不确定性之类的短语越来越多地出现在公众的视线中。因此，现在是时候开展一项旨在提高使用计算机模型的信心的活动计划，利用医疗保健的挑战作为动力。以英国最年轻、最多元化的城市伯明翰为中心，我们的活动计划将在一个28%的儿童生活在收入贫困家庭的城市地区激发和培养数字技能信心。在对数字技能的需求日益增长的时候，我们必须激发并提供有意义的机会，让不同的年轻人尽早培养对ICT职业的兴趣。如果开始没有培养这个基础，数字技能差距就会扩大，年轻人失业、社会静止和未来劳动力的可持续性也会扩大。这笔赠款将汇集具有研究背景的人，表演和视觉艺术，参与专业人士和有疾病经历的人。这些人将为11-16岁的年轻人创造实践技能发展活动。他们将在伯明翰科学博物馆（Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum）的灵感团队中工作，通过一系列研讨会，黑客马拉松和公共展示来“解决”这些挑战。还将向学生提供有偿SMQB工作经验实习，使他们能够跟踪大学研究人员和专业服务人员。将通过减少准入障碍和奖励参与来激励参与。这将为年轻人及其家人提供鼓舞人心的后续STEM活动，让他们一起享受。我们的愿景是确保年轻人将计算机科学职业视为多样化，有价值，可实现和实现的。参与我们活动的研究人员将在公众参与方面增加信心和经验。此外，他们将在一次全国研讨会上与更广泛的信通技术界分享他们的学习成果。总的来说，这将有助于创建一个生态系统，在这个生态系统中，公众参与被视为有意义、有影响力和高质量研究的组成部分。

The COVID pandemic has popularised many concepts from computer science and mathematics. Phrases such as computer models and uncertainty are increasingly in the public eye. It is therefore timely to pursue a programme of activities designed to increase confidence in the use of computer models, using challenges from healthcare as a motivator. Centred in Birmingham, the UKs youngest and most diverse city, our programme of activities will inspire and capacity build digital skills confidence in a civic region where 28% of children live in income deprived households. At a time when there is increasing demand for digital skills, it is vital that we inspire and provide meaningful opportunities for diverse young people to develop an interest in ICT careers early on. If this foundation is not nurtured to begin with, the digital skills gap widens and so too does youth unemployment, social immobility and inflexibility of the future workforce.This grant will bring together people with backgrounds in research, performance and visual arts, engagement professionals and people with lived experience of disease. These individuals will create hands-on skills development activities for young people aged 11-16. They will work in teams in the inspirational Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum setting to 'solve' these challenges through a series of workshops, hackathons and a public showcase. Paid SMQB work experience placements will also be offered to students, enabling them to shadow university researchers and professional services staff. Participation will be incentivised through reducing access barriers and rewarding involvement. This will access to inspirational follow-on STEM activities for young people and their families to enjoy together. Our vision is to ensure that young people view computer science careers as diverse, valuable, attainable and fulfilling.A secondary objective to increase public engagement skills in ICT researchers. Researchers involved in our activities will grown confidence and experience in public engagement. Further, they will share their learning with the wider ICT community in a national symposium. Collectively this will help create an ecosystem where public engagement is viewed as meaningful, impactful and integral to high-quality research.