CompuCorps.org announces grant to support access to computers for Aboriginal Youth in Montreal.

The TechFeather program - Access to Technology for Aboriginal youth - was awarded a donation from the Foundation of Greater Montreal to provide the Native Friendship Center of Montreal with computers.

Ottawa – November 2010 – CompuCorps, a Canadian high tech charity, is pleased to announce the Foundation of Greater Montreal grant to support its national program TechFeather – Access to computers for Aboriginal Youth.

The TechFeather program will provide Aboriginal youth with computers and technology for the support of home work, volunteer mentoring, skills development, and employment opportunities.

The Foundation of Greater Montreal grant is part of Community Funds who aims to promote projects improving the well being of the Greater Montreal Community. The grant will help to promote CompuCorps’s process of computer collecting. Thanks to the Foundation of Greater Montreal, the Native Friendship Center of Montreal will benefit from those computers once refurbished by CompuCorps’ Center.

The Native Friendship Center, whose assignments are to improve the well being of the Montreal Native Community by preventing them from violence and racism, is very concerned about the precarious situation facing Aboriginal youth today.  Main issues observed by Jorge Herrera, Youth Coordinator, are high levels of unemployment among 20–29 year olds and high levels of  high school failure among 12– 21 year old Aboriginal youth.

Many working age youth, predominately from north of the province, come to find refuge in town and to get a job. About 70% of them have no formal address in the first few years of establishment and come to the Youth Inter Tribal Center (YITC) in the hopes of getting some warmth. With more media, the YITC could foresee the development of job search projects, thanks to web search; resume workshops or even computer skills tutoring.

To help Aboriginal Youth whose financial situation is the main obstacle in pursuing their studies, the YITC is building a long distance learning project. The TechFeather program will contribute greatly as laptop donations will be set up on a larger scale. YITC would be able to provide e-learning and to keep Aboriginal Youth in school. Jorge Herrera says “It is a project to be submitted, that doesn’t mean that they will approve but with an action like [the TechFeather program], it may help us to go further in that perspective”.

The first computer delivery on October 29, 2010 started a great partnership between CompuCorps and the Native Friendship Center of Montreal.

For more information on how to support the TechFeather program please visit http://www.TechFeather.org or call (613) 234-8988 extension 116 or 111.

CompuCorps.org (http://www.CompuCorps.org) has delivered over 100 technology projects to other Canadian charities since its founding in 2000 and has over 250 TechMentors^TM. Its charitable mandate is to promote the efficiency and effectiveness of charitable organizations in Canada by the provision of technical volunteers, low cost computer, services and software as well as technical support and training. The CRA charity registration for donations is # 86411 9094 RR0001.

CompuCorps.org

Media Contact: Antonio Marinho

Phone: (613) 234-8988 x 116

Location: 1040 Somerset Street West, Ottawa ON K1Y 4L3

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Website: http://www.compucorps.org