File this under the ways our community inspires us. Hive Toronto member, Ladies Learning Code, has launched an initiative to take learning on the road with their new code:mobile. It’s Canada’s first coding lab on wheels! The most exciting part of a roaming code truck is that it will be able to visit areas and places that otherwise might not have access to resources or knowledge.

And they aren’t stopping there. This fall, Ladies Learning Code launched a crowdfunding campaign asking their supporters to help send code:mobile across Canada where they promise to bring hands-on, interactive technology education to an estimated 10,000 kids from May to September 2016, traveling approximately 35,000km coast to coast. Ladies Learning Code believes that computer programming and other technical skills are a tool of empowerment, and it is their mission to ensure that all Canadians – particularly women and youth – have access to these learning opportunities.
If the $50,000 crowdfunding goal is met, the Code Squad will grow to include members from Ladies Learning Code’s 22+ chapter cities across Canada plus surrounding areas based on community requests. The code:mobile will visit large and small towns, stopping at local parks, community centers, summer camps, street festivals, aboriginal reserves, hospitals and anywhere else they can park the truck and pop up the lab.
This isn’t the fist time we have seen groups or organizations hit the road with trucks and drive across cities, regions or countries. Last year we saw a group of our community members in India take a Firefox OS themed bus across country to teach the Mozilla mission and advocate for mobile device and education.
Before that we saw Mozilla Japan create the infamous MozBus that toured Japan and taught the web through numerous tools, events and curriculum. We have also seen tours in Kenya, U.S.A, Nepal and others.
The mobile learning truck seems like a timeless classic that never goes out of style. The most obvious value being the ability to travel in and out of any area and create buzz. More often than not, events that teach digital literacy happen within urban areas where access to resources and city transportation systems make it easier for participants to attend events. A vehicle allows for learning to happen literally anywhere; on the side of the road, in a rural area, in a farm and more.
We can’t wait to see where mobile education hits next!