The Cowan Foundation Announces Donation to ITC Program for At-Risk Youth

From Left to Right: Mohamed Sofa, Executive Director, Britannia Woods Community House; Deana Maric, Director, Third Party Insurance Services, Cowan Insurance Group & Board Member, Social Planning Council of Ottawa; Khaled Nizami, Board Member, Social Planning Council of Ottawa; Debra Murphy, Regional Account Manager, Frank Cowan Company; Heather McLachlin, President, Cowan Insurance Group; Sophia Jacob, Executive Board Member, Social Planning Council of Ottawa.​

The Cowan Foundation is pleased to announce a $25,000 donation to The Social Planning Council of Ottawa for a new program offered to at-risk youth. The Cowan Coding Club will teach approximately 50 youth aged 16 - 24 IT and Communications (ITC) skills for the jobs of today and the future. The program will provide marginalized youth the opportunity to learn a variety of hard and soft digital literacy skills and have access to career-oriented mentoring.

“A main priority of The Cowan Foundation is transformative programs for youth,” explained Mary D’Alton, Executive Director, The Cowan Foundation.  “In supporting this training program for marginalized youth, especially in a growing employment field, we feel this is a great step towards a future full of opportunities for participants.”

“With over 43 IT and Communications related jobs at Cowan Insurance Group across the province, and 21 of those jobs at our Ottawa office alone, we are a strong believer of empowering youth in this field,” says Heather McLachlin, President, Cowan Insurance Group. “We are pleased to support this innovative training and mentorship program for youth and are inspired by the ground-breaking work of the Social Planning Council of Ottawa, their partners and volunteers who are bringing this program to life.”

Click here to read the full press release.