Our partnership with Lightning Tools enables the Museum to run a programme of free STEM sessions to inspire children to see technology in a different light – empowering them to explore a career in STEM.
The Ambassador Kids Programme, sponsored by Lightning Tools, was born from a passion for nurturing young minds in STEM. The programme bridges gaps in technological education by offering hands-on, inclusive learning experiences.
The programme was conceived in 2020, during the pandemic, by a long-standing TNMOC volunteer who wanted to revive community STEM sessions that had been disrupted. By July 2021, the Ambassador Kids Programme was launched, welcoming students eager to explore technology in a safe, supportive environment.
Contact us
Community Impact
Since its inception, the programme has grown exponentially. Starting with just ten students once a month, demand quickly doubled, prompting the addition of extra sessions. Within six months the programme had expanded to receive up to 20 students twice per month.
Thanks to sponsorship from Lightning Tools, we are able to expose students to technologies and coding techniques that they wouldn't have otherwise had access to. Students from under privileged backgrounds are able to learn on equipment that will enable them to build vital skills for their future.
Success Stories
Laura McLeod, Ambassador Kids Programme Lead at TNMOC, reflects on the outcomes of the programme:
“We have had students place in the top 75 (out of over 400) in national coding competitions and every student gets the opportunity in the New Year to write code that will be sent up to the International Space Station through the AstroPi project.
Nevertheless, some of my proudest moments are hearing about what the students do outside of the sessions: we've had a student start a coding club at school, and others have taught their younger siblings how to code.”
A Unique Approach
Unlike many rigid and structured STEM outreach initiatives, the Ambassador Kids Programme prides itself on being adaptable and inclusive. This flexibility ensures that all students, regardless of their learning style, can participate and thrive. The programme’s retention rate and glowing feedback from parents underscore its success in creating a welcoming environment for every child.
Parents report improvements in students' confidence, behavior, and academic engagement, while participants forge friendships and develop teamwork skills.
“Lightning Tools Ltd is a Midlands, UK, based independent software developer & vendor involved with Microsoft technologies. As a local tech company, we feel that the Ambassador Kid’s Programme at TNMOC is a perfect initiative for us to support. The future of our company’s growth and success will be reliant on there being a pool of talented staff available, so if we can help to inspire and nurture a new generation of kids to take an interest in tech roles, it has got to be in our own interest! We hope the programme will generate the next wave of inquisitive minds and problem solvers, something which the UK is famous for. And who knows, perhaps some of them will be future colleagues of Lightning Tools!”
