Code Summer Camp: Kod camps for children and young people – Sweden

Code Summer Camp is a camp for children and young people aged 7-17 who are interested in programming. The camp is organised by the Skill organisation, in collaboration with Linköping Science Park and several other organisations, making it possible to open the doors to children and young people’s interest in technology, programming, digital creation and problem-solving. Regardless of previous knowledge, the Code Summer Camp offers the possibility to connect others with the same interest!

Background and objectives

In an increasingly digitalised society, the need for digital skills is also growing – both in the short term and in the long term. Code Summer Camp is an initiative running for over twelve years with the aim of attracting interest in technology, programming, digital creation and problem-solving early in life – regardless of prior knowledge.

Why is Code Summer Camp a good practice?

Code Summer Camp opens the doors to children and young people aged 7 to 17 each year. This creates opportunities to attract interest in tech and programming early in life, lowering the threshold for those who do not know where to start. In good cooperation between a variety of organizations, Skill organizes facilities, skills, housing and funding for the benefit of young people. Since its launch, over 2,000 students have participated in the camp.

The camp is offered in three formats to maximise accessibility: a physical week held at Linköping University, a digital week which participants can follow remotely from home, and a hub/hybrid format where participants join the digital programme from local venues in cities including Norrköping, Trollhättan, Göteborg, Arboga and Kungsör. Places are allocated equally between girls and boys. Thanks to partnerships with local organisations, scholarship places are also available for participants from lower-income households, ensuring the camp is accessible regardless of financial background.

The purpose of Code Summer Camp is to arouse interest and curiosity in technology, programming, digital creation, creativity and problem solving in everyone regardless of prior knowledge. Participants get to try out Scratch, Python and web programming as well as participate in inspiring meetings with the partners in the industrial and tech/IT industry.