The youth of today

.. are really impressive.

A few weeks back I watched several of the video presentations (that page is also probably the best writeup!) from Young Rewired State, and then last Saturday I got to meet some of the people from the teams at OpenTech. Here’s a wordy summary of what happened on the YRS blog, but basically, groups of 15-18 year olds writing software (desktop, mobile, web, whatever) using government data sources. Very cool.

Alongside that is Apps for Good. About themselves they say:

Apps For Good is a leading-edge technology programme where young people learn to create mobile and web apps that change their world. With special focus around solving real life issues that matter to them and their community.

So, among others, they’ve done things like write an Android app that tells you your rights for Stop and Search.

I love seeing this level of engagement from a group of people half my age! Gumption, opportunities, actually producing something in a single week – if that isn’t enough to give anyone of my age both fear and inspiration then I really don’t know what is.

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