This guest blog was written by Matthew O. Brimer, Co-Founder at General Assembly.
At General Assembly, we aim to help people transform their lives for the better and empower them to pursue work they love. We do this by providing access to education and opportunity in technology, business, and design. Starting in 2011, we’ve worked to build a global network of entrepreneurs and practitioners invested in each others’ success.
During our evolution, two things have became apparent:
- Technology companies are constantly in need of ever-changing skill sets and talent
- Opportunities to attain these skills are not equally available to everyone
Further, what great potential could we unleash if we connect that network of technology entrepreneurs and practitioners to nonprofit organizations in need of that technology support?
We strongly believe that education, careers and opportunities in technology should not be limited to any one demographic or sector. Currently, too many social organizations committed to creating social change lack the resources needed to make their intended impact. Opportunity Fund provides a tangible solution to this problem.
What is Opportunity Fund?
Opportunity Fund is a philanthropic scholarship program aimed at providing hands-on education and career opportunities in technology to underrepresented groups across the globe. Scholarship recipients of our full-time, three-month immersive courses build a work-ready skill set in the fundamentals of web development and user experience design. These immersive courses allow students to gain the skills necessary to become employable software engineers and designers, with over 95% of job-seeking graduates finding employment within a few weeks of graduation.
As part of the program, recipients of Opportunity Fund scholarships become Fellows, and volunteer a minimum of 100 hours mentoring youth in partnership with select tech education and community focused nonprofit organizations. This volunteer work can take many forms, including time spent mentoring youth how to code in low-income communities every week to more practical application of their skills, where they provide hands on tech support and assistance on specific projects or programs. This creates a unique experience that ensures these newfound skills impact not only the lives of Fellows, but also those in the next generation.
With our continued growth and latest expansion into new markets, we’re thrilled to be working with Taproot Foundation to source mission-aligned nonprofits interested in working with our Fellows.
