Nov. 30, 2023
Press Release
Thanks to the generous support of the TD Charitable Foundations, Tech Kids Unlimited (TKU) is actively expanding Career Ladder programs to reach a wider audience, specifically neurodiverse learners aged 14 to 24. With support from the TD Charitable Foundation, TKU will improve lives by creating opportunities.
Brooklyn, NY – Nov. 30, 2023 – Tech Kids Unlimited (TKU) recently received a $50,000 grant from the TD Bank Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, to fund Career Ladder, a suite of work-based learning programs for neurodiverse teens and adults ages 14 to 24.
TKU is expanding career readiness programs with the launch of “Level Up Tech Packages,” an “Advanced Digital Agency” and the “College Access Program” this past year. In Summer 2023, TKU placed 20 neurodiverse students in workplaces to complete a 6-week internship to empower their career journey. With the renewed funds from the TD Charitable Foundation, TKU’s Career Ladder is positioned to make an indelible impact on the neurodiverse community of learners it serves.
“The support from the TD Charitable Foundation is a recognition of the value of neurodiverse individuals in the workplace. TKU is thrilled that the TD Charitable Foundation is helping us to not only put neurodiverse individuals into the workplace but to celebrate divers-abilities,” said Beth Rosenberg, Executive Director, TKU.
“By providing young adults with training and pre-internship programs through Tech Kids Unlimited, like The Career Ladder program, we are helping neurodiverse students to access the resources that they need in order to succeed in the job market,” said Andy Bregenzer, Regional President, NY Metro, TD Bank. “We are proud to support career development and training through the TD Charitable Foundation and excited to see The Career Ladder program continue to deliver impressive results. In addition, our work with Tech Kids Unlimited has inspired both colleague and executive engagement. Through TD Bank’s corporate citizenship platform, we are creating a sense of belonging and inclusion in our community.”
TKU’s Career Ladder consists of five work-based learning programs or “pre-internships” to prepare its neurodiverse participants for the next step in their lives.
Digital Agency (DA) is an after-school program for teens to focus on creating digital projects for real clients, which include websites, videos, logo designs, and more. Participants are paid a stipend and meet for twelve 2-hour sessions throughout the year.
The Creative Tech Internship (CTI) is a bridge between the school and workplace environments. Interns meet in a mock office environment on Fridays between September to June to develop financial literacy, social-emotional and transition skills via a series of assignments and workshops led by a tech teacher and a social worker.
The Career Readiness Internship Summer Program (CRISP) is for students enrolled or entering college programs. This 6-week paid internship summer program places TKU students in external virtual or in-person worksites based on their skills and abilities and provides them with workshops and guest lecturers to help build a portfolio of work and skills.
The College Access Program (CAP) provides a supportive environment for participants to explore college options and build college readiness skills. Topics discussed include college experience expectations, identity development, social skills, and self-advocacy. Program content will be influenced by interests and concerns expressed by participants.
The Level Up Tech Package is a series of career-ready workshops designed to help students achieve their goals by giving them specific skills needed to start exploring employment in a particular aspect of a tech field like video editing, digital e-marketing and cybersecurity.
About TKU
Tech Kids Unlimited (TKU) is on a mission to empower neurodiverse students’ lives by teaching computer science & technology skills; we harness their passion & expose them to careers in the field. Based in NYC, with a growing national online presence, TKU inspires neurodiverse students to create & share the tools of technology in a supportive community. By addressing gaps in access to tech, TKU strives to change the paradigm for education & employment for neurodiverse students ages 7-21. Tech Kids Unlimited values are grounded in the following beliefs: everyone is deserving of an equal opportunity to succeed; everyone has potential despite their challenges.
The gap between the potential of people with autism and the difficulty of attaining opportunities is striking given the large number of students affected (CDC estimates 1 in 44). This challenge is compounded when the student is Black, Hispanic, multicultural, etc. as these students are often overlooked. Students with autism are far more likely to have limited educational attainment, be unemployed or work for lower pay with less job security. This is where TKU steps in–to improve lives by creating opportunities.
For more information, visit techkidsunlimited.org
Follow TKU on Instagram, and on Facebook.
About the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing over 9.8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $305 million through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation is available at https://www.tdbank.com/corporate-responsibility/the-ready-commitment/funding-opportunities/.
________
CONTACT