Favbet Foundation and Andrii Matiukha expand teenagers' access to IT education in the regions

On June 28, the second educational event supported by Favbet Foundation in collaboration with GoFriends IT Academy took place in Stryi.

The master class brought together 53 teenagers from vulnerable social groups — children of internally displaced persons, military personnel, orphans, and residents of rural communities under the care of social services.

The event continued the initiative of the first educational session “A Ticket to IT” held in Kyiv. The master class format included interactive sessions featuring 12 digital directions, including programming, testing, UI/UX design, robotics, and cybersecurity. Participants worked in small groups, and some sessions were conducted by their peers — students of GoFriends IT Academy who already have experience in the tech field.

IT Kids project as a tool to engage youth in IT education

The master class “A Ticket to IT” is part of the IT Kids program implemented by Favbet Foundation. This program has been active since 2023 and is aimed at providing free IT education to children and teenagers throughout Ukraine.

Last year, the foundation launched the course “New Python” in partnership with the Code Club Ukraine network — 352 participants completed it, including 156 children of IDPs and military personnel. Later, a Scratch course was added, engaging 780 participants from various regions. In total, over 1,100 children have completed training under the program.

All IT Kids programs are free of charge. As noted by the president of Favbet Foundation, Andrii Matiukha:
“We believe that access to quality education should not be limited by place of residence or social status. That is why all IT Kids programs are free and involve children who might otherwise never consider a career in IT.”

For most teenagers, participation in the program became their first practical experience in digital technologies — through teamwork, mentoring support, and communication with peers already studying IT.

As a result of the event, all participants received invitations to a free summer camp from GoFriends IT Academy. At the camp, teenagers deepen their knowledge, work on personal projects, undergo testing, and can gain access to further Academy educational courses.

Supporting the next generation of specialists

There are plans to continue supporting teenagers interested in IT through new learning formats. As Andrii Matiukha notes, the foundation will continue to focus on creating accessible opportunities in tech education. In addition to courses, Favbet Foundation also provided schools with computer equipment so that children in communities affected by the war would have equal access to knowledge.