youth science club

This innovative initiative was inspired by ThinkAfrica’s 2021-2022 pilot youth mentoring program, the “Youth Educational Performance Program (YEPP),” which involved the active participation of mentors from Science Basement. Experienced adult mentors were paired with young children of African descent, aged 9-17, living in Finland. One memorable highlight was a spring 2022 visit to the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), which left the children enthralled and eager for more. Their curiosity led to a simple yet transformative idea: the creation of the Youth Science Club (YSC).

In the autumn of 2022, we embarked on the inaugural pilot phase of YSC, where young minds and scientists gathered to build connections, explore their interests, and collaborate on engaging experiments. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from both parents and children has been a testament to YSC’s success. To further nurture this passion for science, we’ve partnered with ThinkAfrica to secure grant funding, enabling YSC to convene once a month. 

As of September 2023, our schedule includes one monthly meeting devoted to conducting experiments tailored to the children’s interests. In the future, we plan to venture beyond science stations, organizing day trips to science museums and similar enriching activities.