Actua engages youth through two main mechanisms: a national network of 40 university and college-based members, and a national Outreach Team. Together we inspire over 350,000 youth each year, reaching every province and territory in Canada through summer camps, classroom workshops, clubs, teacher training, and community outreach activities.
university and college based network members
undergraduate students employed each year
inspired youth each year
volunteers delivering STEM workshops
1 million face to face hours
Actua has engaged over 5,000,000 Canadian youth in the past 25 years and the organization has evolved significantly. What has remained the same is our unwavering focus on engaging the hardest to reach youth in Canada ensuring they have the opportunity to develop essential STEM skills. We have also remained committed to hiring undergraduate students, lots of them, who deliver programs across Canada, getting valuable work experience while developing even stronger employability skills. Actua’s focus is on helping youth to recognize they are leaders today in their communities while also bolstering their skills and confidence to become the innovators of tomorrow. We do this in partnership with leading universities, colleges, corporations, communities and governments at all levels.
As a nationally recognized voice for STEM education and outreach, Actua is a strong advocate for the critical importance of early engagement in STEM. We use that national voice to advocate for increasedinvestment in youth STEM programs and to specifically bring attention to the ongoing underrepresentation of key groups in STEM fields. Actua is frequently called upon to speak on our vast program experience and policy expertise through conference presentations, media interviews, community events and social media. We actively share our research findings and experiences with a broad community in order to advance understanding and innovation in the field of STEM engagement.
Actua is a network-based organization and we proudly represent and support 40 university and college-based network members. These amazing organizations embody Actua’s commitment to engaging all young Canadians in hands-on STEM and to breaking barriers to youth participation in STEM studies and careers. Network members deliver a host of on and off campus programming including significant outreach work within their local communities and beyond. This outreach is what contributes to the network’s collective impact of reaching 500 communities in every province and territory each year.
Network members offer week-long day camp experiences mainly in July and August (and during March Breaks where applicable). Camps offer a wide variety of STEM activities, with many specialty camps offering specific themed weeks. Both co-ed and all-girls camps are offered.
Network members deliver school workshops that meet the required learning outcomes of provincial or territorial curricula.Teachers can select from a variety of STEM themes and book workshops directly through a local network member program.
Many of our network members offer year-round after-school club experiences, giving youth opportunities to deepen their engagement in STEM. Some clubs are co-ed and others offer an all-girls option.
Actua's Outreach Team is a group of STEM instructors from across Canada who deliver programming in far reaching areas not currently served by our network members. Actua's Outreach Team currently delivers across the Canadian Arctic as well as other remote and underserved communities.
Actua’s Outreach instructors are a team of dynamic, diverse, engaging leaders who are committed to delivering fun, hands‐on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs for youth. Our “for youth by youth” model is extremely effective at helping young people build self‐confidence, connect with role models like them, and engage with STEM programming in an inclusive and safe space.
Actua’s Outreach team delivers programming primarily in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities that are not yet served by our network members. We work in partnership with communities; engaging local Indigenous volunteers and/or Elders who share their traditional knowledge and integrate cultural experiences into our camps. In this way, we connect youth to what they already intrinsically know about STEM from within their own community context and we ensure that the programming we deliver remains relevant and meaningful.
Our Outreach Team delivers school workshops, week-long summer camps, and community science events in Indigenous, northern, rural, and remote communities across Canada.
Actua's impact is demonstrated through extensive, independent, and evidence-based research. The research has confirmed that Actua is creating positive and significant changes in the attitudes and behaviours of young Canadians toward STEM, and increasing the likelihood that youth will pursue STEM studies and careers.
President and CEO
Executive Assistant to the CEO and Office Manager
Chief Operating Officer
Controller
Director, Indigenous Youth in STEM (InSTEM) Program
Director of Network Membership
Director of Development and Partnerships
Director of Education and Outreach
Director of Operations and Research
Director of Information and Systems Management
Senior Manager, Network Membership
Senior Manager, Partner Relations
Senior Manager, Education
Senior Manager, Outreach
Manager, Indigenous Youth in STEM (InSTEM) Program
Manager, Outreach Content & Logistics
Manager, Communications
Development and Special Projects Coordinator
Network Member Services Coordinator
National Girls Program Coordinator
Specialist, Equity Education and Teacher Training
Specialist, Coding Education
Administrative Assistant
Outreach Coordinator
Outreach Coordinator
Outreach and Content Specialist
Outreach and Content Specialist
Researcher in Residence
Vice-President, Strategy & Communications, PQA Testing
Independent Contract CFO
CEO, Actua
Vice-President Corporate and Public Affairs, TD Bank Group
Director, Science Venture, University of Victoria
Director, Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Executive Vice President, Refining & Marketing, Suncor Energy
Director; Finance, Insurance & Travel, Google
CEO, NAC Bio
Assembly of First Nations
Outreach Coordinator
Outreach Coordinator
Outreach and Content Specialist
Outreach and Content Specialist
Actua is fortunate to have world-class funders from the private sector, foundations and from all levels of government. The majority of our supporters have been with us over the long-term. We are known for our unique partnership approach that creates value and engagement far beyond financial contributions. We offer a range of investment opportunities at regional and national levels with demonstrated accountability and impact.
Please contact us for more information.
Actua is growing and looking to expand our team with the following available positions.
Actua has an immediate opening for the position of Project Specialist, Early Career Development and Future Skills. This is a full-time position based in Ottawa, Ontario.
Please click here for details on this job posting.
To apply, please complete the application form and upload your cover letter and resume in a single PDF document.
While we appreciate all applications, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Actua has an immediate opening for a new position: Digital Communications Specialist. This is a full time position based in Ottawa, Ontario.
Please click here for details on this job posting.
To apply, please complete the application form, and upload your cover letter, resume and any work samples or professional portfolio in a single PDF document.
While we appreciate all applications, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.