Stories
News, project launches and thoughts from our team.
PROJECT LAUNCH: Hamilton Code Clubs
Hamilton Code Clubs is a trail-blazing program that sees industry mentors introduce local youth to simple software computer programming, through a blend of interactive and hands-on training. The ultimate goal is to teach students to develop a love for the subject and begin integrating code into the classroom in a fun and engaging manner.
For many students, this introduction can open up career pathways and 21st-century learning skills.
With the tech industry in Canada expanding at a breakneck pace, Hamilton Code Clubs represents a critical link between the classroom and the real world, with mentors working to spark an interest in our youth and develop our next generation tech workforce.
At Double Barrel, we know the importance of a solid education in digital literacy for our youth. That’s why in 2015, we worked to create the #HamOnt Forever Digital Literacy fund, a Hamilton Community Foundation administered fund that will distribute grants over the next 15 years for digital literacy initiatives in the Hamilton area.
This year, we are proud to continue that legacy by providing an amazing organization like the Hamilton Code Club with this recruitment video free-of-charge, to inspire the tech community to continue to grow and help ensure that kids are realizing the amazing career opportunities around coding at a young age.
If you’re in the software industry and keen to help out, you’re in luck! They’re in need of volunteers! If you’re interested in volunteering for Hamilton Code Clubs, contact experience@iechamilton.ca
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Taking the Stigma out of Student Mental Health
For parents, talking about mental health with their teens can be a seemingly uphill task. Oftentimes, kids suffer and keep their struggles hidden for far too long – and by the time they finally ask for help, it’s much harder to intervene.
Many parents aren’t aware that help exists within the school system, that trained professionals are waiting and willing to lend a hand if they’re given the opportunity.
The Halton District School Board is one of these school boards – progressive in their approach to student mental health. When they came to us with the important task of creating a video that would raise awareness amongst parents of the mental health services that they offer to students in the district – it was a challenge that we took very seriously.
“Mental health and well-being is everyone’s responsibility and requires a whole-school and community approach,” says David Euale, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “We know positive mental health and student achievement are closely connected. We hope this video helps to create awareness of mental health issues and an environment that supports our students to succeed.”
Written and directed by Tyler Tekatch, stunningly shot by Christoph Benfey, crafted in the edit suite by Vanessa Crosbie Ramsay and sound mixed by the lads at Hive Studios – this is a piece that we are exceedingly proud of.
“This project was compelling to me because it was a chance to collaborate with drama students from the HDSB, all of whom were eager to participate, and to work with a school board that wanted to open up the conversation about mental health,” says director Tyler Tekatch. “The stigma regarding mental health is something that our society as a whole needs to break down, and the HDSB is taking the necessary steps to do that in their schools.”
Marnie Denton, Manager of Communication for the HDSB, had this to say about working with us ~ “Double Barrel Studios found a creative way to present the topic of Mental Health awareness for us. They took all our information and distilled it down to the essential points that needed to be communicated. From our first meeting to the final edits it was a pleasure to work with their team.”
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Tantalizing your Tastebuds
Projects begin in all kinds of interesting ways. Our latest, a commercial PSA & website for Hamilton organization ‘Tastebuds’ evolved out of a conversation Double Barrel partners Roz Allen & Lee Hillman had with board director Deirdre Pike.
‘We were just chatting over lunch – and it came up that Deirdre was a part of this great Hamilton organization that feeds 23,000 kids a day,’ says Roz. ‘She mentioned the snack carts that they used and I realized – my son eats off that cart every day. In this really six-degrees-of-separation way – Deirdre’s organization was helping me.’
From there the team at Double Barrel worked alongside what was then known as ‘Hamilton Partners in Nutrition’ – connecting them with Hamilton branding powerhouse Kitestring and creating the commercial PSA based on the new branding ‘Tastebuds.’ Dale Mugford of BraveNewCode helmed the redesign and revamp of the website.
‘We saw the site that currently existed and knew they needed more than a video,’ says Hillman. ‘We didn’t want to just create a video based on what they had – we wanted to help them really reface, come up with a fresh look & feel that would make it clear to Hamiltonians – this is an amazing organization doing great work.’
Written by & starring Canadian comedienne Diana Frances & co-starring Hamilton actress Molly Turcotte – the team at Double Barrel couldn’t be happier with the outcome.
“This is proof that you don’t need a long documentary to get your message across,” says Allen, concluding “a little humour goes a long way.”
