Code Clubs Improve Diversity

One of the reasons I love coding is because of the community. There are so many people willing to help beginners get started with coding. If you have benefited from the kindness of others on your coding journey, and want to give something back, then this post is for you!

Below, I list all the code clubs that I have come across in the UK, and how to help them. If you see any that I have missed, or any links are broken, please let me know in the comments!

Reasons to help out

In supporting a coding club, you will be helping make the tech industry a better place to be:

Lend a hand to people from minority groups in tech by sharing your expertise
Be a positive role model
Help make your workplace more diverse
A warm fuzzy feeling from being a nice person :grin:

How about finding some like-minded individuals to help you start your own coding workshop?

List of Code Clubs (UK)

Gender-minorities
Racial minorities
Intersectional minorities
LGBTQ+
General Minorities
Children

Gender minorities

	Organisation	How we can help:
	Women Who Code London	Volunteer for an upcoming event
		Donate
		Host an event
		Share job opportunities and scholarships
	TechMums	Help organise or run a TechMums course
		Host a TechMums course (aimed at schools, could be opened up to offices)
		Contact them to find out how your business can help further
		Donate
	Code First Girls	Enquire about their sponsorship package.
	Rails Girls	Read their guides about putting on Rails Girls events
		Sign up to volunteer at an upcoming event
		Start a chapter in your town
	PyLadies	Start your own local meetup group
		Handbook for women organisers
	DjangoGirls	Organise a workshop
		Volunteer at an upcoming event
		See their resources for an organizer’s manual

Racial minorities

	Organisation	How we can help:
	Black In Technology	Start a chapter
		Volunteer or offer to speak at an event for an existing chapter: e.g. London's chapter
	Code2040	Share your expertise as a tech volunteer
		Corporate sponsorship

Intersectional minorities

	Organisation	How we can help:
	Coding Black Females	Sponsorship package options (costing £1-3K per month):
		Merchandise package with your company's logo to be sent to their members
		Jobs advertised to their members
		A page on their website
		Work with CBF to create a recruitment programme
		Host a CBF bootcamp
		Host a mentorship programme
		Put on an event in collaboration with CBF: workshops, provide a speaker, host a hackathon
	Black Girls Code	Online volunteer form (seems US based but perhaps you could have the first UK chapter!)
	Black Girl Tech	ON HIATUS FOR LOCKDOWN
	Black Codher	Run your own Black Codher bootcamp - see blackcodher.com/employers
		Sponsorship

LGBTQ+

	Organisation	How we can help:
	Queer Code	Offer to host a meet-up
		Provide speakers for a workshop
		Advertise their events (N.B their events are not intended for allies)
		Share job opportunities and scholarships
	Lesbians Who Tech	Find out about their sponsorship options
		Donate to their scholarship
	Out In Tech	Sponsor
		Donate
	TransHack	Sponsor

General Minorities

	Organisation	How we can help:
	CodeBar	Currently it is only offering centrally organised zoom calls during Covid.
		(Not in lockdown) Your office can host workshops by getting in touch with the CodeBar chapter local to your office.
		Sign up as a coach at an existing chapter
	Bridge Foundry (RailsBridge, ClojureBridge etc)	Start a bridge (a code club chapter) - also see resources here
		Help in other ways - e.g. admin, social media
		Volunteer for an existing bridge workshop - use this tool to find one near you: bridgetroll.org
		Donate

Children's Coding Clubs

	Organisation	How we can help:
	Code Club (Raspberry Pi Foundation) - 9-13 year olds	Start a Code Club
		Volunteer at a club
		Free online training and resources
	CoderDojo - 7-17 year olds	Volunteer at an existing dojo
		Start a Dojo
	Girls Who Code	Start a club - They provide a curriculum for starting.
		Corporate sponsorship
	Girls Code Too	Start a workshop
		See their resources to help get in touch with schools about running presentations and hosting coding puzzles.

Originally written Dec 15, 2020