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Code Club - after-school code club initiative goes live (codeclub.org.uk)

77 points by CodeClub ↗ HN
Our mission is to inspire kids to learn how to code. Our plan is to create a nationwide network of volunteer-led after-school coding clubs for children aged 10-11.<p>We're asking interested programmers to teach for an hour a week at their local school using Scratch and lesson plans based on the Scratch curriculum. Lesson plans are currently being created and tested so interested programmers can sign up to hear when they are ready at www.codeclub.org.uk<p>You can follow our progress at www.codeclub.org.uk/blog and follow us on twitter @CodeClub

24 comments

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Jakegissing
This looks great. I'm 19 now, but would have killed for something like this when I was at school.
jmedwards
I wish I had the time to really help out and engage fully in the going-to-schools aspect, but I can't. However, if there is anything else you need help with, let me know!

Good luck

kristianc
Best of luck - I've got a 12 year old brother who wants to learn to code, but probably needs quite a gentle introduction to it.
Strallus
I have a nephew that wanted "to be a programmer".

Turns out he wanted to make games, and he thought that making games was a lot like playing them. :\",

phn
Have you introduced him to tools like game maker, construct, stencyl, etc. ? Maybe he can do some simple things and then learn some code...
nitrogen
I second this idea. The old Klik-n-Play program contributed to my inspiration when I was a kid, and the license agreement forbidding distribution of my creations helped motivate me to continue to learn to code. My next step after Klik-n-Play and QuickBasic was Allegro and DJGPP.
TeMPOraL
> Turns out he wanted to make games

Well, great for him! Many a programmer started this way. IMO it's one of the best motivation ever to start programming, and to actually learn stuff (you try to make a game, and suddenly maths and physics become interesting).

ntkachov
I know i started out that way. Then I realized that I could do a lot more with a lot less work in web programming. Games are hard and the payoff is much less compared to, say, making a web app.

Unfortunately most people don't understand that video games are one of the more difficult things to program. I know many people who start Comp Sci as a major and then quit as soon as they get past Java 101 (or some that quit before).

VIlonis
I wish their scope wasn't limited to ages 10-11. Maybe in the future.
ckdarby
coderdojo.com has a much larger age scope by the way.
hyper_linda
We're doing lesson plans for ages 10-11 first. Then we'll move on to other age groups :)
tomgallard
Great idea- I've signed up. The most challenging aspect is how to make these things accessible, enjoyable and educational all at the same time, while still doing some proper 'coding'
IJD
I run the computer lab and teach technology classes at an elementary school in California. Are there any similar programs in the states?

In the last year especially, I have seen lots of technology education programs like this start up in the UK. Seeing them in the UK is still inspiring and pushes me to do more, but I wish there were programs like this in the states.

hyper_linda
You are most welcome to use all our lesson plans and projects to start up your own thing in the US.
IJD
Am I missing something, or are these lesson plans and projects not available on the web site?
ArmstrongRSBC
This is targeted towards 10-12 year olds?

Sounds like exactly what I need to get over the beginners hump with programming.

luxpir
Congrats, it looks great.

Any plans to remunerate teachers? How much of a time commitment would this be for a potential volunteer?

What corporate structure have you taken?

hyper_linda
Thank you. It shouldn't be any direct costs to teachers. The lessons might need to be supervised by a teacher, which would be an hour of their time once a week. As for volunteers, one hour once a week, plus travel, plus time to prepare (this will vary from person to person). We need to raise £5000 pounds before we can register as a charity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charitable_organization#Charity...
luxpir
Thanks for your reply. It sounds perfectly reasonable in terms of committment.

A further though is that if arts/crafts/sports-type workshop runners are charging around £200 a day for their work in schools, you could potentially tap into this portion of school budgets to earn the £5000 required or set up as a limited company with a social purpose. I suppose you've made plans on the costs front, and that fund raising for £5k a year is perhaps very manageable.

If not, you could set up on a UK-based Kickstarter-type site and I, for one, would be happy to contribute and potentially volunteer for our local school.