The people power of Code Club

It’s you, the community of educators and members, that makes Code Club such a vibrant programme. For us this is the most exciting part of what we do — hearing how Code Club positively impacts your lives and the people around you is truly a great honour!

Four community members share their stories as part of our #CodeClubIs10 celebrations.

Park Street Code Club, Cambridge celebrates Code Club’s birthday

Keeping the Code Club spirit alive

Kayla Jackson-Smart, 17, is a Code Club alumni from Manchester. The skills she gained from attending Code Club supported her through her computer science GCSE. Now four years on, Kayla’s keeping the Code Club spirit alive and creating sprites for Scratch in her graphic design A level. 

“I attended Code Club in Primary School and went on to take Computer Science as a GCSE. I love making things on computers, especially graphics, but I didn’t really enjoy the GCSE much, but it set me up for my Graphic Design A level.

I’m currently working on component one of my Graphic Design course where I’m creating a set of costumes to use in Scratch. I’m hoping to visit my old Code Club so they can use them in a project.”

Kayla jumping for joy for Code Club!

Career-changing experiences with Code Club

“Before I started Code Club, coding to me was like The Matrix seeing the numbers scroll down a screen, it didn’t mean anything!”

We headed online to catch up with Liam Garnett, from Leeds Libraries to hear about the impact that Code Club has had on his career, but also his knowledge of coding. He may not be a computer hacker like ‘The One’ in The Matrix, but he now has a better understanding of code!

Liam at Leeds library Code Club.

“I started in Leeds Library as a Library Assistant on the front line. I took a strong interest in the digital aspect of our services and launched a Code Club at Seacroft, in East Leeds and now I support four clubs across the city. Leading on this has helped shape my career and led me down the path I am on now, as a Senior Librarian for Digital.”

“I am still not great at coding, but the skills I’ve gained in helping kids learn has been really important to me.That softly approach works well, letting kids make mistakes and then together we can work out what has gone wrong.”

Coding with friends

“It gave me a lot of important skills that continue to help me in my work to this day, and helped me make friends with people I’m still very close to.”

Jamie,18, Durham Johnston Digital Leaders.

Engaging with new friends and being surrounded by positive role models is an important part of any extracurricular activities. Coding with friends is what Code Club is all about and we’re so pleased to hear that Jamie is still close to his Code Club buddies.

Travel the world

Nadia’s Code Club journey is inspiring. It started in 2015, when Nadia was in the UK studying for her PhD, to then heading back to her home country and becoming a Code Club Iraq partner.

“I volunteered for Code Club through Brunel University London, with Oak Farm Library, in 2016 I was awarded by the Mayor of Hillingdon for being the best volunteer at Code Club!

Nadia, volunteering at Oak Farm Library

What I learned with Code Club is that I can pay it forward. I can learn and I can develop myself, and then I pass this knowledge to someone else, who in their turn will pass it to someone else, and then we will have a whole community that will change and will change for the better. When I headed back to Iraq, I knew I wanted to bring everything I gained in the UK and give children in Iraq the same opportunities.

When we first started Code Club in Maysan (Southern Iraq) you will find female teachers, doctors, but you will never see a female ICT trainer, because she ‘cannot do it’. So we started by changing this concept, we started by training fourteen female educators, so we changed the image for women, about women in our community.”

Nadia spreading the message of Code Club in Maysan, Iraq.

This is just a snapshot of the different ways Code Club has impacted community members, both personally and professionally. We know there will be many more stories that deserve a spotlight. So, to all of you Code Club educators and members, we see you and we appreciate you!

Share the positive impact that Code Club has had on your life by using the hashtag #CodeClubIs10. We’d love to celebrate them with the world.