Rathfarnham

CoderDojo is a global collaboration providing free and open learning to young people ages 7 - 17, especially in programming technology.

NB: Children aged 12 or under MUST be accompanied for the ENTIRE session by a Parent/Guardian.

In the interests of fairness to the amount of people who have enquired, participants are required to book in for each event weekly. The EventBrite booking page will go live every Thursday morning at 10.00 a.m., allowing booking for the following Wednesday. See the Ballyroan Eventbrite page here for current listing.

The ticketing system has slightly changed. There will be two types of children's tickets - Child's PC ticket (using one of our PCs) and Child's Laptop ticket (you must bring a laptop of your own). Due to logistics, and making sure everyone has a space, these will be strictly enforced.

As well as booking a child's ticket, children who are 12 or under MUST be accompanied by a parent, who must also have booked an accompanying parents ticket.

In the event of most/all of our attendees being 12 or under, we have put up the corresponding number of Parent's tickets, however, if your child is 13+, you do not need to book a parent's ticket. Also, if all of the children's tickets are sold out, please do NOT book a parent's ticket, as it is primarily your child that needs a ticket and they will not be admitted to the dojo without a child's ticket.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I bring to the Dojo?

If you have a laptop, please bring it along (along with, if necessary, your charger for the laptop, although given the limited plug outlets, we would ask that the laptop would be charged enough for the duration of the dojo). The dojo is designed to be led by the children and their questions and interests; the mentors will aid them in their learning, trying their best to answer any questions they may have, showing them any languages they may be interested in and helping them with any coding projects they may be working on. Having their own laptop with them will enable them to continue their pursuits in between attending the dojo.

There are computers in the library to use, in the event that a laptop is not available to you. We would ask that you bring some sort of storage device to save your work onto, like a USB key. If necessary, Ballyroan Library have 1GB USB keys on sale for €10.

Do I/Does my child have to be a member?

Yes. Since internet access will be required, attendees are asked to bring their South Dublin Libraries' library card, so they can log into our free wi-fi. If any attendees are not currently members, they will be required to join (Proof of address - like a household bill or a driver's licence - is required. To speed up the process, you can fill out your details online here. You can also join at our in-library terminals on the day. Once your details have been filled out, please show your proof of address to a member of staff at the library desk. Children will need to have their parents with them to get a library card).

Why do I have to book in each week?

Due to huge demand, and in the interests of fairness, booking is on a first-come, first-served basis and will be done on a weekly basis to give those who miss out initially a chance to attend. You can attend each week, provided you book in each week. Some people also might prefer not to attend weekly for a multitude of reasons which could include working on coding projects in between dojos.

Every Thursday morning there will be a new EventBrite event like this one posted on our Dojo's listing on Zen which will enable you to book for the following Wednesday's Dojo.

I attended last week's dojo. Can I come to this one too? 

Yes. Booking is on a weekly basis out of fairness, and because everybody may not be able to attend every week. If you have previously attended and want to attend another dojo, we'd love to have you. Bookings are on a first-come, first-served basis.

I/My child is under 7 or 18 +, can they attend?

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate children under 7. As for older teenagers (18+), this iniative is designed for children, and there are numerous alternative avenues for adults wishing to enhance their coding skills.

Who will be facilitating the event?

The event is organised by Ballyroan Library and will be facilitated by various external mentors who have a vast range of experience with programming, coding and the computer industry. All of the mentors are volunteering their time for the CoderDojo.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

No. Booking is sufficient.

Where is the best place to keep up-to-date on information about the Dojo?

The primary website for CoderDojo Rathfarnham is our Dojo listing on CoderDojo's Zen website. We would also suggest that you like Ballyroan Library's Facebook page and follow CoderDojo Rathfarnham's twitter feed to keep up-to-date.

I have a query that I haven't seen the answer to. How I can contact you?

Whilst the dojo is organised by Ballyroan Library, we would ask, that if you need to, please contact us directly at ballyroan@sdublincoco.ie and we will get back to you as soon as possible.