Fine Gael Kildare South TD Martin Heydon has said that the Newbridge Coderdojo club is hoping to expand and needs new mentors to assist with the growing demand from 7-17 years old.
“Newbridge Coderdojo has been in existence for 2 and a half years operating out of Patrician Primary School as a school based programme. Due to increased demand, Newbridge Coderdojo is hoping to expand their exciting programme to children and young adults from all over Newbridge but to do so we need more mentors.
“Coderdojo is a global movement of volunteer-led, community-based programming clubs for young people. Anyone aged seven to seventeen can visit a Dojo where they can learn to code, build a website, create an app or a game, and explore technology in an informal, creative, and social environment. The Newbridge club is registered with Coder Ireland and meets on Tuesday evenings.
“We would be delighted to hear from any over 18’s with an interest in coding and coding knowledge who would like to get involved and volunteer for 2 hours a week with Newbridge Coderdojo. Mentors must be over 18 and will be subject to Garda vetting and child protection measures operated by Coder Ireland.
“For more information on becoming a mentor or to register your interest contact mailto:coderdojo.newbridge1@gmail.com or any Newbridge Coderdojo committee member.
ENDS
NOTES TO THE EDITOR – Extract from Coderjojo Mentor Guide
A mentor is a technically skilled individual who guides Dojo attendees and facilitates
their learning and project work during the sessions. Mentors usually have a preferred
area and expertise within which they like to work (eg. HTML, Python etc.) and this can
influence the topics covered in the Dojo.
Mentors facilitate young people’s learning at a Dojo. Rather than lecturing and having
a top down teaching attitude mentors are there to encourage the young people to
explore technology and develop their own unique projects!
Dojos are always looking for technically skilled mentors to help out, for a couple of
hours a week, helping to share their knowledge with local young people.
Whether you are a pro at Python, can write HTML blindfolded or love tinkering with
hardware like Raspberry Pis and robotics, your knowledge and experience would be
welcome at any Dojo!
Volunteering at a Dojo is an incredibly rewarding experience, and many mentors
are surprised at how much they learn and gain from the experience! It gives you
an opportunity to directly help and impact kids to learn how to code and create with
technology.
FAQ: Can I volunteer if I’m not technical?
Yes! Dojos are always looking for volunteers to help with a wide array of tasks, from registration
and administration through to keeping their website up to date. You should get in touch
with your local Dojo if you have skills that you think could help. You can also support beginner
attendees with the basic languages like Scratch and HTML and learn with the young people!
Some examples of non-mentoring roles for volunteers:
• Registration & check In
• Producing fliers
• Updating the website
• Helping support general Dojo activities
• Youth outreach to attract youth