<Wax on> Tameside CoderDojo #1 </Wax off>

Ninjas and mentors found their programming mojo for four hours of coding and computing fun at the first ever Tameside CoderDojo in July.

Tameside CoderDojo #1 kicked off the summer for young people who are interested in digital technology at Active Medlock Sky High Adventures in Droylsden on Sunday 9th July.

The FREE event was a great success, with local girls and boys aged 7 to 17 practicing a variety of coding, programming, and other creative digital skills.

The young people – ninjas – used Raspberry Pis, BBC micro:bits and laptops, to make their own shark chase and reaction time games, as well as creating their own ‘sprites’ in the virtual world and mine craft worlds and outer space animations. Expert volunteer mentors – adults who work in real-world tech companies – were on hand to help the ninjas learn (and have fun) throughout the day.

Tameside CoderDojo is the latest dojo added to the exciting CoderDojo movement that is sweeping the entire world. CoderDojos are FREE clubs for young people to learn how to code in a safe, friendly and fun environment – organised by a champion and supported by expert mentors.

Tameside’s dojo champion is Jim Evans, a professional programmer, and the Stockport CoderDojo Champion, who is passionate about helping young people to develop their creative digital skills. After Tameside CoderDojo #1, Jim said:

“It's great to see so many youngsters here, getting stuck in and creating with code. Although it might look a little chaotic, our Ninjas (what we call our young coders) are learning vital skills, and having fun while doing it. We encourage creativity through project based work, as well as developing some of the "soft skills" such as teamwork and sharing knowledge - all in a fun and relaxed environment. CoderDojo is always free and inclusive. We've been able to set up here thanks to the support we've had from Tameside council. In offering this for free we can make sure there's no barrier for anyone to learn to code, no matter their background.”

The Tameside CoderDojo lives at Sky High Adventure at Active Medlock in Droylsden, where they meet on the first Sunday of every month from 11am to 3pm. Active Tameside’s Shaun Higgins said:

“We are pleased to be offering our space, as it will give young people the opportunity to learn new skills and realised their potential. We are always willing to partner with community groups, particularly to support the learning and development of young people.”

The Tameside CoderDojo is being set up with support from Tameside Council – who have been developing digital skills in their borough since 2016 with the Tameside Hack coding competitions for young people as part of their Every Child a Coder Pledge.

Cllr Lynn Travis, who is leading the way on digital skills and lifelong learning for the council, came down to Tameside CoderDojo #1 and was really excited to see another great opportunity for local young people to get coding. She said:

“It is fantastic to see boys and girls here today with parents who are amazed at what they can do. Our ambition is nothing less than making sure every child in Tameside, regardless of their background, has the chance to learn the key ideas of computer science and how programming works, as well as giving them the chance to develop their skills further if they so choose. Clubs like CoderDojo run by volunteers are a great fun way to spark that interest from an early age. The more our children know about computers and technology, the better prepared they’ll be for the workplaces of the 21st century and be able to fulfil their potential.”

If you (or somebody you know) is aged 7 to 17 and wants to become a coding ninja, BOOK A PLACE at the next Tameside CoderDojo via the website: https://tamesidedojo.org.uk/book.php. There’s plenty of activities on offer, no matter how experienced or new you are to coding – and there’s always a mentor nearby to help you get the most out of it!