At our Coding Club, we collaborate with Bradford Council to enhance digital skills among children and young people, helping them thrive in today’s digital world. This initiative is part of the Bradford District Digital Strategy 2022-2027. Our current project focuses on creating a framework to establish coding clubs, targeting areas in Bradford facing significant digital exclusion.

AIMS:

•  To work with community centres in Holme Wood, Keighley and Manningham to tailor “CoderDojos” so that they meet the needs of the local community;
• Enhance digital equity by providing accessible coding education to underserved individuals aged 7 to 17;
• Foster a diverse and inclusive environment within the coding clubs, targeting engagement from historically underrepresented females and minority ethnic groups.

These coding clubs will impart technical skills and encourage critical engagement with digital technologies, fostering a sense of civic responsibility. Starting with the Raspberry Pi CoderDojo template, they will work with local communities to adapt each coding club to the specific needs of different areas in Bradford. This process will be documented so that it can be used as a blueprint for wider implementation across Bradford and the UK. The project will be implemented through community workshops and co-producing plans with local stakeholders. An overarching theme for the coding clubs will be preparation for Bradford becoming the UK City of Culture in 2025.