You Don't Need to Be a Coding Expert to Start a Code Club
Maybe you've heard about Code Club and wondered if it could work in your library or school. Maybe a parent has asked you about it, or a colleague mentioned it in passing. Maybe you've been quietly curious for a while but assumed it wasn't really for someone without a tech background. We’re here to tell you it absolutely is!
Code Clubs can be found in kura, libraries and community spaces all over Aotearoa, and the people who make those clubs happen come from all kinds of backgrounds. Teachers, librarians, parents, community outreach workers and many more. What they share isn't a computer science degree or a career in tech. It's a belief that every kiwi kid deserves the chance to learn to code, and a willingness to open their door and make space for that to happen!
What does hosting a Code Club actually involve?
As a club host, the role is to provide the space and oversee a small amount of administrative tasks. Don’t worry too much about the coding part, that's what volunteers and the project guides are for! The host is the person who knows the tamariki and their whānau, keeps sessions running smoothly, and makes sure everyone feels safe and included.
In practical terms, setting up and hosting a club involves choosing a regular weekly slot of one hour during the school term, registering the club through our website so parents and volunteers can enroll online, and opening up a space with computers and wifi access.
Code Club Aotearoa helps find and vet volunteers to support the sessions and provides all project resources for free. No need to source materials, write lesson plans, or become an overnight coding expert!
What if there are no volunteers available?
Finding volunteers is sometimes the number one barrier to running a club. The reassuring news is that the Raspberry Pi Foundation's Code Club project guides are so clearly written and beginner-friendly that many hosts and parents of keen students find they can step in themselves, even with no coding experience at all.
The Code Club projects:
These are free, step-by-step guides designed for young people who are new to coding. Each project breaks everything down into small, manageable chunks with clear instructions and helpful visuals. Tamariki follow along at their own pace, which means sessions don't depend on anyone knowing all the answers. It's common for tamariki to end up helping each other along the way too!
A number of librarian and kaiako hosts started out relying entirely on volunteer support, then gradually found their own confidence growing. Some now run sessions independently, having learned Scratch and other tools simply by showing up each week and exploring alongside their ākonga.
We always recommend having a look through the project guides before your first session. Even 20 minutes of exploring builds more confidence than you might expect.
What’s needed to get started?
A safe learning space for tamariki: a classroom, quiet area in the library, meeting room or computer suite
Wifi access and enough devices for the group (computers and laptops work best; tablets aren't suitable as Code Club runs in a web browser, not an app)
One hour a week during term time and a genuine enthusiasm for giving tamariki something great
Code Club Aotearoa provides support with volunteer matching and police vetting, onboarding and parent relationship guidance, and help navigating the project guides. There's also a community of club hosts across the motu who have been exactly where new hosts are now.
Librarians:
A library based Code Club is a natural fit as it brings a new group of tamariki through the doors, gives them a reason to keep coming back, and positions the library as an important part of their community life. It's not just about programming either; Code Club is great for literacy and creativity too!
For libraries with desktop computers, laptops or other hardware like 3D printers that don't always get used to their full potential, a Code Club is exactly the kind of purposeful, regular activity that puts them to work.
Kaiako:
Code Club is one of the most practical, accessible ways to bring the Digital Technologies curriculum to life in school. You’ll find a range of topical, Aotearoa-themed Digital Technologies resources available to use in the classroom or Code Club, over at the Digital Pikau.
An after-school or lunch-time Code Club can give tamariki who are passionate about digital technologies a dedicated space to go deeper, without that having to happen inside an already full school day.
Ready to open your door?
Starting a Code Club at your school or library is one of the most direct ways you can invest in the digital future of tamariki in your community. We'd love to help you get started.
Head to codeclub.nz/page/host-a-club to find out more, or get in touch with us directly at team@codeclub.nz. We're happy to answer any pātai and walk you through the process.
Ka kite anō, we hope to see your club on the map soon!