Derry Coderdojo official launch at CultureTech – BT present 5 Netbooks. L-R Back row: Digital Derry Champion Mark Nagurski, Derry Coderdojo co-ordinator and Inis Communications director Trish Hegarty, Coderodjo mentor and Strabane teacher Damien McHugh, BT Digital Care Manager Aiden Higgins, and Coderdojo mentor and Oracle executive Dominic Kay. Front row: Caoimhe and Aisling Walsh, Shaun Kee and Eoin O’DohertyBT have presented 5 Netbooks to Derry Coderdojo, on the occasion of the coding club’s official launch at Culture Tech Fest in the Millennium Forum in Derry at the weekend. “We can now offer these Netbooks for use by children who can’t bring one along,” says Derry Coderdojo co-ordinator Trish Hegarty, who thanked BT for this generous donation.
“We are delighted to have the support of BT and look forward to a long-term partnership with them in increasing young people’s access to web, app and coding skills.”
BT Digital Care Manager Aiden Higgins presented the Netbooks. “Coderdojo is a great initiative for young people and we are delighted to be involved by offering our full support at the launch of Coderdojo in the North West. Communication is at the core of everything we do and we firmly believe in the importance of, not only delivering a next generation fibre broadband infrastructure, but also providing access to the key skills needed for the ever increasing advances in our digital world.”
Coderdojo’s provide an informal education on web, app and coding skills for 11-18 year olds. The Coderodjo movement began in Ireland when Cork teenager James Whelton set up his own computer club. With the help of entrepreneur Bill Liao, there is now a growing international network of Coderdojo’s and the first Coderdojo conference takes place in Limerick on October 13th.
All teaching at Derry Coderdojo is delivered by volunteer mentors from Derry and Donegal. “Web and app developers Michael Flanagan and Ryan McDermott, Strabane teacher and ICT co-ordinator Damien McHugh, and IT programmer and executive Dominic Kay. The club is hosted by Digital Derry and Inis Communications and sponsored by BT.
Regular meetings are planned to resume after the summer on Saturday 22nd September at Derry Coderdojo’s new venue in the University of Ulster at Magee, but this is yet to be confirmed. Please check http://zen.coderdojo.com/dojo/135 for details.