CoderDojo Accenture Colombia

CoderDojo is a global movement that believes that learning programming language is very important in the modern world, and everyone should have the opportunity to do so. Accordingly, it is a global network whose main purpose is to introduce children and youths to the world of technology, through programming clubs led by volunteers from different organizations.

We have developed an ecosystem with local government, Accenture clients – partners, local NGO´s and more than 80 Accenture and partners volunteers, to inspire more than 800 vulnerable kids and youths in technology. 

Anyone aged eight to thirteen could be part of a virtual or physical Dojo where they can develop coding skills to thrive in digital economy, based on a local-adapted methodology and framework. It is a program of six lessons that have digital content and life skills training in order to explore technology in a creative and fun environment.

Learning programming language is very important in the modern world, and everyone should have the opportunity to do so, in order to thrive in digital economy. In Colombia, almost any child or youth learn about programming or coding in the school. Furthermore, the country inequality accentuate the barriers for the vulnerable kids in order to access to these type of programs and learning.

On the other hand, Accenture has developed studies which conclude that 65% of the children who start the school nowadays, will have jobs that do not exist yet. In addition, one of ten jobs is at a high risk of automation in all OECD countries. Considering these facts, the soft and technological skills are fundamental elements that kids and youths should develop in the early ages in order to have the possibility to be part of the digital economy, the new way of living.

Accenture's global initiative inspire children and youth in new technologies and programming languages. It is a program of six lessons, lead by volunteers, that have digital content and life skills training in order to explore technology in a creative and fun environment.

The four main stages of the initiative are (1) invite vulnerable students through the teachers of public schools, (2) invite and coordinate the volunteers from Accenture and partners, in order to consolidate each Dojo (programming clubs), (3) development of the sessions and (4) closing and feedback of the sessions from students and volunteers.

A very important element of the initiative is the wide network of alliances build. Despite the program is lead and arranged by Accenture, the volunteers are part of allied organizations that some of them contribute not only with the time, knowledge and skills of their team members, but also with logistic elements, such as transportation or snacks, among others. Likewise, one of them has the communication with the public school teachers and their students.

The program impact more than 800 vulnerable kids and youths from public schools of the country, where the 50% of them are girls. 

CoderDojo impact positively to the children and youth through a six sessions training in soft and technical skills, that teach them programming languages such as JavaScript, HMTL and CSS. Therefore, from the bases acquired in the CoderDojo program they have the possibility to explore and continue on the path of technology in their life. 

CoderDojo is a very powerful initiative that impact the lives of approximately 500 vulnerable kids and youths a year, from public schools of the country, where the 50% of them are girls, through training in soft and technical skills. By learning programming languages, they develop other transversal skills such as analysis and logic. 

Also, it main objective is to strengthen competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for girls and young women, which is a basis to a future transition from education to employment.

The core leader team, without taking into account the volunteers from Accenture and partners is:

2 full time people

3 part time people

A very important characteristic of the team is that as the program is once a semester, the team has months with more work than others and the tasks change depending on that.