- Docs:
- Contains sample documents.
- README:
- Notes on how to plan and host a workshop.
- Virtual Workshop Guide:
- Notes on how to host a virtual workshop.
Code and Cupcakes was designed as a fun, simple way to introduce coding while also providing a worthwhile activity for both parents and children. The curriculum, slidedeck and workshop notes are freely available for anyone to use. The following is a companion event guide that future workshop hosts can use to plan and implement a successful event.
Hey, let's host a workshop! First, however, let's cover some of things you'll want to think about before you do things like set a date or publicize your event.
This workshop was created to focus on mothers and daughters for two primary reasons: 1) to encourage girls, who have been statistically underrepresented in technology fields, to learn about web development in a fun, supportive environment, and 2) to provide women with childcaring responsibilities an easy, accessible way to learn about web development themselves. We also welcomed trans and non-binary parents and children. While the format and content of the workshop can be adapted to serve other audiences, it would be great for everyone using these materials to keep inclusion and accessibility for underserved populations a priority.
Typically, we asked for children attending the workshop be 7+ years old in order to get the most out of the workshop. If you would like to work with children younger than that, we advise adding extra volunteer teaching assistants for more one-on-one instruction capability.
One of the most important aspects of a successful workshop is the instructor and it's a good idea to have options for this in place from the start. You might plan on instructing a workshop yourself or know someone in the community who can fulfill that role. The ideal instructor has strong familiarity with HTML, CSS and JavaScript and has some experience working with beginner web dev students and/or children.
Equally as important as the workshop instructor is a group of teaching assistants. Assistants can work one-on-one with workshop attendees when they have more involved questions or run into issues. While the instructor of course can and should answer questions, assistants make sure that all questions get answered without stopping the flow of the workshop. They can also help with setup and any technical problems that might come up. This is a great volunteer opportunity for coders in the community. You might want to identify a few interested in helping out before you schedule your workshop.
Accessibility means several things for Code and Cupcakes workshops. First of all, we need venues that are physically accessible for all attendees (more about this in the Finding a Venue section later). We also want to host workshops at locations where attendees can get there easily: if you're in a large city, make sure there are bus or train lines nearby; in other areas, look for available parking. Consider hosting workshops in areas of cities that might have been traditionally underserved.
Ask attendees beforehand if there are any other needs to fulfill, such as resources for the hearing or visually impaired, and be prepared to add this support to your event.
Another area to think about is financial accessibility. While you might be able to host a workshop entirely with donated space, equipment and snacks, chances are you'll have to put some money towards these needs and you might need to charge attendees to cover costs. In this case, consider setting aside some funds to provide scholarships to those who otherwise would be unable to attend. Scholarships should include both workshop attendance and a transit stipend.
When it comes to finding a location for your workshop, here is a list of things to make sure your venue can provide:
- Computers
- You can also ask attendees to bring their own laptops, but in that case it might be nice to have a couple of spare laptops on hand to lend to those who can't bring their own.
- Good wifi or ethernet internet
- Multiple, easily reached electrical outlets
- Tables and chairs
- Projector and screen
- Accessible space
- Check for elevators, ramps and enough space to move around.
Things that are nice to have at a venue but not necessary:
- Whiteboards
- Kitchen area with refrigerator and sink
Many places will work for workshops. We have held workshops in coworking spaces, community centers and company conference rooms. You can contract with private event spaces or look for available library rooms. Reach out to local companies to see if they would be willing to donate their space. Often they are happy to help support events like this.
In addition to the group of teaching assistants we mentioned above, it can also be useful to have volunteers who can help with organizational details. They can help contact venues, manage attendees and set up the event. Some of them might even want to pull double duty and serve as teaching assistants as well.
Ask around your community for those interested in coding education. If they have coding experience, sign them up as teaching assistants. If they don't, or they want to contribute more time, they can also help with the planning. Add everyone to an email list so you can keep them informed.
Code is only part of the workshop, obviously. The other, arguably more important, part is cupcakes. For past workshops, we've scheduled cupcake pickup from bakeries ahead of time. You can manage snacks however you like, but if you order or make cupcakes, keep things like food allergies or restrictions in mind. We always tried to offer a selection of nut-free, gluten-free and vegan cupcakes to make sure everyone can enjoy one.
When you make your shopping list, include bottles of juices or water and disposable plates, cups, flatware and napkins.
If you've found a venue, decided on an instructor and gathered a group of volunteers, you should be ready to fix a date and spread the word. If you think you might want to host more than one workshop, or even offer them on a regular basis into the future, you can set up some workshop-specific social media accounts and share the workshop details there. You can also use your own accounts, as well as contacting local organizations that are able to send the news to their own members and circles. We provided a Code and Cupcakes logo image in the graphics folder of this repository you can use to promote your event.
Have attendees sign up ahead of time so you know how many people to expect. If your workshop is free, you can set up something like a Google Form that will capture names and contact information, or you can do this manually via email. If you need to charge in order to cover workshop costs, you can use a service to allow attendees to purchase tickets.
Don't worry if you don't have huge attendance numbers. As long as the people there have a good time, the workshop will be a success.
We've found the following tools to be useful when planning workshops and keeping track of information:
- Google Docs: Easily sharable documents, including spreadsheets, presentations and forms.
- Codepen: In-browser coding platform used during workshops to create and save code. More details about this in the Workshop Materials.
- Tito: Online ticketing system.
You and your volunteers should arrive early at the venue so you can arrange tables and chairs, get computers prepared or test the projector. Tables and chairs should be arranged so that pairs can work comfortably together. If attendees will need to connect their computers to wifi, display the network and password information on a slide or whiteboard.
Establish a welcome table near the entrance so you can check attendees names against your registration list. Provide name tags and markers so they can make themselves and their pronouns easily known to the other attendees.
As attendees get settled at tables, either you or another volunteer should check in with everyone individually to make sure they are welcomed and have everything they need. Point out the wifi information and help them connect their computers.
We recommend waiting until halfway or even two-thirds through the workshop for a cupcake break. Otherwise, eating while coding can be distracting. But you can set out drinks or bottles of water so that attendees can help themselves at the beginning. Careful with beverages around the computers!
If you've hosted events before, you know that sometimes unexpected things can happen. It's a good idea to be prepared. Here is a list of items you might consider bringing with you, even if the venue provides some of them:
- Extra power cords
- Backup laptops
- Paper towels
- Cleaning solution
- Trash bags
We've included specific notes about delivering the workshop in the Workshop Materials repository. But here are some general things to keep in mind:
- Be positive and encouraging. It's likely your workshop attendees will be completely new to coding and might feel unsure or uncomfortable. The goal is not necessarily just to teach code but to get people new to the community excited about learning more.
- Have the instructor delegate complicated questions or technical issues to teaching assistants. This will keep the workshop moving smoothly and make sure high-performing attendees don't get bored.
- Allow plenty of time for practice and experimentation. There's no rush to any finish line. Make sure the experience is enjoyable and the children in particular are able to explore.
We recommend creating and posting a Code of Conduct for your workshops that definitively states you're committed to a safe environment for all attendees and outlines what actions to take if there are any issues. Review both the code and the plan for implementing it with all workshop staff before the workshop and make note of it during your event. We've provided a sample Code of Conduct document you can use in the docs folder of this repository.
If you plan on taking photographs of video of workshops for marketing purposes or to provide to press (not a bad idea if you intend to offer regular workshops), make sure you ask attendees for permission beforehand. You can also draw up simple releases for attendees to sign to confirm their consent and participation. (Since we're not legal experts, please determine the best ways to go about this if you see a need for releases.)
Altogether, you should schedule 2-3 hours for the workshop. If the venue is flexible, allow attendees to stay and play. You can send everyone home with lists of resources to use to continue their coding. Also schedule time for you and your volunteers to clean up and return the space to the way it was before you entered. Don't forget to send your volunteers—and yourself—home with the leftover cupcakes. You deserve a treat.
If you want to try to host your workshop virtually, we've put together some notes that might help you out: Virtual Workshop Guide.
You can also take a look at:
Workshop materials are licensed by a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license, which means anyone can use, adapt and share the materials as long as they don't charge money for them or place additional restrictions on them. The idea is to make these workshops accessible to everyone. 🙂