Code Club Resources

How the Code Club platform helps club leaders

Running a Code Club just got a whole lot simpler — and more fun! Our Code Club platform has been redesigned to help you connect with your community and streamline your club management.

A young coder and a Code Club leader are sat at a desk talking.
Running your Code Club

We’ve recently updated the site we use to manage clubs and we’ve packed the new platform with exciting features to help club leaders like you. Here are a few highlights:

  • Parents/guardians can find and learn more about a club
  • Anyone interested can subscribe to email updates about a club
  • Potential volunteers can find and offer to mentor at a club
  • People can see and book tickets to upcoming events
  • Club leaders can manage event ticketing, volunteer requests, and send emails to subscribers

Discover the improved dashboard

Managing your Code Club is easier than ever with the revamped dashboard. When you log in, you’ll be taken to the dashboard where you can access everything you need.

Club leaders can manage their club, including updating their club profile, creating events, and reviewing volunteer applications. Volunteers can use the dashboard to see their clubs, access training materials, and find support resources.

The dashboard shares different training materials and support resources

Tell people about your club on its profile page

You can now easily edit the description on your club’s profile page and update key details about your club, including:

  • The times and days that your club runs
  • Whether you are looking for mentors for your club
  • Whether your club runs online or in person
  • Links to your social media pages
  • To see how to do this, and other changes you can make to your club’s public profile, check out this FAQ article.

Making it easier for volunteers to find your club

Potential volunteers can quickly find local Code Clubs and easily request to volunteer. The clearer club profile page design allows volunteers to express their interest quickly, helping club leaders build a stronger and more vibrant mentor team.

Once someone requests to volunteer at your Code Club, their dashboard will show them the steps to get started.

These steps include completing our safeguarding module, getting a background check, and contacting the club to arrange a visit. This ensures that all volunteers are well-prepared and equipped to support your Code Club.

Here’s a peek at the dashboard a new Code Club mentor will see

Create and manage events easily

Say goodbye to complicated ticketing systems! Our platform makes it easy to create ticketed events for your Code Club. Club leaders can offer up to three different ticket types and collect emergency contact information for attendees during the booking process. Also, when you publish a new event, everyone subscribed to your club will automatically receive an email notification. 

Parents/guardians no longer need to register an account to book — ensuring they have a hassle-free experience — and they’ll get an email confirming their booking right away.

Need to cancel an event? No problem! You can do so directly on the platform, which will automatically notify everyone who booked a ticket.

Keep in contact with your club’s subscribers

Keep your community informed! As a club leader, you can email parents, guardians, and volunteers who subscribe to updates on your club’s profile. Subscribers will automatically receive an email notification whenever you create a new event.

Send updates to your Code Club community

You can also send custom messages to your subscribers directly through the Code Club platform. You can use markdown to easily format your emails and make them look great. If you’re new to markdown or need some inspiration, check out this website to see examples and preview your formatting.

You have full control over your subscriber list. You can remove subscribers, or people can unsubscribe themselves at any time.

Learn more about how club leaders can email subscribers with this tutorial video.

Access your favourite resources with ease

Previously, Code Club mentors needed to log in to access our resources, but now they are available to all from our website. We’ve also reorganised them, meaning it is easier to access and find what you need. 

Explore our bank of free resources

Apply to start a new club and get it verified

For those looking to start a Code Club, we have improved the verification process. Now, safeguarding sponsors are contacted immediately when you submit your club application, speeding up the process for new clubs.

In short, you can now spend less time on admin and more time inspiring the next generation of coders! Log in to the Code Club platform and start making use of all the new platform features.

Take your first steps into AI with Code Club’s new toolkit

Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere in the news, and you might be wondering how to introduce this exciting technology to your Code Club creators. With our new AI toolkit, you can explore age-appropriate projects that provide a gentle introduction to AI and machine learning. These projects are designed to inspire and empower young creators, opening the door to a world of fun, hands-on technology experiences.

Two boys standing between a sign that says 'Code Club'.
Bring the exploration into your Code Club!

Code Club is the perfect place for AI exploration

Code Club is a welcoming space where young people can safely and creatively explore coding, digital making, and new technologies, such as the capabilities of AI.

Our AI toolkit is a thoughtfully curated collection of ten short projects, each focusing on a carefully selected AI tool or technique. We’ve considered quality, data security, and the ethics behind AI training, for example, one of the projects uses Adobe Firefly, which is only trained on stock images and openly licensed content. That means peace of mind for you, and that your creators can engage with each tool confidently.

And the best part? You don’t need to be an expert, and neither do your creators! Each project can be tackled independently and requires only basic resources — some use webcams or a Raspberry Pi computer, but others only need a web browser. The toolkit has also been designed with flexibility in mind, so you can select projects that match your club’s available tech and your creators’ interests.

Explore our AI toolkit

Getting started with AI in your Code Club

Whether you’re new to AI or are an experienced AI user, the toolkit is designed so anyone can dive in and create something in just minutes.

Each project includes both a step-by-step tutorial video and text instructions, making it easy to follow along. The projects focus on real-world AI applications like classifiers, facial recognition, and image generation, introducing each concept in a hands-on way. And once creators complete a project, they’re encouraged to customise their work and make it their own — a perfect way to let their creativity shine.

Some project highlights…

Chomp the cheese: This fun project teaches creators to combine image recognition with a webcam, letting them virtually “chomp” floating cheese puffs. It’s easy to customise, too — whether your creators want to catch doughnuts, head a football, or add a scoreboard, they’ll have a blast bringing their ideas to life

Explore facial recognition with ‘Chomp the cheese’ 

Dinosaur decision tree: No computers available? No problem! In this paper-based project, creators build a simple decision tree, mimicking how AI classifiers work. It’s an ideal, hands-on way to understand classification — no tech required!

Create a paper-based decision tree

Dance detector: If your creators love to move, this is the project for them! By combining a micro:bit with machine learning, creators can predict and classify dance moves. It’s a perfect mix of tech and active fun.

Dance-off with machine learning!

What do our testers think?

At a recent training event for youth leaders, 77% of participants who tried the projects said that they felt confident about using them with young people in their Code Club. 

And here’s what some of our younger testers had to say:

“I really liked the projects. I now understand AI more :)”

“AI generators are annoyingly inaccurate, but also really fun to mess around with.”

With the new AI toolkit, you have everything you need to introduce AI to your Code Club. Give it a try and watch your creators’ creativity and confidence grow as they explore the endless possibilities of AI.

Top tips for running a thriving Code Club

By volunteering your time to lead a Code Club, you’re empowering young creators to develop the skills they need to shape a future they’re excited about. To do this, you need to provide an environment where the young people feel comfortable exploring, experimenting, and learning through coding. 

Every Code Club runs differently and there is no set formula for what makes a great Code Club. Nevertheless, to offer some guidance, we’ve brought together ten tried-and-tested strategies used in Code Clubs around the world that support creators as they learn, play, and make.

An adult and boy facing a laptop smiling.
Volunteering at a Code Club

1. Start small and grow gradually

Begin with a small group of creators while you establish the club’s routines. This allows you to be more focused and helps you understand the group’s dynamics. As you gain confidence, gradually increase the number of members. You can also grow your mentor team to support even more creators.

2. Be prepared

Prepare for how you want your Code Club to run. This will look different for every club. For some of you, it will involve familiarising yourself with the projects and resources (including the software or hardware) that the group plans to use. Others will run their clubs with  looser frameworks and make project decisions on the day. 

3. Show, don’t just tell

If your creators all work on the same project, consider starting each session by showing a completed version (or versions) of the project and suggesting different adaptations that can be made. This gives young people a clear target and sparks their motivation to create their own unique projects.

4. Embrace experimentation

Don’t expect creators to follow the projects exactly. Learning happens through experimentation. Allow room for creativity and encourage creators to put their own personalities into their projects.

A classroom with girls sat a tables working on laptops.
Encourage experimentation and collaboration

5. Go digital

Save paper by using Code Club projects online. Creators will quickly adapt to navigating between browser tabs, and you’ll contribute to a more sustainable Code Club.

6. Encourage collaboration

Try paired programming — having creators work together on projects can boost concentration, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. This is particularly useful in settings where there might not be a computer available to each club member.

7. Foster problem-solving

Resist the urge to immediately fix creators’ mistakes. Keep your hands off the mouse and keyboard. Instead, gently point them in the right direction and let them discover and correct errors themselves. You can do this by asking creators questions and directing them to find the solution. This develops their critical thinking and resilience.

A girl working at a desktop computer with adults behind looking at her screen.
Foster problem-solving in your Code Club

8. Celebrate achievements

Plan show-and-tell sessions at the end of each session if time allows, or two to three times a year to offer a space for creators to showcase their projects and feel proud of their accomplishments.

9. Recognise success

Certificates can act as a great motivator. Explore and download our range of certificates and award them to creators when they hit milestones. 

10. Connect with your peers

Join an online ‘Coffee and conversation’ meet-up to interact with fellow club leaders and mentors. It’s a great space to share ideas, gain valuable insights, and ask questions. 

Looking for more inspiration on running your Code Club? Explore how you can create one club for all by working together to set your own rules!