Getting Girls into Coding

Read about Successful Mum Helene and how with her daughter, they are leading the way in coding for girls…

HELENE, YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE SUCCESSFUL MUMS BUSINESS START-UP COURSE, WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO JOIN THE TRAINING COURSE?

“I did some research about Successful Mums and could see some fantastic feedback and the course agenda matched my needs so I signed up.

The course has helped me build on my existing knowledge, have accountability and to be around like-minded mums. It was a great way to share ideas and gain so many skills.

The tutors and the team at Successful Mums are very supportive. They take the time to understand everyone’s ideas.  There is a clear outline for each session and what you will be learning including business planning, marketing, finance and some fantastic guest speakers too!

Most of them have been through the same journey and therefore they understand your feelings about embarking on this adventure and they happily share their experience and tips with you.

They are also a very friendly and dynamic team!”

What is your business idea?

“Two years ago, my 12-year-old daughter,  Avye, who is a coder and maker came up with the idea of organising coding events for girls. After repeatedly observing that the majority of attendees at her workshops were boys, she was determined to encourage more girls to give STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) a go.  She decided to set up a series of events targeting girls.  She came up with the idea of ‘Girls Into Coding’ and I became co-founder providing her with my full support. These events are free to attend and offer groups of 20 girls aged 10-14 an opportunity to explore coding, physical computing and robotics through volunteer assisted workshops in a tech setting.

We reach out to other members of the wider tech and maker community, to those we see as role models, inviting them to give enlightening talks at GIC events. Avye has fundraised and we now partner with Microsoft to provide books and physical computing kits for the girls who attend the event so they can continue their tech journey at home and beyond.

These events run 3-4 times a year and they are very popular among the girls, their parents and the tech community.

Based on the success of Girls Into Coding, we now want to scale up in order to reach more girls and to run the events more frequently. We will be looking for funding partners to help us achieve this goal.”

What top 3 things have you taken from the course?

“Three things I have taken from the course:

There will never be a perfect time when I will be ready, so I need to start acting and taking steps toward building the business.

Additional drive to succeed.

The importance of following a clear structure to meet objectives.”

Why do you want to set up your own business?

“My daughter and I are passionate about inspiring more girls to get into tech/STEM. It is a subject that is close to our hearts. We are already organising these events, the girls love them and we can see the potential to take things further to reach more girls.”

What are your top 3 transferable skills from being a mum that you can bring across to running a business?

“Resilience – I do not let failure stop me but instead, I take the learning and keep trying.

Leadership skills – I am very good at leading multiple projects, managing different stakeholders and delivering on time.

Problem-solving – I always try to find creative solutions to challenges issues I am faced with.”

If you’d like to find out more about Girls into Coding events, please email Helene and can find them on social, on Instagram, Twitter and Linked In.

If like Helene you have a dream business idea and want the confidence to take it forward, why not join us for one of our Business Start-up Courses? Register your interest HERE.