Happy New Year to all our readers and supporters! As the year begins, we want to take some time to look back on the amazing achievements of the Girls Into Coding (GIC) team during 2024. We’re delighted to say that the last year was jam-packed with success, so in this article, we’re picking out the brightest sparks from an incredible 12 months.
Continuing Our Social Impact
We’re proud to be engaging girls in STEM activities, from our hands-on tech and engineering workshops and events to online tech education blogs and news. In 2024, we reached over 5,000 girls via lightning talks, Q&A sessions, inspiring tech resources, and more.
Our team hosted over 100 workshops, involving girls aged 10–14 in activities like coding, engineering, robotics, 3D design, and physical computing. We also held another 3-day Bootcamp, giving girls the chance to dive deeper into even more advanced topics. These included CAD/CAM, robotics, and various sustainability projects — helping girls understand the impact of tech on both local and wider communities.
Attendees often comment on how these events boost their confidence and help them recognise and realise their potential. Comments from guests and parents show that previously “shy” or quiet girls suddenly find their voice, becoming more confident in school and social settings and using their tech skills in numerous situations.
Surveys of GIC attendees show that 85% are now interested in pursuing STEM-based careers. That’s potentially a huge boost to the numbers of women in tech of the future.
Driving Environmental Awareness
The primary goal of Girls Into Coding is to see girls and women engaged in tech and engineering with the same opportunities — and in the same numbers — as boys and men. However, creating a better world is about more than addressing gender disparity. We’re always on the lookout for ways to promote “tech for good” and green technologies that can genuinely make the planet a better place for future generations.
With that in mind, many of our workshops and events explore projects on the theme of sustainability and environmental awareness. The popular Air Quality Pavilion project encourages participants to consider data-driven solutions to potentially unsafe CO2 levels. Girls also work on how to generate renewable energy and integrate it into the power grid, exploring concepts like energy efficiency.
Community members also discuss themes like climate change and the impact of tech on our changing world. Agricultural technology (AgriTech) was one focal point, with girls collaborating on projects themed around sustainability and the environment. The impact of these sessions can’t be understated — 70% of attendees now want to move into working with environmentally-focused technologies.
Attendees at our new One Day Bootcamp also explored multiple projects including a renewable energy experience based around wind turbines.
Implementing New Initiatives
The last year also saw Girls Into Coding launching new initiatives and expanding existing ones, such as our Mentee-to-Mentor programme. Girls who attend regularly and enthusiastically get the chance to step up their involvement and help others, via a structured and supportive development initiative. These new mentors get the opportunity to co-run sessions and deliver presentations on the tech topics they’re passionate about.
We’ve also moved into a “Next Generation” of mentor development, with many senior GIC community members now supporting their younger peers. Post-14 members mentor less experienced girls in tech disciplines ranging from 3D printing to computing and so much more. They can facilitate workshops and give talks, getting real-life experience as expert young women in tech — experience that they can take with them into their academic or vocational careers.
The Community Voice Programme brings a diverse group of girls together to shape the direction of our organisation. This group collaborates on themes, workshop formats, resources, and testing. Being a part of the Community Voice helps them understand that they’re never too young for their voices to be heard.
Planning Big Things for 2025
One of the most exciting things about our 2024 achievements is the motivation they give us to do more in 2025. Our People and Planet First accreditation has been extended for another year, reflecting our unwavering dedication and commitment to sustainable, fair practices. We aim to reach at least another 5,000 girls in 2025 via big plans, including:
· Designing and developing more climate change and sustainability workshops.
· Launching themed events exploring different ways technology can be used for good.
· Implementing additional 3-day Bootcamp events - we will continue our partnership with Plus x Innovation, a great facility that’s home to so many tech start-ups, workshops, and advanced equipment that girls can see in action.
· Enhancing and expanding our next generation of mentor development.
· Developing additional hands-on robotics workshops including AI, IoT, Kinematics, and more.
This last point is critical as we want to encourage our girls to take an even deeper interest in AI and machine learning technologies. It’s increasingly important that young people understand how AI is affecting their lives now and the role that it can play in their future.
We’ll also continue engaging role models to deliver talks and presentations to our young attendees. Women in tech and engineering from multiple disciplines have the power to show girls what they’re capable of. Our speakers range from software engineers to strategic leadership experts, highlighting the diversity of opportunities that tech skills provide for young people.
Importantly, our workshops and events are available to all girls aged 10–14 and senior mentors. Our focus on accessibility and inclusivity means more girls from diverse backgrounds and of different abilities are joining our events, including many with special educational needs (SEN) or other additional requirements. By continuing this ethos in 2025, we’re improving the tech and STEM education opportunities available for all girls.
Collaborating with Amazing Partners
Of course, GIC doesn’t achieve everything without the help of others. Mutually beneficial partnerships are a key factor in our success. Dozens of organisations from across multiple industries have invested in our young attendees and helped us expand our reach. We partnered with Imperial College London & Goldsmiths to help deliver the Girls Into coding experience to new people. We also continued our partnership with Plus X Innovation at their new state-of-the-art facility. It was a privilege to see GIC community members flourishing as they delivered inspiring talks and hands-on robotics workshops in these spaces.
We also work with multiple businesses and sponsors. Corporations and tech companies that work with grassroots organizations like GIC gain so many benefits. They’re investing directly in the workforce of the future, helping to ensure that talented and ambitious young women gain critical tech skills and experience. Many of these girls will remember the companies that helped give them those opportunities and are likely to consider them as prospective employers.
Investing in a more diverse workforce has additional benefits, particularly when providing opportunities to people from multiple backgrounds. Research shows that companies with a higher-than-average level of diversity are more innovative and profitable, and 76% of job seekers now check what a company’s diversity and inclusivity statement is before applying.
Tech companies and local organizations that can demonstrate involvement with their communities find it easier to hit their corporate social responsibility (CSR) targets — while organically boosting their reputations. Customers now seek out providers who can show that they’re investing in socially responsible activities, from the environment to fair trade practices. Business leaders who proactively promote partnerships with local organisations become an integral part of their communities and can reach more potential customers than ever before.
Plus, the companies we partner with become part of an initiative that’s greater than any one member of our network. We’re so proud of the work we’ve done to help engage girls in tech and STEM activities, but there’s always more to do. The most recent statistics suggest that, at the current pace of progress, it would take over 131 years to achieve gender equality in the tech workforce. With the support of our partners and sponsors, we want to help cut that timescale dramatically. If you’d like to work with Girls Into Coding and be a part of a future with more girls and women in tech than ever, contact us for more information.
Thank you so much to everyone who helped make 2024 another incredible year. Big thanks to all our sponsors and partners, but particularly to the parents and carers of the girls who attend our tech and engineering events. Most of all, we send our thanks to the girls themselves, whose ambition, dedication, and determination inspire us every day.
