What a year! Who knew in December 2019 the challenges we would all face this year, and the hurdles we would have to overcome both professionally and personally. But we are proud to say, even through the hardships of 2020, She Codes has continued to work towards our goal of demystifying the tech industry and increasing gender diversity across the board, even if we had to do half of it virtually!
Kicking off the year with big goals, we had two Plus cohorts to run, one running in Perth for the second time, and one in Brisbane for the first time ever, we had plans of running 7 Flash programs, and of course the year wouldn’t be complete without our one day workshops. And while we did conquer all of these goals – we had plenty of additional things also thrown in the mix.
From running our very first Virtual Coding Party, and then going on to run another with CORE Innovation Hub, and reaching women all the way from Canada to regional WA, to partnering with Purposeful and Visagio to create two different iterations of Flash, teaching young women the opportunities available in STEM, and one with a sole focus in Data Science.
Feeling tired yet? Well, this doesn’t even cover half of it!
Both Perth and Brisbane Plus cohorts started off virtually, as lockdown throughout Australia prevented us from being in person – but don’t worry, there was no missing out on the Cupcake Effect, even if we all were in the comfort of our own homes. Every single person who completed a program, workshop (both virtual and in person) or tech taster course with us was delivered cupcakes, glitter, and some She Codes merchandise. As such a core element of our in person events, we were so excited to transition these to our virtual events to ensure everyone felt the true purpose and passion behind the She Codes community.
As we transitioned to a blended learning experience for our Plus girls, it was such a breath of fresh air being able to be in the same room (although five feet apart). Allowing the women to build on their connections with one another, as well as our amazing team of mentors, it was great to get back to some form of normalcy before the program came to an end (but don’t worry, we’re not at the end yet, keep reading!).
Before we could wrap up a very busy and challenging year, we jetted off to Port Hedland to deliver Flash to regional women. With our lead mentor Hayley delivering the program, it was amazing to be in the regions again. Oh, and did we forget to mention that She Codes (via the WEB Business Hub) won 50K in the Pilbara RED grants? Because that also happened!
Now, we’re on the final home stretch. With two showcases to go, in Perth and Brisbane, we cannot wait to see all the hard work of our Plus cohorts come to life as the tech community, investors and industry professionals come together to celebrate these incredible women. If you’d like a spot in the audience, please get in touch with holly@spacecubed.com as there are only a few left for select guests!
And with all of that in mind, we’ll leave you with one message to take into the holiday season and into the New Year. Your limitation is only in your imagination. I look forward to writing the next chapter, chapter 2021, alongside the She Codes community. Until then!
