Create a Dojo

Dojos are Championed by individuals all around the world who are passionate about giving young people the opportunity to learn to code. Starting a Dojo is a fun and incredibly rewarding experience. You do not need to possess technical skills to start a Dojo, the most important attribute you should have is that you can bring people together for a shared goal. Once you make the decision to start a Dojo in your community our registration process will guide you every step of the way making sure you have the most relevant resources to hand.

CoderDojo Champions are passionate, driven (not always techie!) volunteers to take charge of setting up, running and maintaining a Dojo. Often Co-Champions these responsibilities.

The first step to having a verified Dojo and being a Champion is registering on this website!

What's involved

Find your team

A Dojo needs a team of volunteers. Usually a mix of technical Mentors and non-technical Volunteers. We recommend a ratio of 1 Mentor to 8 young people, but it’s up to you!

Find your venue

Location is vital for running a successful Dojo. You need a venue with power sockets, internet access, tables and chairs. Try local community spaces, offices, and educational institutions. However, you cannot host Dojo’s in private residences.

Plan your dojo

Meet with your team, pick a date and plan the first few sessions. There lots of learning resources [http://kata.coderdojo.com] available on this website you can create your own if you need something else.

Promote your Dojo

Setup communications (e.g. email and Twitter) specifically for your Dojo. Consider inviting young people via local schools or youth groups. You can also set up ticketing on the CoderDojo website to know who to expect on the day and ensure they’ll fit in the venue!

Start coding!

Once you’ve registered and been verified, put together a plan, your team is prepped and you have a group eager to become CoderDojo Ninjas then you’re ready to begin the real fun!

Create a Dojo

What's involved

Get your Dojo on the map