dressCode is a platform to trying to address the gender gap in Computing Science, to inspire
and engage girls at secondary level starting in S1. Schools can sign up to run a dressCode club with access to materials free of charge. Teachers will get access to promotional material to help advertise and encourage girls to attend their dressCode club, while also gaining access to pick up and play resources that will introduce girls to; Cyber Security, Games Design and creating projects in Scratch, Web Design and App Development.
We also run hackathons in Scottish tech hubs where we invite local schools to bring ten S1 girls and get working in teams to complete a challenge set on the day, using code. Hackathons held at companies are perfect as the girls get to see the amazing opportunities available to them first hand, they can interact personally with amazing female role models who are working in the tech field.
There are a lot of opportunities to get involved with this grassroots non-profit and help inspire the next generation of Scottish tech talent. Here is a list of ways that you could contribute and get involved with the work dressCode is doing. We’re really keen to create sustainable relationships and not just one of involvement.
How you can help:
- Partner with dressCode through industry competition. We’re really keen to get industries to provide dressCode with exclusive competitions that girls can complete. This would be hosted on the dressCode pupil portal and accessible exclusively to dressCode clubs. This could be an open ended challenge were pupils need to create something using code or it could be a design challenge coming up with a prototype or how tech could be used to help solve world problems etc, it can be anything really. This is a perfect opportunity for companies who are extremely busy to have a huge positive impact on the next generation.
- Host and sponsor a dressCode hackathon. This is a day where your company hosts up to 50 S1 pupils and senior mentors, supporting the pupils in realising the potential opportunities available to them through Computing Science and accessing the amazing role-models on your staff.
- Partner with dressCode and co-brand an event or a campaign. We're happy to help collaborate on any event or campaign that highlights opportunities your company is doing to inspire girls at grass roots, primary and secondary school level.
- Donate to dressCode. We are a non-profit and provide all secondary schools access to our pupil portal to help support schools run a dressCode club. We have big plans for dressCode such as providing dressCode clubs with awards and initiatives to help drive female uptake at Advanced Higher level, but we cannot do these without support. All donations are welcome and we are happy to discuss how you would like your donation to help and how your participation can be shared.
We’re really keen to get industry involved at grassroots level through dressCode. We know the amazing opportunities in tech in Scotland and we’d like to work with as many companies as possible to help bridge the gap between industry and education and get pupil’s excited about Computing Science.
We’d love your support to inspire the next generation of tech talent and increase the uptake of Computing Science across the country.
Check out the dressCode or email partnerships@dresscode.org.uk