A few years ago, I started volunteering with CodeYourFuture, a non-profit that helps refugees and people from disadvantaged backgrounds start careers in tech.
At first, I just wanted to give back and help a few people learn to code. But I ended up learning just as much myself how to speak in public, how to have difficult conversations, and how to explain technical concepts clearly.
How It Started
I joined as a volunteer, helping out in weekend coding sessions for a group of around 30 trainees.
Most were refugees, some had recently arrived in the UK, others were rebuilding their lives after difficult circumstances.
We taught JavaScript, React, and Node, and created a community where people could come together, learn, make friends, and work towards jobs in tech.
After about six months of figuring out how everything worked, I stepped into a leadership role, running the next full cohort, around 4050 students and another 1020 volunteers.
It was a big commitment: every weekend and many weeknights for the next eight months, and then supporting people with job applications for months afterwards.
My CodeYourFuture class
The Challenges
Running a volunteer-led course is very different from leading a team at work.
You don't have direct authority, you're managing through motivation, empathy, and patience. Sometimes you don't even know who's going to turn up, and I'd have to jump in and teach at the last minute.
Some of the trickier parts:
- Organisation Coordinating a dozen volunteers, lesson plans, and keeping everyone aligned each week.
- Consistency Volunteers had different schedules, and trainees often had unpredictable lives, jobs, childcare, visa appointments.
- Support Many trainees were dealing with personal challenges far more complicated than I could imagine; war, relocation, housing, family stress. I was so impressed with their dedication to turn up every weekend. Sometimes the role was more just to be a good friend.
There were moments it felt impossible to keep everything running smoothly, but the team's energy always brought it back to life.
Execution
My focus was on creating structure and support to ensure everything ran smoothly.
I set up and organised:
- Volunteer lecturers to teach sessions in JavaScript, React, and Node every Saturday. Usually in a volunteer's workplace - often at VEED, my own!
- A buddy system, pairing each trainee with a volunteer who could help one-on-one between classes
- Slack channels for trainees to reach out for help and discuss work
Hosting CodeYourFuture at VEED
Impact
The course ran for eight months, and many trainees went on to get jobs at companies like Capgemini, British Gas, and Slack to name a few.
Running this course taught me a huge amount about leadership, empathy, and communication.
When I started, I was terrified of delivering my first class but little by little, I found myself confidently leading lessons and being the point of contact for so many people.
Reflections
This experience ended up being a major stepping stone toward becoming an Engineering Manager.
It taught me a tonne about leadership, resilience, and dealing with the difficult challenges some of my students faced and it gave me the confidence to do the same in the workplace.
Seeing my students post new roles and promotions on LinkedIn is incredibly rewarding.
If you ever get the chance to teach or mentor - do it.
You'll help others, sure, but you'll probably learn a few things yourself too. =B