Ellie learned about CodeYourFuture while attending a women in tech event in 2019. She was immediately drawn to our mission of diversifying the tech industry.
Ellie wanted to give back and share her experience transitioning into tech, so she decided to volunteer with CYF as a teaching assistant and mentor.
Ellie said, “I changed careers into tech in 2017 and felt like it was the most empowering decision I made in my life. I was fortunate enough to be able to afford a boot camp but became immediately aware of the exclusive nature of them, as well as the lack of diversity in the industry. I wanted to support positive change in diversifying the industry and enable other people to have the life-changing opportunity that I had to get a career in tech, regardless of their background.”
Ellie in the London class as a mentor and teacher.
As part of the education team, Ellie helps deliver the syllabus to trainees, supporting them through their coursework and teaching them how to learn through self-directed learning.
Ellie says, “My main goal for volunteering was to be able to share with others the learnings I took from my experience of transitioning into tech. I also hoped to be able to find great developers who could come and work with my organisation at the start of their career. In addition, I hoped to build my skills as a mentor.”
As a mentor, she spends time reviewing trainees’ coursework in GitHub and having group or one-to-one meetings with them, going over any challenges they face.
Volunteering has also helped Ellie’s career, “Volunteering at CYF has made me a better mentor and manager. My patience and ability to explore new ways to explain and demonstrate things have been improved.”
Volunteering has made Ellie a better mentor and manager
Through her experience with CYF, Ellie found a supportive community of volunteers and trainees, which made her feel comfortable and motivated to continue giving back.
Ellie says, “The volunteer community is hugely supportive and collaborative. There are lots of very active people on Slack to answer any questions and the core team from CYF is very welcoming and wants to ensure the well-being of volunteers to make it the best experience for everyone.”
Ellie’s dedication to diversifying the tech industry and helping trainees succeed is a testament to the power of giving back. She is proof that volunteering can benefit others and lead to personal growth and development.
Ellie says, “It is an honour to volunteer with an organisation that is transforming people’s lives, and being a part of it has transformed my own life.”