Over the first weekend in November, members of the global Code Club community came together for two inspiring days of learning, creativity and connection. The annual event celebrates the people who make Code Clubs happen, allowing them to share ideas, explore new tools, and connect with others who help young people learn to code.

Exploring new technologies and inclusive teaching

Saturday began with hands-on sessions that brought creativity and technology together, exploring large language models and prompt engineering in Collaborating with LLMs and being a prompt boss. There was a lot of laughter from attendees about how large language models can produce confident but incorrect answers if given vague prompts, but many left inspired to experiment with new technologies in their own clubs.

“First time there and it was amazing. Met loads of great people and the amazing code club crew. I learnt loads of new skills around AI and Arduino.” – An attendee

Explore AI with creators in your club using our AI and machine learning projects.

Collaboration that counts brought mentors together to discuss common challenges like volunteer retention, limited resources, and communication barriers. A crowd favourite was a shared volunteer toolkit, as well as event checklists and safeguarding resources.

“What I enjoyed most about the Clubs Conference was the opportunity to meet other facilitators and hear their stories — their successes and challenges. These conversations validated the volunteer work I do and reminded me of the impact of our clubs.” – An attendee

From the theatre sessions, you can watch Inclusive learning – Supporting Deaf learners in clubs which was both moving and insightful. We learnt that visual demonstrations, colour cues, and repetition were key to supporting Deaf learners. One memorable quote captured the spirit of the session:

“The children couldn’t speak to us. The children — we couldn’t hear their voices but by the eighth week we were able to hear their voices from what they built on the screen and it was echoing all around the classroom.” – Chidi Duru

Find out more about Chidi’s joy of coding alongside Deaf creators.

Learning and making across continents

The weekend’s talks showcased the reach of Code Club worldwide, with volunteers sharing their experiences of collaboration, sustainability, and creativity.

Watch Lessons from resourceful Code Clubs in India, which highlighted the ingenuity of young learners in under-resourced settings, while Hands-on with the Raspberry Pi Pico showcased low-cost, high-impact projects from Kenya and South Africa.

Speakers showed how community clubs adapt to local needs with unplugged activities and coding games inspired by cricket and kabaddi, empowering young people to solve real problems and celebrate curiosity through play. Excitingly, these new resources will be launching early next year; keep an eye on our activities page to be among the first to try them out!

In the session Code Club Projects Unplugged, facilitators shared the idea of “hiding the vegetables” — hiding the learning inside the fun. Whether through a collaborative Scratch game, a micro:bit prop on stage, or a Pico gadget solving a real problem, this approach helps young people learn through play. They remember the joy, and the skills come naturally.

Learning beyond the screen

Teaching tech away from the computer screen shared a fun unplugged cybersecurity activity, The Chicken Shop, where learners role-play social engineering scenarios. Its success came from clear printed instructions, movement, humour, and strong debriefing. 

Learning coding outside the box explored how to engage young people with diverse learning styles while the Arduino crash course gave attendees a taste of physical computing and C++ programming in action. Workshops on AI, sustainability, and youth empowerment with Raspberry Pi computers and Unlocking Code Club resources helped club leaders discover practical ways to inspire problem-solving and make use of all the support available through Code Club.

The message from the sessions was clear: young people learn best when technology is human and hands-on.

Showcasing creativity with Coolest Projects

Coolest Projects – get involved! championed creativity over competition. Any young person under 18 can submit their project, including unfinished ideas. In-person and online showcases celebrate progress, imagination, and teamwork.

Speaking on the closing panel, Code Club leader Rachael Coultart talked about the importance of Coolest Projects as a rare platform for children to talk about their learning. She spoke about the experience of one particular child, explaining that it had made a powerful impression on her, saying:

“It had such a huge impact. I felt so proud of her and what she’d achieved. Afterwards, her parents told me that they felt it was the first time she had really been seen.”

What the community is taking forward

The community is united in its commitment to making Code Clubs inclusive, creative, and sustainable. 

• Context matters — projects that reflect local interests and challenges motivate young people to learn
• Accessibility is central: visual cues, repetition, interpreters, and inclusive resources support every learner
• Structure builds confidence; start with simple, guided activities before open-ended exploration
• Volunteers are vital; shared toolkits, checklists, and training help them deliver engaging sessions
• Celebration and affordability matter too: regular showcases and tools like the micro:bit, Pico, and Crumble keep computing fun, hands-on, and accessible for all

“Thank you. Clubs Conference is a highlight of my year.” – An attendee

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