/ INITIATIVES

Digital Leadership

Intersticia has been working in the Digital Leadership space since the mid 1990’s when we helped launch the Centre For the Mind, participated in Print21, the Australian Printing Industries Action Plan for the Digital Age, and developed programmes for public servants to understand and embrace digital technologies through ANZSOG (the Australian Graduate School of Management). In 2008 we co-created the Metadata Forum which became Brave Conversations. Since then, our work has focused mainly on supporting individuals to work in the socio-technical space through partnerships.

For more information on previous projects please visit Intersticia Foundation

/ PARTNERS

Founders and Coders

Founders and Coders, London – In November 2018 Intersticia UK partnered with Founders and Coders London and Gaza Sky Geeks, Gaza, to support the Tech for Better programme funding two London Coding Graduates and six Palestinian Coding Graduates to develop a digital service for charity organisations.
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Founders and Coders aim to encourage and develop diversity in coding, focusing not only on the coding itself, but on the entrepreneurship and community building. They seek to be an early stage incubator and accelerator for Tech for Good through actively providing education and experience, as opposed to Venture Capitalists who provide funding. They acknowledge that it is hard to build a business model through the learning process itself, and therefore encouraging graduates to work on real projects aims to draw key lessons from early stage projects, as well as develop intercultural skills and team processes
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The Graduate Coders need to demonstrate‍

> A commitment to developing their own freelance practice
> A willingness to help to provide employment opportunities for Palestinian developers
> The ability to develop cooperative working practices
> An interest in working on social impact projects.

Gaza Sky Geeks is the leading co-working space, pre-seed accelerator, and technology education hub in Gaza which brings together online freelancers, outsourcers, and startup founders together under one roof. It is one of the most women-inclusive startup communities in the world (42% of the community is female) and was founded in 2011 in partnership with Google and the international NGO Mercy Corps. The emerging Palestinian tech and startup ecosystem presents an alternative to the traditional ecosystems found across the world. With a large pool of bright and motivated talent, the biggest obstacle is isolation.

/ First Cohort

Founders London

Simon Dupree – Graduate Coder

Originally from Berlin, Simon studied politics, economics, and natural resource management, recognizing the need for social and environmental improvements. He believes sustainable change is best achieved through technological solutions.

Joe Friel – Graduate Coder
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Before joining Founders and Coders, Joe transformed Fun Kids radio into a national brand and launched an influencer marketing division in the UK. He is passionate about creating responsible technology that drives positive, sustainable change.

Michael Watts – Course Facilitator
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Michael, the FAC15 course facilitator, oversees the Tech for Better program, blending his backgrounds in music and teaching. His passion for coding began with teaching Scratch to children, and he is keen to apply his skills to social impact projects.

/ First Cohort

Founders Palestine

Abdallah Ammar
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Asala Kamal
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Haneen Shahwan
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Ismail Al-Saleh
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Marwa Jomaa
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Ramy Al Shurafa
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/ Second Cohort

Founders London

Oliver Matthew Smith-Wellnitz
Graduate Coder
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Oliver Smith-Wellnitz, an Australian-born former circus artist, transitioned to web development after 12 years as a trapeze and hula hoop performer. He joined Founders and Coders, eager to apply his new skills to Tech for Better projects seeking stability and impact.

Kristina-Talisa Jaggard
Graduate Coder
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Kristina-Talisa Jaggard, with a background in visual art, developed an interest in programming through web design in the charity sector. Drawn by Founders and Coders’ focus on social impact and inclusion, she aims to use her skills to promote a more accessible web for all.

Charlie La Fosse
Course Facilitator
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Charlie, an English Literature graduate and former English teacher in China, transitioned to programming with FAC15. Now facilitating FAC16 and the Tech for Better program, he is committed to promoting inclusion and access through his new skills.

/ Second Cohort

Founders Palestine

Haneen Shahwan
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Ali Haj-Ahmed
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Muhammed Shareef
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Orjwan Al-Rajaby
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Shaima Azmi

Salwa Mughessib

/ Third Cohort

Founders London

Dylan Almano
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Born and raised in South Africa, Dylan’s unique perspective drives his passion for creating positive change. Committed to using technology for meaningful impact, he aims to make a difference, big or small.

Kate O’Brien
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Kate, a dyslexic queer woman and former doctor from rural Ireland, is determined and resilient. She aims to develop cybersecurity skills and make the field more accessible to everyone.

/ Third Cohort

Founders Palestine

Shorouq Saad

Ahmed Abdellatif

Nareman Hilles

Haneen Shahwan
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Sallam Tanna

Israa Sulaiman
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The Yalla Co-Operative

The Yalla Co-Operative was founded in 2019 by a number of members of the Founders and Coders and Gaza Sky Geeks Founders Programme
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Our Creative Fellow Ahmed Elqattawi worked closely with Kristina Jaggard at Yalla to provide ongoing English and Business Mentoring and Coaching support. In 2021 Intersticia partnered with Founders and Coders and Yalla to provide the opportunity for two graduate developers from Gaza Sky Geeks to work with Yalla as full-time Apprentices.
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The Yalla Story can be found here

The Yalla Apprentices 2021

Israa Ahmad Al-Jamal

Israa Ahmad Al-Jamal is a graduate in Computer Engineering from the Islamic University in Gaza who then worked in Web Development and recently graduated from Gaza Sky Geeks Code Academy as a Full Stack Developer. Israa comes to Yalla with an array of organisational skills (particularly juggling a young family, study and work) together with an interest in design and embroidery to complement her fascination with technology. Above all what stood our for us is Israa's focus on the importance of teamwork and co-operation. As she said in her interview video:
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"Shared joy is double joy; shared sorrow is half sorrow.”
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Adham Haisami

Adham Haisami studied Software Engineering and is passionate about learning and trying new things. He loves traveling for what it can teach us about different cultures and ways of thinking and has an innate curiosity to view and consider things differently. What stood out for us is Adham's sense of empathy and desire to help people, which he encapsulated with the phrase:
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"We are all the same, we are all humans."

“We need to be prepared for the internet that we know to evolve unpredictably, and work to ensure that it remains beneficial for humankind”

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Professor Dame Wendy Hall