Analogue leadership in a digital world

“The Future is being written in lines of code.”

– KATHRYN PARSONS

Initiatives

Intersticia provides the opportunity for people from all walks of life to creatively imagine the future through it’s Scholarships, Fellowship, Events and Publications.

FOUNDERS AND CODERS

Founders and Coders’ Tech for Better Graduate Programme

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.

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

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.

First Cohort Founders London

Simon Dupree – Graduate Coder

Simon comes from Berlin, Germany. Having studied politics, economics and natural resource management he became conscious of the importance of improving social and environmental conditions and determined that the best way to achieve sustainable, positive change is through the use of technology.

Joe Friel – Graduate Coder

Before joining Founders and Coders Joe spent the past 9 years working in media and digital advertising where he helped build the children’s radio station, Fun Kids, into a national award-winning brand and set up an influencer marketing division for one of the UK’s leading advertising agencies. Having spent most of his career working where technology and young people intersect, Joe is keen to develop technology in a responsible way that will help drive positive, sustainable change.

Michael Watts – Course Facilitator

Michael is the course facilitator for FAC15 and is overseeing the Tech for Better programme. As a former musician and teacher Michael discovered his love for coding through teaching coding to children using Scratch and is keen to use his skills for social impact projects.

First Cohort Founders Palestine

Abdallah Ammar

Haneen Shahwan

Marwa Jomaa

Second Cohort Founders London

Oliver Matthew Smith-Wellnitz – Graduate Coder

Oliver Smith-Wellnitz is an Australian-born international Circus Artist turned Web Developer. After spending twelve years training, performing, and teaching as a trapeze and hula hoop artist, Oliver turned to coding as a means of finding not only more stability, but also opportunities to make a meaningful impact with his work. Founders and Coders, with their peer-driven and community-oriented structure, offered the perfect opportunity to achieve these goals, and Oliver was quick to accept when offered the chance. He is extremely excited to be able to take advantage of the skills learned throughout the course and apply them to projects for Tech For Better clients.

Kristina-Talisa Jaggard – Graduate Coder

Coming from a background in visual art, Kristina-Talisa Jaggard developed an interest in programming after being introduced to web design through her job within the charity sector. Noting a disparity in online accessibility for those with disabilities, Kristina decided to learn to programme for herself. It was the core values of social impact, inclusion and cooperation that drew Kristina specifically to the Founders and Coders course. Kristina applied to the subsequent Founders Program because she wished to continue to develop her programming skills while working on real-world projects that push for a more inclusive World Wide Web.

Charlie La Fosse – Course Facilitator

Charlie is an English Literature graduate, who started learning to programme whilst living and working in China as an English teacher. He was part of London cohort FAC15, and is the current Course Facilitator for FAC16 and the Tech for Better programme. Charlie is passionate about improving inclusion and access through immediately giving back and sharing newly learned skills!

Second Cohort Founders Palestine

Haneen Shahwan

Muhammed Shareef

Shaima Azmi

Third Cohort Founders London

Dylan Almano

Dylan is a man who sets his ambitions high and his goals even higher. Born and raised in South Africa he is lucky enough to see the world from two perspectives. Thus, adding fuel to the fire of wanting to make a positive change. He aims, through the use of tech, to have a positive influence on the world around us and make a change that matters, no matter how big or small.

Kate O’Brien

Kate is a dyslexic queer woman who previous to coding was a doctor. She is from the wilderness of rural Ireland so is tough as old boots. Her aims are to gain cyber security skills and make cyber security more accessible to everyone.

Third Cohort Founders Palestine

Haneen Shahwan

Israa Sulaima

Ahmed Abdellatif