Program · Primary workshops

MissMakesCode

Our brand for teaching primary school girls technology — building confidence and self-efficacy in algorithmic thinking, programming and coding before the world tells them STEM isn’t for them.

Today we deliver MissMakesCode as workshops — for schools, libraries, holidays and communities. How we’ve delivered it has evolved; the brand stays the same.

MissMakesCode — young girls learning technology

What a workshop looks like

MissMakesCode workshops immerse primary girls in a fun, creative world of technology — friendship and support included — so coding can feel as native as reading and writing.

Women and girls shape the technology that shapes their lives. That starts in the early years, with experiences they love.

  • Algorithmic thinking and creative problem-solving
  • Introductory coding — build and customise a game or animation
  • Friendship, fun and support from other girls and expert facilitators
  • Aligned to Digital Technologies / STEAM thinking for primary years

Workshops in action

  • #MissMakesCode light box sign
  • A young girl smiling while coding on an iPad
  • Girls holding up their certificates
  • Girls putting their hands up during a workshop
  • Girls and their mums holding certificates
  • MissMakesCode holiday workshops: mum and daughter coding

How we’ve delivered MissMakesCode

One brand. Many iterations. Here’s some of the impact so far — then talk to us about the next workshop.

  1. 2016

    Pilot hackathon

    World-first #MissMakesCode for girls aged 5–8 at Templestowe College — created with principal Teresa Deshon. Around 70 young girls, school holidays, algorithmic thinking and hands-on coding.

  2. 2016

    WISE grant — $250,000

    Inaugural federal Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship funding to scale MissMakesCode nationally: one-day events, online training and ongoing support, aligned to the Digital Technologies Curriculum.

  3. 2017

    Teacher training (past)

    We trained teachers and librarians to deliver MissMakesCode in classrooms — bootcamps, online PD and champion schools. Around 1,000 teachers upskilled. We no longer deliver teacher training; workshops are how we run MissMakesCode today.

  4. 2017–2018

    Workshops at scale

    Holiday and school workshops for thousands of primary girls across Australia — capturing interest before gender bias hardens around age six.

  5. 2019

    Drop-in formats

    At PAX and community events we used the MissMakesCode format as a beginner coding drop-in — same brand, flexible delivery.

  6. 2020–

    Samoa & the Pacific

    First Samoan edition in Apia (Jan 2020): nearly 50 girls with mums, aunties and grandmothers — coding plus cyber safety and gender equality. Led with Tagiilima Neemia; GGA Samoa work continues.

$250k

WISE grant (2016)

~1,000

teachers trained (past)

1000s

girls in workshops

~50

Samoa pilot (2020)

MissMakesCode

Bring MissMakesCode to you

Schools, libraries and partners — we run the workshops. See also other case studies and Work with Us · Schools.