Aghogho’s desire to give back to the best of her ability stems from her background as a Welsh-British immigrant from Nigeria.
“I witnessed the financial and emotional struggle of my parents”, she says, recalling “their tenacity over the years to secure the necessary papers and jobs to give myself and my siblings a better future.”
She heard about CYF volunteering opportunities through her previous employer – Capgemini (an excellent partner to CodeYourFuture).
Aghogho is an active participant in CYF community building activities
Using her skills to build a learning community
Aghogho wanted to give back using her skills, gain new skills and meet like-minded individuals – “all of which I’ve been able to achieve!”
She is currently a core member of the Community Coordinators, a volunteer team that organises and promotes community-building activities, like workshops for new trainees and volunteers.
“I see my role helping support CodeyourFuture’s ambition to close the digital gap and social inequalities,” says Aghogho.
Community Coordinators like Aghogho are vital to engaging new trainees who dream of working in tech but struggle to get the training they need to get their dream jobs.
And by welcoming new volunteers into the organisation, the trainees can get the support they need to succeed in their training.
Together, the trainees and volunteers create CodeYourFuture’s unique, inclusive learning community.
Aghogho and her team are supported in their roles by CYF’s global team – with guides for consistency and expert-led training to inspire creativity.
In addition to her work as a Community Coordinator, Aghogho been a career mentor at CYF
Developing career-boosting skills
“I have learnt more about social media, which is an area I had zero knowledge in”, says Aghogho.
And “Importantly, I have learnt about the power of community and the incredible things that can be achieved by like-minded people trying to make a difference.”
“CodeyourFuture has helped my career”, continues Aghogho, “it’s made me a more well-rounded individual, which employers value. I have been able to harness transferable skills such as teamwork, empathy, leadership, communication and problem solving through being a part of the community.”
Seeing the difference
“CodeYourFuture is special, as it allows me as a volunteer to see the tangible difference that my contribution makes in the students’ lives.”
And Aghogho’s advice to anyone thinking of volunteering at CodeYourFuture?
“One of the best decisions you’ll ever make! There are lots of ways to make a difference (at CodeYourFuture), so you’re guaranteed to find ways to put your skills to use for good. In addition,” she continues, “the community is full of very kind and wonderful people with whom you’ll be able to build great friendships!”
If you’re interested in becoming a Community Coordinator (or any other volunteer), you can find out more an apply here.
“The community is full of very kind and wonderful people”