Ruby on Rails Outreach Workshop for Women, March 25-26
- March 25, 2011 · 7:30 PM
Friday March 25, 6:30-9pm (REQUIRED): software install fest (instructions)
Saturday March 26: 9:30am-4pm: workshop (curriculum)
5pm: after-party for volunteers & attendees, location TBA
Location:
Pivotal Labs
731 Market Street, Third Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
The Pivotal offices are on Market Street between 3rd and 4th Streets, near the Powell and Montgomery BART stations. They are wheelchair accessible. Secure bike parking available inside.
Alos Sponsored by: ModCloth
Organizer:
Amy Lightholder
This workshop is intended to reach out to women who are new to Ruby and Rails. To register, you must identify as a woman. Men, you are welcome to come if you find a woman who wants to learn Ruby and Rails who will register and bring you as a guest.
In this workshop, we'll take you through building a complete web application using Ruby on Rails. By the end of the workshop, you'll have an application on the internet that connects to a database and reads and writes information. We'll meet up Install Fest day to install all of the software you need, and then spend workshop day learning and writing code.
Total programming novices, system administrators, developers in other languages, and folks who attended our previous workshops are all welcome. We'll have different classes separated by experience level. Each participant needs to bring his or her own computer.
When you RSVP you'll be asked a few question about your operating system, level and type of programming experience, and whether you will require childcare. We have a couple of prospective volunteers. If you tell us soon, we'll make it happen.
We are looking for additional volunteers, both folks who know Ruby on Rails to TA and people who are willing to help with logistics. Please sign up here:
If you have questions or ideas for us, the best way to get in touch is to send a message to the organizers.
We have an announce list for people waiting for a workshop.
Please consider volunteering for this workshop, either as a teacher or a general helpmate.
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A former member
Excellent situation. Met great people and learned a lot. Sure, there's a lot to learn, but having lots of people all asking a lot of questions is very helpful. You all cover a broader range of beginner problems than if you were studying alone.
I'm biased, of course, but Brian Jenkins really IS a great teacher!
March 27, 2011
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Kimberly Bryant
So sorry I didn't realize you moved the waitlisters up to attendees. I really wanted to be there! Next time but hope someone else was able to use my spot!
March 26, 2011
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Sarah Allen
Unfortunately the Friday night install fest is required, so unless someone went to a previous workshop and has tested that their installation stills works, they won't be able to join today.
March 26, 2011
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ran tao
super last minute cancel, but if anyone on the waiting list is reading this, feel free to take my spot tomorrow. apologies again for the late notice :(
March 26, 2011
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Amy Lightholder
@Christina - they are the same as the March 11 workshop. I know that at least the Windows instruction have changed since February.
March 24, 2011
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A former member
Are the install instructions the same as last time? (from http://www.wiki.devchix.com/ind...
) I have some new friends attending and I want to help them install today to make tomorrow go fast :)
March 24, 2011
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A former member
I have an extra hardly used MacBook Pro 13" (only 6 months old) that I'd like to sell at a great price if anyone's interested!
March 23, 2011
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Neda Khalili Wo
I signed up and am on the wait list but am dying to go....what are the chances that I will get in? The event seems really popular!
March 18, 2011
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Sarah Allen
In SF, we actually have quite a few offers for space to hold workshops and we have a couple volunteers who are willing to help with fund raising.
That said, there is another workshop in the works for early April -- and Megan who is leading it and Ilen are working together to figure out a good way to invite the current waitlist first.
March 18, 2011
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Brenda Strech
@Amy - Way to go! You are right, anyone can help organize an event. After just hosting an event in the North Bay, hardest part is finding a space and hopefully a sponsor for incidentals. Once you have that then you just need to get the word out for volunteers. I was really encouraged by the turn out at our event and look forward to doing one again.
March 18, 2011
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Amy Lightholder
@Diana & Casey - and many people do. The founders were very emphatic that the workshops should be a gift. If you require payment, either in volunteer effort or money, it is no longer a gift. I think there have been paid versions of the workshop done as fund-raisers, and maybe there should be another one. Like I said, anyone who has the bandwidth to take on any of these projects is more than welcome to. Railsbridge is *radically* open-source.
March 4, 2011
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Diana
I agree w/Casey's comments. These workshops w/food, childcare are free to encourage/help women achieve their goals. Those of us who can 'repay' this generosity thru volunteering should.
March 4, 2011
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Amy Lightholder
(continuing) It is really, really hard to find someone to step up and say "I will make a workshop happen!", even though just about anyone can do it. I would LOVE to train a couple of lead organizers. If you're interested, email me and let's talk!
March 4, 2011
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Amy Lightholder
First: I am so happy this discussion is happening on here!
Second: You DON'T need to be Ruby-Fluent to make a workshop happen! While the number of students a class can hold is determined by the number of Ruby teachers (and venue size) lots of other stuff (setting up, cleaning up, organizing, etc.) doesn't require knowing any Ruby at all! In fact, the #1 kind of volunteer Railsbridge is short of is a non-tech position: LEAD ORGANIZER.
March 4, 2011
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Theresa Nicoletto
Casey - I like it. Having never gone through a class... can you say what it takes to put a class together? How many volunteers, how big of a space, roles of volunteers? I would be open to paying for a beginner class as well.
March 4, 2011
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Casey
Perhaps not right to change the terms for those already signed up, but one way I have seen other groups (and coops) solve this is to stipulate that if you go through the program (benefit), you are then obligated to volunteer within 12-18 months to in turn help others (and repay those who helped you). I realize some will biff on their commitment, but hope that many would honor it and help solve the backlog.
Does that then just leave us with challenge of finding places willing to host?
1 · March 4, 2011
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A former member
That makes sense. However, don't volunteers need to at least be familiar with Rails? I'm happy to volunteer but didn't think I met the requirements! Perhaps there are others in this boat as well..?
March 4, 2011
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Theresa Nicoletto
Okay, all. Let's do something about it. Amy - what do we need to do? I'm sure out of the 2,891 members that are part of this group, we can find a couple of volunteers to help with more classes. What does it take to put on these programs? Let's sort it out and do it, kids! ;-)
March 4, 2011
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Amy Lightholder
Bing, Shannon, and Sylvia: I know just how you feel. I started producing workshops myself because I was a student first and once I talked to the organizers I realized the reason why it was so hard to get in is that the demand exceeded the supply by a ridiculous degree. And by ridiculous I mean RIDICULOUS - workshops fill up in hours, as you can see. This won't change until enough people volunteer to make it change.
March 4, 2011
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Sylvia Marino
I've volunteered for 4 tech events this year giving up weekends from my kids. While it wasn't for Ruby, it was helping startups so was rather hoping karma of helping in the community would give me a chance to participate.
March 4, 2011
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Sarah Allen
Slyvia, Bing and Audrey -- plenty of volunteer opportunities if anyone want to step up and help fix the problem!
March 3, 2011
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Shannon E. Wells
Would it be possible to hold a workshop on a Sunday and not a Saturday?
March 3, 2011
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A former member
My sentiments exactly!
March 3, 2011
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Sylvia Marino
Argh! Shut out again. Bummer that these don't happen more often or that the waitlist can't be cleared by adding another event where waitlisters get first dibs.
March 3, 2011
52 attended
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Maggie Ronan +1
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Gina +1
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Jackie +1
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A former member+1 guest
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