2013

January

Self-organising meetups begin in the British Library

October

Classroom space secured at Camden Collective

2014

Coding the Web

runs for 6 weeks in January and February, using Udacity's CS101 and CS253

FAC1

runs for 8 weeks from March, still largely based on Python

FAC2

runs for 7 weeks from June. "LEARN TO CODE, JOIN A COMMUNITY, BUILD A BUSINESS". It is the first FAC-like FAC and the first time a team of graduates (George, Bes and Izaak) stays to work on a freelance project.

FAC3

runs for 8 weeks from September. Ines and Nelson turn up half way through. We lose our Classroom and in the final week run a crowdfunding campaign, instead of learning Angular. We move to Palmers Road and register as a community interest company.

Interlude

Our founding documents

Founders and Coders CIC

Registered January 27, 2015

"Activities"

Providing programmes of study for the general public

Benefitting the community by:
"helping develop the knowledge and skills of the general population."

Providing a place of learning and work for our members

Benefitting the community by:
"providing a convivial place where our members can study and work together and contribute to our study programmes...

"... and by encouraging continuing support and collaboration between students of our study programmes and our members."

"Our activities are run and managed by our members, most of whom have been through one of our study programmes and are committed through their membership of the Company to continue to contribute to those programmes."

"If the company makes any surplus it will be used for developing further programmes of study and for developing further places of study and work."

2015

FAC4

Several alumni stay with us to mentor as we try to build a cooperative agency. Nelson and Ines volunteer more-or-less full-time.

FAC5

Our attempts to build a cooperative agency collapse and we go back to the drawing board.

FAC6

runs for 12 weeks with several graduates ending up working with Ines and Nelson at dwyl.

2016

FAC7

runs for 16 weeks, culminating in 7 hackathons in 8 weeks. Madness!

FAC8

We unwisely start planning our first cohort in Nazareth. CAST and The Anna Freud Centre both provide budget for graduate projects.

FAC9

We are joined by Shireen and Esraa from Israel. Bradley from FAC8 volunteers in the role of course facilitator.

2017

FAC10

Three programmes start simultaneously in London, Nazareth and Gaza. A team of volunteers scrambles to get the master-reference ready. Rebecca is now working more-or-less full-time on a volunteer basis. Joe returns to help us build hiring relationships.

FAC11

Thanks to the Gaza contract, we finally have budget for a part-time course facilitator and to pay Rebecca. Dan goes on payroll. Yvonne joins the team. We use funding from the second CAST digital fellowship to launch the InFact agency.

FAC12

For the first time, more than half the cohort finds employment through us and London begins to break even.

2018

FAC13

It snows. We move to Finsbury Park during reading week.

FAC14

It is the hottest Summer on record. Tech for Better launches and we secure the first round of funding for the Founders programme.

FAC15

The course facilitator role becomes full-time.

2019

FAC16

Double denim.
The programme is now 18 weeks long.

FAC17

On a hot summer, lumberjack style is in.

FAC18

Patterns are patent pending.

2020

FAC19

FAC19 introduced to a shiny new curriculum!
Founders and Coders goes remote.

FAC20

Being remote is trending!

Core Values

Inclusivity

We want the tech industry to be a place where people from all backgrounds can thrive.

Co-operation

We prioritise collective learning over individual goals.

Social Impact

Through the Tech for Better programme!

FAC is a community

With a wide network that goes beyond the mentors, speakers and staff that you'll meet over the next four months.

FAC Alumni

We're also members of

A network of Cooperative Technologists

Building a tech industry that's better for its workers and customers through co-operation, democracy and worker ownership.

Some other members of CoTech

You are a member of not one, but two great communities.

Our expectations of you

Turn up on time

And be committed.

Be nice

To everyone in the space and the community. Our code of conduct is important!

Mentoring

You'll take turns to mentor at our evening meetups, short course sessions and workshops. More on that later.

After graduation

As a minimum, mentor one week for the next cohort.

Work with Dan

And let him help you find employment when you graduate!