Open Tech Calendar

Prewired provides an unstructured but supportive environment for under 19s to explore and learn about computer programming and related topics.

We have mentors from university and industry with a wide variety of skills who volunteer their time because they love to teach young people about computing.

Occasionally we run structured workshops to introduce attendees to a new topic they may not have considered before. Sometimes we hold hackathons, where the kids are challenged to meet specific goals in a set amount of time; this is a really fun learning experience, with concrete outcomes. Sometimes we form teams to take part in national events like the First Lego League or Young Rewired State.

Prewired is also a place for young people to meet peers with shared interests which they can develop together. For some, it can be difficult to interest friends and family in computing, which may lead to a feeling of isolation. It can be hard to figure out where to go next when there’s no-one you can ask. We want to let young people know that there’s a huge community of like-minded people who are waiting to welcome them.