RailsBridge aims to create an inclusive Ruby on Rails community. It runs workshops to teach web development skills and connects volunteers with nonprofit projects. Its initiatives include Builders, which pairs developers with nonprofits to build websites, and teaching kids programming through curricula on topics like shoes and RGB colors. RailsBridge also organizes open source workshops around the world and works to diversify the tech community.

1. RailsBridge
creating an inclusive and friendly Ruby on Rails community.
October 16, 2009

2. RailsBridge Mission
✤ To create an inclusive and friendly Ruby on Rails community.

3. RailsBridge Guidelines
✤ First, do no harm. Then, help where you can.
✤ Bridge the gap from aspiring developer to contributing community
member through mentoring, teaching & writing.
✤ Reach out to individuals and groups who are underrepresented in the
community.
✤ Collaborate with other groups with similar goals.

4. RailsBridge projects
✤ Open Workshops
✤ Builders
✤ Teaching Kids ✤ Mentors
✤ Bug Mash
✤ Student Code Reviews
✤ Courseware ✤ Ruby Challenge
Contributing
Aspiring
Community
Developer
Member

5. A closer look at some projects
✤ Builders
✤ Workshops
✤ Teaching Kids

6. Builders
✤ Builders connects volunteers with projects for 501c3 non-profits.
✤ A development team of volunteers will build a web application to
address a specific need

7. Builders
✤ The Sunset PTA is a group of
parents working with a
dedicated principal and
teachers to create an
outstanding public school.
✤ Rails developers are building
a website to that will help the
PTA organize and stay in
contact with school
community volunteers.

8. Builders
✤ Survival International is a
nonprofit organization which
helps the world's tribal
peoples protect their lands,
defend their lives and
determine their own futures
✤ Volunteers help with online
video, asset management and
distribution system, & online
campaigning and support
using Rails, RSpec and
Cucumber.

9. Builders
✤ The Cape Eleuthera Institute
focuses research in the field
of sustainability working
with Deep Creek Middle
School in the Bahamas.
✤ Rails developers are working
to improve the website
experience and make it easier
for frequent updates
including photos and videos.

10. Teaching Kids
✤ Encouraging kids to create computer applications by providing
support and curricula

11. Teaching Kids
✤ Teachers who want to help kids to understand a part of the world
they live in
✤ Parents who want to teach their kids or encourage their schools to
teach programming
✤ People who write code and want to share their love of software
development

12. 4th/5th grade
✤ Shoes and Ruby
✤ Mixing light to explain RGB
✤ Teaching kids to mentor

13. High School
✤ Software as foreign language
translator
✤ Teaching excitement
✤ Practical experience over
theory

14. Future Projects
✤ Pilot program for SF Middle School
✤ After school projects

15. Open Workshop Project
✤ Mission: Enabling Rails developers everywhere to organize and
present high-quality introductory Rails workshops.

16. Events so far
✤ 6/12-6/13 at OrangeLabs in South San Francisco
✤ 7/31-8/1 at Pivotal Labs in San Francisco
✤ 9/26-9/27 at sfCube in San Francisco
✤ 10/5 Aloha on Rails
✤ 10/16-10/17 at Berkman Center, Harvard University

17. How does it work?
✤ Plans & curriculum on devchix wiki
http://wiki.devchix.com
✤ Slides published in github
http://github.com/railsbridge/workshop
✤ Lots of volunteers willing to step up and make a difference

18. Diversifying the community
✤ Making a real difference in the lives of individuals
✤ Women and men who are unemployed, underemployed or simply
want to learn about new technology in the field
✤ Successful Rails engineers who have not had the opportunity to
work with many technical women before
✤ Increasing the ambient level of technology amongst women

19. Why?
✤ Technology is naturally reflective of its creators. Focus groups and
usability studies tend to find omisions, not inspiration for new ideas.
✤ Open source software requires that people keep working on it -- not
only in the form of code contributions.

20. Questions?
railsbridge.org
http://groups.google.com/group/railsbridge
Sarah Allen
www.ultrasaurus.com