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Events

Event Types

Organizer Events

Very useful for planning sessions, but also for support and accountability.

Python Ladies' Nights

The PyLadies aren’t ALL about coding -- we also love to socialize and have fun!

Hosted: a potluck/party at a member’s house Meet: at a bar or restaurant

Workshops

You can host workshops either as full-day events every 1-3 months or so, or as evening events that occur weekly.

Intro to Python

  1. Austin PyLadies Intro to Python.
  2. PyStar has some great tutorials for beginners.
  3. Learn Python the Hard Way by Zed Shaw
  4. custom (depending on your needs)

Intro to Django

  1. Poll tutorial from Django Docs.
  2. Sandy Strong's Intro to Django Workshop slides.

Other topic of interest workshop

  1. Find a programming/relevant developer book that you’d like to study. Host a weekly study group.
  2. Host a weekend workshop about game programming, startups, journalism, etc.

Hackathons/Sprints

LA PyLadies has hosted hackathons where attendees bring laptops and projects of their own to work on. Beginners are pointed to learnpythonthehardway.org and instructed to work through the tutorial, asking for help as needed. They are urged to post exercises to Github, as a way to dip their toes in the world of open source sofware.

Hackathons can be evening, full-day, or all-weekend events.

Virtual meetups

PyLadiesAU held their first group meeting as a virtual meetup. See Australian PyLadies for details.

The IRC #pyladies channel is always available for anyone to use for virtual meetups. Feel free to use it without asking, or create a #pyladies-whatever channel if you prefer.

Meetups as part of a Python user group (PUG) meetup

A PyLadies event can be as simple as women getting together and talking about each others’ Python projects in a small group after a local PUG event.

Anything to encourage women to attend and continue attending PUGs is great. Talk to your local PUG organizers and ask for their help and support in having a post-PUG informal PyLadies meetup.

You might also consider trying to give a talks/beginner at a meetup. This can help bring more beginners who might otherwise be scared away to the group.

Code review sessions

Reviewing someone’s coding project together can help everyone learn better coding practices.

Conference prep sessions

Python conferences that might interest your group: PyCon, DjangoCon, PloneConf, SciPy (Python for Scientific Computing)

What you can do to prepare together:

  1. Brainstorm talk ideas. Help each other put together talk outlines.
  2. Review each others’ talk proposals.
  3. Practice talks in front of each other, in a small group.
  4. Practice in a larger group, as a joint event with the local Python user group.

Conferences can be stressful, but they’re also a lot of fun, particularly if you’re attending with a friend or a small group. There's also a good chance you will run into PyLadies from other groups!

Event Checklist

So you’re ready to host an event?

To host an event

  • Decide the type of event. Examples:
    • Hack night/hack weekend
    • Sprinting on an Open Source project (e.g. Django, CPython, etc)
    • Workshop - introductory Python, intermediate, intro to Git, anything
    • Study group
    • Coffee & hack
    • Speaker series/lightning talks
    • Check out ideas on other locations' websites and meetup pages.
  • Email local tech companies to ask for event hosting support:
    • You can find companies that use Python by looking at their job boards, and other Python group events
    • If you're in a bigger city, choose a location that can be easily accessible via public transit, or have ample parking
    • Cold-email a general email address if you don't have an actual contact at the company. This is still highly effective!
      • Be upfront with what you need; just hosting space? Space and food? For how many people?
      • Include proposed dates/times
      • Offer time during the event for them to pitch their product(s) and/or any job openings
      • Ask for a description of the type of space available; feel free to ask to check it out beforehand
      • Events often need wifi for attendees, and if it's an event longer than a few hours, then easy-to-access power outlets are needed as well
      • Be mindful of the company's RSVP/check in wishes if they have any. Do they want First & Last name? Will there be alcohol served, and therefore ID needs to be checked?
  • Once date & event is set with the host, post up the event on Meetup.com group
    • Be sure to setup the RSVP limits if space is limited. Apprehend about 50%-60% of RSVPs will actually show up (if it's a free event).
    • Give an exact address; Meetup.com allows you to hide the address to non-group members.
    • Be clear on who can attend. Women only? Women and a guest of +1 (of either gender)? Both women and men? Complete n00bs to Python? Or solid Pythonistas?
    • Detail what is needed to be prepared for the event. Just bring themselves? Do they need their computer? Prior knowledge?
    • Be explicit if there will be food/drinks or not so folks and plan ahead.
  • If hosting a workshop, solicit for mentors.
    • Have an easy sign-up sheet for mentors (perhaps a Google Docs form).
    • Prep the mentors by detailing what you plan on doing, what your expectations are for the event, how best they can help
    • Often times, it's hard to get all-female mentors. Most of the time, male mentors are very nice and helpful.
  • A few days before the event, email RSVP'd folks to update their RSVP status if they are no longer going. This is especially nice if folks are on a waiting list for the event.
  • Arrive a little early; folks will always arrive before doors officially open
  • Have nametags for attendees. If having a workshop, have mentors wear nametags and perhaps a special sticker or something to designate that they are mentors.
  • Post any resources for the event - either before or afterwards.
  • Have fun!