Start a Design Club

Lead your own after school or lunchtime club at a primary or secondary school

How to start your club

Guidance for volunteers

  • 1. Review our resources

    Check out our projects, worksheets and certificates to see if Design Club is right for you.

  • 2. Join our community

    Come along to a Meetup to find out how we work and meet other members of our friendly mentor community. If you're UK based, join our Slack to get support from Design Club HQ and other experienced mentors.  

  • 2. Find a school to run your club at

    Contact a school to get things lined up for the start of term. Ask if you can speak to the person responsible for after school clubs.

  • 3. Agree a start date for your club

    Speak with your contact at the school to find a suitable day and classroom to run your club each week. Agree a start date.

  • 4. Apply for a DBS certificate

    If you don't have a DBS certificate already, check if the school or your workplace can arrange one. You can also get a free DBS if you become a STEM Ambassador.

  • 5. Prepare your materials

    Print projects, worksheets and certificates.

Request free workbooks

Once you know where you're running your club, fill out the form or pop us an email. We'll get back to you as soon as we can.

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Interested in running a club?

Leave your details in the form :)

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Love from volunteer mentors

Questions you might have

Buttons below go through to our Helpdesk

How do I find a school?

We recommend you contact a school you have a relationship with. Local to home or work is good, too.

How to find a suitable school

What's a good number of children for a club?

It depends on the age of the group and your experience. Generally, we recommend 8-12 children.

How to plan your Design Club

What help do I need to run a club?

You need a teacher or teaching assistant to be present. Mainly to help with classroom management.

What to expect from a school

What equipment do I need for a club?

Projects for kids to work through. And one mobile phone or tablet for every 2 or 3 children, with Marvel App installed.

Workshop kit

How much time will I need to give?

Roughly two hours a week for 10 weeks. That's an hour to run the club and an hour of prep.

What's expected of mentors

What experience do I need?

Ideally you'll have some experience of working with design thinking methods and/ or working with children.

How to get experience

How do I explain Design Club to the school?

We provide email templates and a short slide deck you can either send via email or present in person to staff.

Explaining Design Club

How do I promote my club?

We have a poster and flyer the school can print out. Some schools run club fairs or you can give a talk at assembly.

How to promote your club