Genesia Girls have been hosting workshops and events like Hackathons, Create-a-thons over the last year, bringing together high school female and gender-diverse students to explore creative technologies such as game design, animation, 3D modelling and web design.
Over these weekends, each team collaborates with a mentor from the creative industry to develop an interactive game idea to pitch to a panel of judges. This most recent event was buzzing with creativity and enthusiasm.
The participants gained experience creating concept art and storyboards, while also learning to use a range of coding tools and software for game development and interactive media. They experimented with software such as: Whiteboard, RoseBud AI, Procreate, GODOT, GDScript and Pixilart.
Building confidence through creativity
From mentorship and teamwork to creativity and confidence-building, the Genesia Girls Create-a-thon shows just how powerful student-focused initiatives can be. With mentors like Lillian and Piper supporting the next generation, young people are given the chance to explore tech, build skills and most importantly, see themselves as belonging in the industry.
Piper is a video game designer at PikPok and also an illustrator running her own business, Mango Cat Creations. For Piper, programmes like the Genesia Girls Create-a-thon are especially meaningful because they offer opportunities she feels were missing when she was younger.
“I think they’re especially important for young girls,” Piper explains. “I’m only about seven years older than these girls, and I didn’t really have opportunities like this. I had the interest and the motivation, but not the access. So, opportunities like this are huge for getting girls into the tech industry.”
Lillian works at Tūhura Tech, a non-profit organisation that provides free tech education for young people. Tūhura Tech runs outreach programmes all over Wellington, making technology more accessible to youth who might not otherwise have the opportunity to explore it.
For Lillian, student-led programmes like this are incredibly valuable, especially for young women and girls who are still figuring out where they belong.
“It’s a great way to get involved with your industry, especially for young women and girls. To be able to see themselves in that space is so important,” Lillian explains. “That’s something we focus on in our own classes as well: being engaged, meeting people, creating something. It’s such a great confidence builder.”
Supporting the future of women in tech
For the judges at the Genesia Girls Create-a-thon, the importance of the event was clear. Beyond the pitches, artwork and prototypes, what stood out most was the role this space plays in shaping confidence, representation and future pathways for young women in tech.
Cerise Gardner a UX designer with several years in the games industry, emphasised the power of representation and mentorship.
“There are studies showing that women having women mentors significantly increases outcomes. When I was younger, I felt like technology was big but not as big as it is now. It was really hard to get exposure to the tech industry at all. What types of roles there were and your stereotypical tech worker looked different to me. This event feels like I’m giving back some experience I experienced and how I got my foot in the door.”
For Hayley Kinsey, the importance of the Create-a-thon is tied closely to addressing the ongoing gender imbalance in tech and starting those conversations early.
“When I studied computer science at university, there were five women in a lecture of five hundred, which is outrageous. Even now, the tech industry is only around 26% female so obviously there’s a massive underrepresentation of women in tech. That’s why it’s so important to talk to girls at this age, when they’re thinking about what they want to study at university or go into careerwise. They need to know there’s a place for them in tech and that they’ll be supported by the rest of us. Bring more women into technology roles.”
Katrina Clokie reflected on their own experience of discovering tech as a career pathway, and how powerful it is to see high school students already engaging in tech so confidently.
“So I switched into a computer science degree during my first year at University because it had never occurred to me that that was a pathway that I could follow. So, it’s really inspiring to see girls who are still at high school engaging with technology in this way and seriously seeing tech as a pathway and career for their future. They needed judges and I thought it would be fun to be part of. To see how excited they are, how talented they are, the fresh ideas they have and the positivity and possibility that they are bringing. It’s going to be really good for the tech sector.”
Learning, collaboration and confidence: The participant experience
When asked about the biggest takeaway from the event, many participants spoke about teamwork and learning to collaborate in new ways. One participant shared that the Create-a-thon pushed them beyond working independently:
“I’ve always been quite independent in my projects, but this really helped me practise teamwork and understand that everyone has different roles and jobs. Working as a team really benefited me.”
Another participant reflected on how the event broadened both their technical and collaborative skills:
“I learned a lot about coding, but also about working together on a project and seeing different perspectives and different ways of thinking.”
For others, the experience opened the door to entirely new areas of technology:
“I hadn’t really known much about different coding languages before, so it was interesting to branch out. I learned that it takes a lot of collaborative effort to be able to do a larger project and the way your team can support you and make it fun is really nice and uplifting.”
Creating welcoming spaces for girls in tech
Beyond technical skills, the Genesia Girls Create-a-thon also offered something just as important: belonging and self-discovery.
“School is such a big social space, and not everyone fits into that easily. Events like this give young people a chance to socialise, try new things, and do something different during the school holidays. Even if you’re not sure you’re into tech, it’s a great way to discover what you might enjoy and it’s always good to do some self-discovery and try different things.”
Together, these reflections capture the heart of the Genesia Girls Create-a-thon: a space where young girls and gender diverse students can learn, connect and explore technology in a way that feels welcoming, empowering and fun.
Founders’ reflections
Genesia Girls was founded by Naomi Tull and Johanna Tacuyun, who organised the Create-a-thon alongside their dedicated team with a clear goal in mind: to change what tech spaces look and feel like for young women and gender-diverse students in Wellington.
“One of my favourite pieces of feedback was from a girl who said she felt more confident — not just in digital technologies or her art, but overall,” Naomi shares. “She felt more comfortable speaking in class and realised she had ideas and perspectives worth sharing. Seeing her come back to the Create-a-thon and watching her grow into this amazing coder and artist was incredible.”
Naomi’s favourite moments also included the project presentations and question sessions, where participants were challenged to defend their ideas and think critically about real-world applications.
“It’s such a great chance for them to take confidence in their work and start thinking logically and creatively. I also love seeing teams want to stay behind after mentor workshops because they’re so passionate about their projects. That passion is really amazing to see.”
A Wellington community effort
Genesia Girls is rooted in Wellington’s creative and tech communities, and the founders are quick to acknowledge the support that made the Genesia Girls Create-a-thon possible. “We’re really lucky to be based in Wellington with such supportive communities and companies around us,” Naomi says. “Creative HQ has been a massive help, alongside TechStep. Xequals and Tūhura Tech supported us throughout the entire process, and organisations like Victoria University Women in Tech and PikPok helped provide mentors. I’m so glad for the Wellington Tech Sector and all the support that they continuously bring.”
