> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://londoncoworkingassembly.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How Coworking Became a Launchpad for Tech Careers from Finsbury Park to Gaza with Dan Sofer - URL: https://londoncoworkingassembly.com/how-coworking-became-a-launchpad/ - Published: 2025-07-24T01:11:12.000Z - Updated: 2025-07-24T01:11:12.000Z - Description: How a North London coworking space became home to a peer-led coding school changing how tech careers begin. - Author: Bernie J Mitchell - Tags: 🎙️Coworking Values Podcast, #Migrated-1775294871643, #Import 2026-04-04 09:38 How Coworking Became a Launchpad for Tech Careers from Finsbury Park to Gaza with Dan Sofer 0:00 /200 1× ### *“We trained people in Camden. Our alumni trained others in Gaza. It was peer-led — and it worked.”* Dan Sofer didn’t mean to build a coding movement. But over a decade, through a mix of grit, generosity, and peer-led magic, that’s precisely what happened. In this episode, Bernie sits down with Dan, founder of [Founders and Coders](https://www.foundersandcoders.com/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) — the radically open, tuition-free coding boot camp based at [Space4](https://www.space4.tech/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) in Finsbury Park — to trace how one small meetup evolved into a deeply human education model. You’ll hear how a British Library study group turned into [Gaza Sky Geeks](https://gazaskygeeks.com/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com). How [Camden Collective](https://camdencollective.co.uk/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) gave them a chance. And how Space4 in Finsbury Park became more than a desk — it became a home. Together, they explore the power of peer-led learning, the uncertain future of developer jobs in an AI-saturated world, and what it takes for coworking spaces to become a form of civic infrastructure. This isn’t just an episode about training software developers. It’s a blueprint for how **coworking, community, and skill-building** can entwine to create something resilient, real, and deeply needed — especially in places under siege. If you’ve ever asked, *“How do we actually build something that lasts?”* Face the front! This is one for your notebook, kids! --- ## ⏱ Timeline Highlights \[00:59\] “I’ve thrown most of my energy into this for 12 years.” \[02:20\] What Founders and Coders does (and doesn’t) \[04:15\] How Camden Collective gave them a vital early boost \[05:42\] Why Dan said yes to Space4 and never left \[06:16\] The overlooked power of peer-led learning \[08:59\] What AI is doing to the developer job market right now \[10:45\] How COVID, layoffs, and funding shifts reshaped their model \[14:42\] “We’re still here, but the world around us is different now” \[15:39\] Real talk: how do they serve the local community? \[18:55\] What makes coworking and training work *together* \[21:44\] From London to Gaza: the story behind their international programmes \[23:45\] What happened to Gaza Sky Geeks — and what’s still possible \[28:55\] How peer-led training created a global alumni-led movement \[32:28\] Why informal learning environments change everything \[34:00\] Dan’s invitation to coworking spaces, thinking about AI and education \[35:15\] Wednesday Community Lunches — and why you should come hungry --- ## 🎯 Thematic Breakdown ### **Peer-Led Learning Is the Future — But We’ve Forgotten How to Do It** Dan shares how he rediscovered the magic of learning in community, without a “sage on the stage.” It’s not a theory. It’s a method. And it works. ### **How Camden Collective and Space4 Sparked a Movement** A coding bootcamp in a donated space. A coworking co-op that said yes. Dan reflects on the generosity and risk that made Founders and Coders possible. ### **Why Software Development Won’t Look the Same in 3 Years** AI isn’t coming. It’s here. Dan explains how code is already being written differently — and what today’s learners need to stay relevant tomorrow. ### **COVID, Layoffs, Apprenticeships — and the Grind Behind the Growth** 2020 was the best and worst year. A glimpse into how they kept going when fees vanished, and why apprenticeships became the next step. ### **Coworking as Civic Infrastructure: A Real London Case Study** Most spaces host. Space4 committed. Dan explains why this partnership works — and how other coworking spaces can do the same (if they stop being afraid of mess). ### **Gaza Sky Geeks and the Unfinished Legacy of Peer-Led Training** From Nazareth to Gaza, Hebron to Hackney — the wild and fragile international arc of Founders and Coders, including what remains after the ### **Serendipity Is Real — But So Is Showing Up Every Week for 12 Years** Dan didn’t plan to be here. But he never left. And that quiet, stubborn consistency may be the most powerful lesson in this episode. --- ## 🔗 Links & Resources **Dan Sofer & Founders and Coders** [Founders and Coders](https://www.foundersandcoders.com/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dsofer/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-sofer-025329/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) **Community & Collaboration** [Gaza Sky Geeks](https://gazaskygeeks.com/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) [Yala Digital Co-op](https://yala.coop/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) [Outlandish](https://outlandish.com/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) [Camden Collective](https://camdencollective.co.uk/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) [Space4](https://www.space4.tech/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) [Tony David Author](https://anthonydavidwriter.com/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) **Coworking Community** [London Coworking Assembly](https://londoncoworkingassembly.com/) [Coworking Values LinkedIn Group](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/33807/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) [Workspace Design Show – Feb 2026](https://workspacedesignshow.com/?ref=londoncoworkingassembly.com) --- ## 🧠 One More Thing Coworking can be more than just flexible workspaces — it can also serve as infrastructure for learning, resilience, and connection across borders. Every episode of the Coworking Values Podcast explores the values that make this possible: **Accessibility, Community, Openness, Collaboration, and Sustainability**. If this resonates, rate, follow, and share. You never know who’s listening — or who needs this blueprint right now. **Community is the key 🔑**