At the heart of any strong tech community is a simple belief: talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not always reach everyone equally.
This is one of the reasons we are proud to collaborate with ReDI School of Digital Integration Denmark. Through this partnership, we work together to create opportunities for women with international and refugee backgrounds who are building careers in the Danish tech ecosystem.
Our collaboration is not just about inviting volunteers to an event. It is about empowerment, mentorship, visibility, and long-term career support.
ReDI School of Digital Integration Denmark is a nonprofit initiative focused on empowering women and non-binary individuals with migrant or refugee backgrounds through free digital education, mentorship, and career support. The organization connects learners with industry professionals and companies to help them gain skills and access real career opportunities in the tech sector.
In Denmark—one of the most digitalized societies in the world—having digital skills is often essential for both employment and everyday life. However, many talented individuals face systemic barriers when trying to enter the tech workforce. ReDI addresses this gap by providing courses, career coaching, and a strong community network that connects learners to employers and mentors.
This mission aligns strongly with our own community values.
Creating Bridges Between Communities
Through our collaboration, we invite learners from ReDI to participate in our events as volunteers, contributors, and members of the broader tech community.
For us, this is about much more than operational help at an event.
It is about opening doors.
When learners participate, they gain:
Exposure to leading experts in cloud, security, and technology
Opportunities to network with companies and professionals
Insight into how the tech community collaborates and shares knowledge
Confidence to engage with potential employers
At the same time, the tech community gains something equally valuable: diversity of perspectives and new talent.
Innovation thrives when different experiences and backgrounds meet.
“Volunteering is only good for networking.” “It’s unpaid work.” “What’s the real return?”
I’ve heard these questions many times.
And still, I chose to volunteer again.
When I signed up for Experts Live Denmark 2026 (ELDK2026), I expected meaningful work and strong collaboration. What I didn’t expect and deeply appreciated was the level of respect and professionalism shown towards volunteers.
In many events, volunteers are simply “extra hands.”
At ELDK2026, volunteers were treated as part of the ecosystem.
From clear communication and well-structured shifts, to accommodation at AC Hotel Bella Sky Copenhagen, thoughtful gifts, personalized mementos, and even “Appriciation dinner” with speakers, organizers, and sponsors. It reflected something bigger:
“Recognition”.
Not because we were unpaid. But because we were contributing.
And that makes a difference.
What stood out most wasn’t the comfort, it was the culture. Calm handling of last-minute challenges. High ownership. Strong team spirit.
Volunteering continues to strengthen something in me that no salary alone can build: * Leadership without title * Responsibility without supervision * Contribution without immediate reward
In a world that often asks, “What’s in it for me?” I find growth in asking, “How can I add value?”
One of the most important aspects of our collaboration is individual coaching.
Technology skills alone are rarely enough to enter a new labor market. Many learners also need support in areas such as:
Understanding the Danish workplace culture
Navigating networking opportunities
Building confidence in professional environments
Translating international experience into local career opportunities
As organizers and mentors, we take the time to coach individuals personally.
Sometimes this means helping someone prepare for their first professional conversation with a hiring manager. Other times it means introducing them to someone in the industry who might become a mentor.
These small moments often make the biggest difference.
Great talk about how they should use the opportunity to go out and talk with other community members at the ELDK2025 event.
Investing in the Women Behind the Talent
We strongly believe that recognition and support should be visible and meaningful.
That is why we invest directly in the participants who collaborate with us.
This includes:
Supporting Their Participation
To remove barriers, we cover practical expenses such as:
Hotel accommodation
Event participation
By doing this, we ensure that participation is accessible regardless of personal circumstances.
Celebrating Their Contribution
Participation deserves recognition.
We host appreciation dinners where volunteers and participants are celebrated not just for their help at the event, but for their commitment to building a future in technology.
Recognition matters.
It tells people that their efforts are seen and valued.
We call it Appreciation Dinner and NOT Speaker Dinner, as we appreciate everyone helping to make our community events possible – volunteers, speakers, and partners. A great opportunity for volunteers to connect with new people
Promoting Talent to Employers
Another important part of our initiative is visibility.
We actively promote the participants to potential employers by:
Three intense days with a vibrant tech community, around 1,400 attendees and countless insightful sessions. Seeing the coordination behind an event of this scale was genuinely inspiring.
What stood out most, though, was the people, the conversations, the connections, and the strong sense of community.
Slide from Welcome Keynote at ELDK26: All volunteers from ReDi only have to work 50% of the time, so they also have time to attend the sessions and meet & greet with speakers and other attendees; maybe a potential new employee as many are ‘open to work’.Poorva is one of our volunteer rockstars, who have worked very closely with the organizer team. Poorva is one of the core team members in ELDK having her own @expertslive.dk mail address. She is also featured in the dedicated volunteer movie – https://Volunteer.eldk26.video.expertslive.dk
Why This Matters for the Tech Community
The technology industry faces a well-known challenge: a growing demand for skilled professionals combined with a shortage of talent.
At the same time, there is an enormous pool of capable, motivated individuals who simply need the right opportunity.
Organizations like ReDI School of Digital Integration Denmark help unlock that potential by providing education, mentorship, and connections to industry partners.
Our role as community organizers is to build bridges between these worlds.
When we succeed, everyone benefits:
Individuals gain careers
Companies gain talent
Communities become stronger and more inclusive
A Community Effort
This collaboration is not something we do alone.
It is made possible by:
volunteers
mentors
speakers
sponsors
companies willing to open their doors
Together we are building something bigger than an event.
We are building a pathway into the tech industry for people who deserve the opportunity.
Looking Ahead
Our partnership with ReDI School of Digital Integration Denmark continues to grow each year.
Every cohort of learners brings new stories, new ambition, and new inspiration.
And every time we see one of these women take the next step in her career, we are reminded why this collaboration matters.
In the Closing of ELDK2025, we invited Anne Marie from ReDI School on stage to talk for 10 min. about how companies could engage with ReDI to help the refugees and immigrants (“women in tech”)
