Volunteer Spotlight: Dounia Hassani

Bridging the Opportunity Gap by Dounia Hassani

While helping companies to grow is important, helping people to access opportunities is equally essential. That’s how I discovered Powercoders. Their mission of supporting refugees in rebuilding their careers through technology resonated strongly with me. Having experienced the challenges of finding a first opportunity or changing careers myself, I know how impactful the right guidance can be.

At Powercoders, I contribute in various ways, such as coaching participants during their projects, conducting mock interviews and sharing my experiences in the tech industry. My goal is always the same, whether it’s during a project review, a retrospective, or an interview simulation: to help participants turn their potential into real opportunities.

“Helping companies grow is important, but helping people access opportunities is just as essential.”

– Dounia Hassani

Bringing Agile Principles to the Bootcamp

I achieve this by applying my expertise in team dynamics, delivery challenges and coaching practices to real, hands-on situations. Drawing on my experience as a Scrum Master and Agile Coach, I help with tasks ranging from structuring discussions to assisting teams in focusing on user value.

One particular moment stayed with me. I met a group at the very beginning of a project and then saw them again at their final demo. In just a few weeks, they had progressed from exploring a problem space to delivering a solution and articulating its business value, all while keeping the user at the centre.

“The difference is not the talent; it is the environment, the structure, and the support that enable that talent to fully express itself.”

– Dounia Hassani

Talent is Universal, Environment is Not

At that moment, I thought they were ready! What struck me most was that this was not so different from what I often see in companies. It’s not the talent that makes the difference, but the environment, structure and support that enable that talent to fully express itself.

Rather than simply sharing expertise, my role is to create an environment where people feel supported, heard and confident — where learning happens and better decisions can be made, whether in a bootcamp or within an organisation. Even in challenging team situations, I’m reminded that every context is unique and offers new insights, about others and ourselves.

“My role is to create conditions where people feel supported, heard, and confident—where learning happens and better decisions can be made.”

– Dounia Hassani

A Journey of Shared Growth

Volunteering with Powercoders has also been a valuable learning experience for me. Coaching participants has pushed me to continuously adapt my approach and stay pragmatic, non-dogmatic and flexible. It has also helped me to identify my own blind spots. It’s also a reminder that even a few hours of support can have a significant impact on someone’s career.

This experience has reinforced my belief that diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences is essential. I see it as an invaluable asset for companies because diversity within teams directly influences the products they create. More diverse teams lead to more inclusive, relevant and impactful solutions for real users.

“Diversity is a non-negotiable asset for companies because the diversity within teams directly shapes the products they build.”

– Dounia Hassani

The Future of Inclusive Tech

I was deeply impressed by the participants’ willingness to learn and collaborate despite the challenges they face, as well as their ability to navigate new technologies. Their ability to transform their differences into strengths is impressive, and is exactly what I believe companies need more of today.

Powercoders plays a key role in connecting companies with diverse, high-potential talent. It offers organisations a unique opportunity to access highly motivated and adaptable talent that is ready to contribute to real projects. In both my volunteer work and professional engagements, I focus on helping teams improve their performance in the short term while establishing strong foundations for long-term sustainability.

“When the right environment meets the right support, people don’t just adapt; they grow, contribute, and create real value.”

– Dounia Hassani

Ultimately, this experience reinforced the idea that when the right environment meets the right support, people don’t just adapt — they grow, contribute and create real value. This is something that both organisations and society as a whole cannot afford to overlook.

Interested in volunteering with Powercoders?

Join as Job Coach, IT volunteer, IT mentor, or Workshop leader. Find out more on our dedicated page for volunteers.

Team