In this blog, our Communications and Engagement Officer, Lynsey Hadden, headed out to Broxburn to visit National Lottery funded First Step Robotics to join their robotics and coding club for the afternoon…
When I hear the word Robo-dog, I immediately visualise the noughties toy I used to play with as a child. You know, the one that would perform flips and barks when you pressed its buttons.
So, when I walked into First Step Robotics’ open session and saw their Robo-dog, more specifically, Unitree go2 pro robot, my jaw dropped. Technology really has come a long way.
First Step Robotics use robotics workshops to engage children and young people in West Lothian, empowering them to learn programming, computer science and engineering, whilst building their confidence and friendships. First Step Robotics is dedicated to making STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) education accessible to young people in West Lothian. They provide hands-on experience that bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world application, offering students the chance to engage with new technology.
In each session, young people are collaborating in teams to design, build and code robots. They’re even getting the opportunity to take the robots they build to competitions.
From the moment the session begins you can feel the excitement build amongst the participants. There are roars of laughter as the group huddle around the worthy robot from their last competition. The proud young people from last year had lovingly built this robot, and now this year’s new recruits had the chance to control it and experience its capabilities firsthand.
The young people split into two teams with energy bouncing off the walls as they put their minds to work assembling their own robots.
A conversation with Ifeoluwa Fabiyi
In amongst all the activity, I had a chat with 15-year-old, Ifeoluwa Fabiyi, a now ‘award winning’ robotic engineer. He excitedly tells me about First Step Robotics’ first win at Hearts Stadium during the Scottish qualifier.
“It was really difficult at first,” he admitted. “We came up with a plan and rolled with it—we were the underdog.”
His smile widened as he recalled the moment they realised they had won. The excitement and sense of accomplishment was still fresh in his voice.
What stood out to me most was how much the project had changed him. Ifeoluwa confessed that when he first joined, he wasn’t sure what to expect.
“I couldn’t apply anything I had learned in school, so I went in with low expectations,” he shared.
But as he spent more time brainstorming, problem-solving, and collaborating with his teammates, his confidence began to grow.
“After doing it for a bit, I realised I really enjoy the teamwork and using my brain in a different way.”
He also spoke about how nerve-wracking it was knowing they’d be on TV and in the press. “I was a bit worried at the beginning because I knew we’d be in the press, and I didn’t think that was my thing. I also thought we wouldn’t get far, but when we got that first win, I loved it.”
That win, and the experiences that followed, left a lasting impression on him. He told me how much more confident he feels now—an incredible transformation in just a few short months.
First Step Robotics making STEM Accessible
Thanks to the support from National Lottery funding, First Step Robotics are able to extend their reach, offering more workshops and programmes to continue their work inspiring and supporting young people.
Edoh Agbenokoudji, the founder of First Step Robotics, told me:
“We are very thankful to The National Lottery Community Fund. Encouraging young people to participate in STEM opens doors to future careers.
“The funding will significantly help First Step Robotics in expanding our reach. We will be running robotics clubs in both primary and secondary schools and in the community during the term.”
Seeing firsthand the impact National Lottery funding has on grassroots organisations is one of my favourite things about my job. Getting to see the excitement through the eyes of a young person like Ifeoluwa, brings it all to life.
Organisations like First Step Robotics are so important to their communities. Not only are they offering a creative outlet for young people, but they are also opening doors to new possibilities.
As I left their session that afternoon, I not only realised that my version of Robo-dog was a thing of the past but was reminded that when we support community-led projects, we are not just funding activities. We are investing in people’s potential and the future of our communities.
The National Lottery turns 30
We’re gearing up to celebrate The National Lottery’s 30th birthday next month, so if your organisation has been supported by National Lottery funding, we’d love for you to get involved and share your good news stories with us.
How to get involved:
Take part in National Lottery Selfie on Tuesday 19 November.
And, keep sharing your good news stories with us and tag us:
Remember to use the hashtags #NationalLottery30 and #ThanksToYou.
The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Blog 