Computer girls was our initial badge to give our computer for girls workshop. I know. It needs work.
Why computer for girls workshops?
I’ve been surprised the number of times I’ve been asked this particular question. Often it feels loaded. As if it could be a bad thing. Why just girls? Honestly, there’s no sinister motive. We’ll run mixed groups and groups for boys too.
But as a STEM ambassador and a father with a young daughter I’ve a keen interest in helping to make sure girls don’t see technology and computing as a ‘boys subject’. I see patterns already with my chilren (boy and girl). They very definitely have gender biased gifts on their birthdays – from relatives etc. Machines and toy tools for the boy. Ponies and princesses for the girl. I want to help to change this. To at least contribute to giving both sexes the same options.
So for our Computer For Girls workshop it seemed obvious to team up with the amazing Chwarae Teg.com to build it into their existing fair foundations programme. Their mission is to:
champion education, entrepreneurship, work-life balance and flexible working, helping women to overcome the obstacles that prevent them from making a full and consistent contribution within the economy.
Helping devise a workshop to create a new generation of Computer Girls (I’m convinced the name will catch on!) is a good part of their mission work and I’ve been really lucky to be involved.
All children, girl or boy, should have access to a good liberal education and I think computing should be part of that.
And that’s the part I can help with.
So I am.
Starting with the girls.
