Since 2013, we’ve been inspiring and working to increase the proportion of women entering and in the STEM workforce. Over the years, this has evolved to recognise the broad scope of the STEM field across Academia, Industry and Entrepreneurship, embracing Art & Design to become the STEAM field. In the last decade, the way society looks at, understands and considers gender has been and is continually evolving.
We run spaces filled with a majority of young women, where young people can hear from, connect with and work alongside folks of all genders across the STEAM field. For some of our activities, running a space of this nature has proved to increase the level of impact on attendees, much more than in a mixed-gender space. All of our activities are consciously and actively intersectional and feature a mix of people.
In recent years, taking the lead from our Stemettes community, we’ve evolved our thinking, aims and activities to include non-binary young people alongside young women. We’ve always strived to welcome both cisgender and transgender women, as prioritising minority communities within STEM & STEAM spaces has been powerful for them.
We’ve always welcomed men of all ages who are relatives and friends to our public events on a weekend or school holiday, to ensure that families can take part and our target audience from having a powerful experience. Every young person, regardless of gender, has been part of teams, received guidance and taken home a goody bag & certificate.
As our activities expand, we’ve been able to use our limited resources to offer support to all genders. Our Zine, Social Media Platforms, Newsletters, Stemillions clubs & Takeaway Menus are open to all. Our 2015 documentary was watched by all genders in schools across the UK and beyond.
We believe in positive action as a part of the puzzle that is bringing gender balance to the STEAM field. We also know that not everyone needs a gender-focused activity in order to reach their potential. We’re privileged to form a part of a rich tapestry of STEM & STEAM outreach organisations who have differing audiences and focuses. We’re working to deconstruct social norms for a historically marginalised group whilst striving to reflect a constantly evolving society.