empower girls in stem:
volunteer with technovation girlsbc
Technovation GirlsBC is a non-profit tech entrepreneurship competition where girls* aged 13-18 work in teams to develop a mobile app or AI project that tackles real-world problems in their community. Our goal is to promote diversity and inspire and empower girls to be engaged leaders and creative problem-solvers through technology and engineering education.
*While the terms "women" and "girls" are used, our events invite participants who identify as women, girls, trans, genderqueer, non-binary, two-spirit, and gender questioning.
The STEM fields play a significant role in shaping the world we live in, and it is essential that a range of perspectives and experiences are represented in the development of new technologies. According to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the likelihood of a girl enrolled in Grade 1 in Canada going on to receive a Ph.D. in science or engineering is just 1 in 223, compared to 1 in 112 for boys in the same age group.
We want to work towards correcting this imbalance by building a community of professionals willing to invest their time, expertise, and resources in supporting the next generation of women in tech.
To help make our programs a success, we are have volunteers fill a variety of roles:
Mentors & Coaches
Mentorship can be incredibly valuable in helping girls develop the interest, skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to succeed in STEM education and careers. Industry Mentor offers more than just technical or business-related advice to the students – they empower girls to be leaders and problem solvers in their lives and communities.
A computer science or engineering background is not required and mentors with backgrounds in marketing, product development, project management, software development and other areas are encouraged to apply. You should be comfortable saying, "I don't know; let's find out together!" All genders and backgrounds are welcome. More Information: Mentor Resources
4-month commitment
As an individual team mentor, you will:
Work with a team of girls, spending roughly 20 hours from January to April, helping them develop their ideas.
Coordinate meeting times with your specific team and meet virtually.
Provide feedback and encouragement as the teams create apps or build AI projects to solve community problems.
Note: A Criminal Record Check, Vulnerable Sector Check and completion of the Technovation Girls Internet Safety Training is required.
1 day to 4 month commitment
As a coach, you will:
Sign up for virtual sessions based on your availability.
In British Columbia, we will be offering drop-in coaching participants from February to April on a weekly basis.
Provide feedback, advice and encouragement as the teams create apps or build AI projects to solve community problems.
Interested in finding out more information? Check out the recording below from our info session or email us.
Speakers
Hearing from successful professionals in STEM fields can provide girls with role models and inspiration. Seeing someone who looks like them or has similar experiences succeed in a STEM career can be particularly motivating for girls who may not have many role models in these fields. Furthermore, speakers and panels can expose girls to a wide range of career paths, helping them understand the diversity of opportunities available.
Throughout the 2024 season, we will be holding a number of virtual and in-person events for young women and those who support them to collaborate, learn about, and participate in hands-on computing, technology, and data science activities. We are looking for STEM professionals to talk about why they love their industries and the opportunities they present, as well as recent graduates to talk about their experience in post-secondary and finding a job.
Other Opportunities
Beyond mentors and speakers, we have a few other ways to get involved with Technovation GirlsBC:
Tours:
During our Spring Break event (March 13-15) we are looking for Technology companies within 10-15 minutes walking distance of the BCIT Downtown Campus (555 Seymour St) that would be interested in providing a tour to groups of 25 participants to help inspire and educate around different career paths.
Workshops:
We have some availability for passionate industry professionals to lead 1-3 hour workshops (UX/UI, Intro to Python, Web Design with HTML & CSS, AI and Machine Learning, and Game Design are some topics past participants have expressed interest in). Workshops provide a chance for participants to be both hands-on and minds-on as they engage in STEAM-based explorations.
Sponsors:
Donate to support our Spring Break Learning Conference or Regional Pitch Event
Fund t-shirts for teams and other swag
Offer prizes (In addition to the global competition, we offer prizes to teams on a regional and national level. Previous years' prizes have included gift cards, computing and technology-related books, stickers, t-shirts, notebooks and pens, but we are always looking for new fun ideas! Consider experiences for the girls, like tours of local companies, automatic acceptance into a youth developer program, or a summer internship.)