Cracking the Code: Innovation for a gender-equal future – How can we make this happen?

International Women's Day is fast approaching. This year's theme is 'Cracking the Code: Innovation for a gender-equal future'.

Cracking the Code highlights the role that bold, transformative ideas, inclusive technologies, and accessible education can play in combatting discrimination and marginalising women globally.

Three key areas we need to focus on to drive the change in using Innovation to drive a gender-equal future including:

·??????Innovation,

·??????Access and

·??????Clear pathways.

Below I discuss these and how working together as a community can make a difference in cracking the Code, ensuring a gender-equal future.

? Innovation drives change by embracing new technologies and championing women's unique skills. Using knowledge in STEAM, we can accelerate our progress towards a gender-equal future.

What does Innovation mean in action?

This means we need to:

·??????Work together to encourage Innovation at all levels of the journey, from Kindy through to Primary and onto High School. Continue to promote Innovation at University / TAFE / College and on into women’s careers. With continuous learning throughout Career breaks.

·??????Women support each other. To find fellow Innovators and work together to help and grow each other ideas.

·??????Normalise Women being role models for students in STEAM. Loudly and proudly shout: “my mum is a technologist”, “my mother codes”, “my sister designs in digital”, or “my daughter invented an App”.

·??????Encourage people to ideate, to not give up on an idea because its time hasn’t come yet. Encourage people to iterate on their ideas, come up with new ones, and keep going. To never give up.

·??????Connect and network with other innovators. The Curtin Ignition program for me was precisely that this year. An opportunity to grow and work with like-minded innovators to develop new ideas.??

·??????Foster and encourage Innovation when we see it. Innovation does not come naturally to everyone. To innovate, you need to be creative. To be creative, you need to have new and ground-breaking ideas and not be afraid to speak them. This takes courage and curiosity to do so.

·??????Encourage drawing or colouring. Drawing your ideas and visualisation allows the brain to create new neural pathways. Helping a child to communicate their ideas through words or drawings is the first step in the creative journey to Innovation.

·??????It also means sitting in the problem longer. Understanding problems deeper. Thinking “How might we” or “Imagine If”, always looking to find more than one way to solve a problem. Brainstorm your ideas, and encourage children to do so, too. Better yet do it with them and involve them in the evolution of the idea. It’s incredible how a child can create a comic book or a mind map at such an early age.

The Innovation Story

One of my amazing experiences has been connecting with local women who are all Innovators working together to ideate as a team. A sounding board of Innovators who care and are local to my community. Belle Lockerby GCCM Jackie Campbell and Clare Gibellini you are awesome. Thank you for supporting other Women to make a difference and helping to crack the Code. ?

These local women I met on my #TedXtalk journey TEDx . Without them, I would not have been able to convey my story. Converting my bold, inclusive crazy ideas into a cohesive and relatable discussion. This group of women are there for me. I know that I can ask “I have a way out there question…..” And they will say a big “Hell yes” or “Hell No” in response. The key here is that I know they are honest and transparent, and I can trust them.

Whilst Innovation can transform lives, we know many barriers to equality exist. Another key driver for change is:

? Access to inclusive digital technologies and education is critical. We must innovate to close the digital divide that keeps so many women offline and away from new opportunities.

What does Access mean in action?

This means we need to:

·??????Give access to girls and boys to STEAM classes in all schools. For example, ensuring that the Robotics club or coding club isn’t at the same time as certain sports. Male or Female stereotypes may miss out on these events because of inadequate scheduling. Choosing between your love of coding and your passion for a favourite sport may prevent a girl from continuing in STEAM.

·??????Encourage activities promoting STEAM, such as Chess Club at lunchtime, for kids who love strategic thinking and board games. Or Minecraft for creating 3D worlds.

·??????Ensuring a child is not discouraged from participating because of their gender. If a child shows an interest in technology, encourage them.

·??????Think about where your old computers, tablets and laptops are going. Can they be donated to a school's program? Can they be repurposed? Encourage students to pull apart laptops (under supervision) and figure out how they work and what buttons to press. Explore, break and have a go.

·??????Access can also mean being aware of clubs that support STEAM activities. Some parents are unaware of free events that are happening in Libraries or local communities. LEGO Education Club, CoderDojo , and Robogals Global Clubs are often free to attend. Making these clubs available for all and accessible to everyone will help a child to grow in confidence and explore what they love to do. (Sometimes I wish they had these clubs for adults, now it’s called mentoring for us.)

The Action Story

I am lucky to be involved in Coderdojo, sponsored by the 澳大利亚科廷科技大学 Autism Academy. There are mentors who are male and female, we have more than 50% women (Mentors). The mentors supporting, encouraging, and caring approach to their community hugely makes a difference in cracking the Code and give young women and girls the confidence to be part of the digital world.

Thank you Michelle Wong an amazing human who works tirelessly supporting people in the Peel region. You are the heart and soul of our CoderDojo club. (I owe you a coffee catchup very soon) Michelle gives so much of her time to the community and sets an example to us all. Giving back is the best way to make a difference on #IWD2023. Michelle you are one of the most generous and energetic people I know.

Thank you also to Tele Tan AM for sharing with me his knowledge, allowing me time to learn and helping to surround my family with mentors to help crack the code.

To all our #Coderdojo club mentors for excellently supporting our young people helping them to learn python, new digital platforms like SpaceDraft Blender SCRATCH Unity and helping them to code in fun ways Thank you.

Thank you finally to the organisations and people who support our Neurodivergent club and our neurodivergent friends. There are many of you and too many to mention here. Feel free to comment below on how you are helping to break the code this #IWD2023. Want to help reach out to Michelle or me.

Our final key driver for change is:

? By creating clear pathways and inclusive workplaces for women and girls in STEAM

What do Clear pathways and inclusive workplaces mean in action?

·??????This means sharing opportunities for a new role with your fellow women who you think would be good at the position and maybe not putting themselves forward because they do not meet all of the criteria. Again Women supporting other Women is needed.

·??????Clear pathways are needed from TAFE/College/ University and through to a Career. A pathway is not always clear. It is therefore important to have female mentors and male allies for change to help you, especially where a career has predominantly been female. Take Techtrails STEM WA for example, a wonderful initiative to showcase these mentors #seeherbeher

·??????Clear pathways are helpful when you create groups like Women In Technology, Women in Data Science, and Women Who Code. Working together, these groups help to break down barriers and bring together super intelligent women and girls. Allowing them to feel connected to a community and confident in their abilities.

·??????Our inclusive workplaces mean that it is ok to work flexibly, it is ok to take paternity leave, and it is ok to pick the kids up from school at 3.30pm. Bringing in flexible working is great for everyone, not just Women. It allows for a balanced life.

·??????Our Australian Government is formally embarking on a STEAM diversity review, have a look at the link here: https://lnkd.in/gskdkUWK

Suppose our governments are looking to be inclusive to help break the Code. In that case, it starts with being brave and innovative enough at all levels of an organisation. To provide your voice to Government, your organisation or even your school is needed. Submitting your ideas (Innovation) and changing the world is scary. If we don’t, though, we might never crack the Code for equality. If you belong to a minority group in STEAM or an organisation that supports people in STEAM, please submit your experiences and perspectives. More information on "barriers faced by underrepresented groups in entering, participating, and staying in STEAM" is required so please use the link above. Thank you to Niamh Toohey for sharing this initiative with many women in her network.

·??????Support other women on a pathway for Innovation and entrepreneurship, mentor, listen and help them. Let’s make it easier for the next generation, not harder.

·??????Get behind a Diversity and Inclusion program, and keep adverts open until a woman has applied. Hire with diversity in mind and interview with a diverse panel. I cannot recommend highly enough the work that Women in Technology WA Inc. (WiTWA) does with D&I

·??????Thank you also to organisations like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and 微软 who provide Women coding and learning events without which it is scarier to put your hand up or ask a question. These events normalise the gender gap and make us feel confident in asking those awkward questions. Thank you for providing safe spaces for women to learn. Donna Edwards and Michelle Sandford , that’s you.

Clear pathways and inclusive workplaces

I have been lucky enough to connect with the excellent Alexis McDonald , from HerHelp fellow Women in Technology WA Inc. (WiTWA) And also Tech Plus award winner 2022. She has given me a unique perspective on being innovative, an entrepreneur, and a digital creative. Also to the amazing Victoria Jenkins from Unhidden a fellow Entrepreneur and late-night problem solver. You keep me grounded and help when imposter syndrome sets in. Yes, we all get it. You support us when we question why we do what we do. Reminding us that we do it, for the next generation that comes after us. Not for now but for then.

Being an entrepreneur and an ideas person can be lonely without your tribe. It’s good to talk and connect with other innovators helping to crack the Code. Giving back to our community is fantastic. Sometimes, invigoration can come from chatting with an unlikely ally who becomes a friend.

Final thoughts

A final thank you to #ourjacobs women I work with daily in my team and across the globe. Thank you for making Jacobs an inclusive place to work. Thank you for supporting other Women and working together. Helene Barrie Sara Adly Tiana Smithdale Kelly Maslin Stephanie Bywater Abbie F. Victoria Jones Jasmin Callosa-Tarr Nicole Kiely Nerida Weller Nipuni Peiris Kasia Dworniczak Samantha Kimber Dunja Gajic Janine Barrow Yohana Solomon Bec Roberts Meg Andrews

Women and male allies working together in our communities can make a difference. Whether in our geographic region, technical discipline or business market, these communities make a difference. Giving people a sense of belonging. We can leverage the transformative power of inclusive Innovation, which is critical to cracking the Code for gender equality.

No code can ever be written on its own. It needs a teacher or mentor to help the author, to help the code grow. It can never be innovative without an inventor. It can never be compiled without the quality and ethics behind it. It takes a team to write the code and a greater team to crack the Code. Who is in your team and how will you crack the equality code for 2023?

? Read the key #IWD2023 messages ???https://bit.ly/3JbY6ZU

?? For more information, visit the UN Women's website ??

https://bit.ly/3ESKH6D

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