by Christine Karim

This toolkit is based on session at the May 1 st , 2003 Community Technology Network of the Bay Area Spring conference. Session leadership and facilitation by Jessica Hobbs, Jean Kaiser, Christine Karim and Natalie Seer ( Presenter bios ).

Goals and objectives

This toolkit was created to assist in planning and delivering tech programs for women and girls. We saw it as a starting place, incorporating accumulated field experience and including suggested resources for further exploration

Session Outline

1. Introductions

2. Description of programs for Women and Girls at Girls Club of the Mid-peninsula, Richmond Village Beacon and Urban VOICE

3. What Works & What Doesn't Work

4. Favorite Software/Websites

5. Components of a Great Girls'/Women's Program/Tech Program
   

Examples of Tech Programs for Women and Girls
See PowerPoint presentations by Jean Kaiser and Natalie Seer.

What Works and What Doesn't Work
In the interactive group discussion, we first brainstormed what works and what doesn't work in technology programs for women and girls. Here's what we found:

What Works

• Youth Development

• Girls Only time

• Talking to the girls/women (Ask them what works!)

• Project based activities

• Everyday usage

• Hands on

• Student driven

• Child Watch Program

• Distance Learning with supportive follow-up staff

• Peer leaders as examples

• Partnering with other organizations

• Using tech as a means, not an end

• Remembering each individual approaches tech in her own way

• Small groups

• Authentic use that has personal meaning

• Sense of belonging

• Drawing on girls' skills that are a part of them already

• Show computers as a tool

• Mentors

• Job placement assistance

• Finding girls' motivation to use tech and then incorporating it

• Scanning

• Creating online community

• Digital storytelling

• Being willing to change the program/activity

• Recipes/greeting cards

• Establishing confidence in the beginning

• Cultivating girl/women student leaders

• Showing tech as a communication tool

What Doesn't Work

• Motivation commitment

• Getting women to use more than just MS apps

• Boys taking over space with ìgamesî

• Isolating tech

• Over-designing the program/activity

Favorite Software/Websites

Session participants were encouraged to browse the CTN website curriculum resources for Girls and Young Women: http://www.ctnbayarea.org/girls.html .

Other favorites contributed by session participants:

• San Francisco Women on the Web (SFWOW)
• MentorGirls
• KidPix
• PhotoJam
• Epals.com
• Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science (IWITTS)

Components of a Great Girls'/Women's Program/Tech Program

In this exercise, based on the What Works brainstorming above, session participants were asked to contribute their thoughts on ì10 components of a great girls'/women's programî and then ì10 ways to create a great tech program for women and girlsî. As we analyzed our previous ideas, we found many of the components could be applicable to both girls' and women's programs. Then our session was nearing the end of the day, so this table is incomplete. Participants agreed that we shared a lot of useful information in the time available.