Female role models are crucially important for ensuring that young women develop and sustain an interest in computing, coding, and digital making. A 2016 study conducted by Accenture and Girls Who Code showed that, of the girls who had female role models in the areas of computing and coding, 62% said they were likely to study these subjects in college. Conversely, only 15% of girls with no role model said the same.
Mentors act as the main role models in a Dojo setting. Across the globe we see a correlation between the number of female Mentors and the number of girls in CoderDojo. In 2016 the percentage of girls among the total number of CoderDojo attendees was 29%, and the percentage of female Mentors was also 29%. Each year since we began collecting data on diversity in Dojos in 2014, we have observed very similar numbers of female Ninjas and Mentors.
4.1 Female Mentors in relation to girls tables
If your Dojo has a low proportion of female attendees as well as few female technical Mentors, one way to make sure these Mentors are being best utilised as role models for girls is to ask them to lead a girls table (see section 1.4). Male Mentors can also assist at a girls table, but ideally a female Mentor should lead, in order to counter gender stereotypes.
4.2 Youth Mentors
Near-peer Mentors have proven very effective at engaging young people and beginners in STEM areas. Near-peer Mentors are more relatable to Ninjas than adult Mentors, because they are closer in age and share more similar life experiences and interests with them. Female youth Mentors can have a particularly strong influence on young girls, who might otherwise feel out of place in a male-dominated Dojo setting. Many Dojos, for example CoderDojo Zero (Cork) and CoderDojo DCU, use youth Mentors as role models and support for female Ninjas.
Having a female youth Mentor helps retain younger girls; being a youth Mentor motivates older girls to continue attending their Dojo, and aids them in building confidence.Youth Mentors should be involved in decision making along with older Mentors, and should be encouraged to suggest topics on which they would like to lead sessions. Always support girls when they express interest in being a youth Mentor, but never pressure them into taking up the role.
4.3 How can I increase access to role models?
To attract female mentors you can try:
Connecting with local women in local tech organisations and speaking to them about your Dojo.
Recruiting parents: you might be able to convince mothers who bring their kids to the Dojo to become Mentors, even if they don’t have technical skills. A good way to encourage this is to hold a training session for parents with non-technical backgrounds using beginner-level content, e.g. Scratch or HTML/CSS.
Approaching educators and schools to try and encourage female teachers to join your Dojo as Mentors.
Encouraging female Ninjas in your Dojo to become youth Mentors. This will give younger girls a person to look up to, and it will help your Dojo become sustainable. Even if you cannot get 50% female Mentors in your Dojo, you should endeavour to invite women working in the technology sector to come and speak to your Ninjas. They will be particularly inspirational for girls in your Dojo.
- There are numerous historical examples of women who have shaped the field of computing, such as Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper. Highlight the contributions of these people, since they can also serve as role models for female Ninjas.