Diverse & Equal Black Tech GoFundMe
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Following on from the article published yesterday , we've been thinking about how best to ACT to ensure that these changes are long-lasting.
Our society and many of the oppressive systems are powered by Tech...
Help us to identify the barriers to entry for black people in Tech, discover how to support black employees already working in the industry and get visibility on how Tech is impacting black lives.
The Tech industry presents an interesting opportunity…
- It’s one of the few industries expanding
- It’s suffering from a lack of diversity
- Not much is known about the impact this lack of diversity is having on black communities, employees and those interested in Tech careers
We need your help to ensure that black voices are heard and are represented at every level of the industry
The Projects:
These projects will adopt our immersive teaching philosophy. Candidates from black backgrounds will be recruited on the research projects while bootcamps will be majority black with places open to a wider range of diversity. The projects that we're able to launch will depend on funding. Priority order is below:
Black in Tech Research:
Research project to delve into the experiences of black people in their interactions with the Tech industry
- Will gain insight into the experiences of black people working in Tech and measure exposure and attitudes of black adults re Tech careers, including barriers to entry
- This training will be delivered by experts and will recruit 2 black adults and prepare them for entry-level roles in User Research
Outcomes:
- With the problems properly identified, we can seek redress
- 2 people will be unskilled for entry level roles in User Research
Multiple bootcamps - centred around finding solutions:
15 week bootcamp: Create, prototype and test solutions to problems identified in the research
- Will form multi-disciplinary teams with digital experts, relevant professionals and candidates to validate, prototype and test solutions using the already developed DiverseTechNW bootcamp materials coupled with agile/design sprint methodology
Outcomes:
- Upskill 8 people to be eligible for entry level User Research, Service Design and Agile Delivery roles
- Tested prototypes, ready for alpha, that will address an issue experienced by the Black community
Black Coding Bootcamp:
Coding classes to underemployed from black backgrounds in Northern cities: Manchester, Leeds
Further research:
Identify gaps in organisational support for black employees
Identify macro impacts of Tech on black communities
More details here
About Diverse & Equal
Diverse and Equal has been working to improve diversity in Tech in the NW for the past 2 years. We’ve done this first by helping organisations understand the benefits of diversity and working with them to create more inclusive cultures to release those benefits. And through our DiverseTechNW taster sessions which have helped to dispel the myths about working in Tech held by many people from BAME and lower socio-economic backgrounds. We’ve held workshops with over 140 attendees throughout 2019.
Due to launch last month (put on pause due to Covid-19) the DiverseTechNW bootcamps were created to equip diverse people with the skills required to fill digital roles in service design, user research, delivery; also working with coding trainees from other programmes to get them employment ready — ensuring they have the necessary skills to work in a digital team, such as collaboration, presentation skills and experience of working in an agile environment.
Even as the world reels from the impact of Covid-19 and the new focus on righting the systemic racism experienced by black people in the UK, the problems exacerbated by the digital skills gap aren’t going away. Right now, where movement is restricted, jobs lost and many problems in need of innovation, we have a unique opportunity to develop future talent while honing skills for social good.
Our society and many of the oppressive systems are powered by Tech...
Help us to identify the barriers to entry for black people in Tech, discover how to support black employees already working in the industry and get visibility on how Tech is impacting black lives.
The Tech industry presents an interesting opportunity… - It’s one of the few industries expanding
- It’s suffering from a lack of diversity
- Not much is known about the impact this lack of diversity is having on black communities, employees and those interested in Tech careers
We need your help to ensure that black voices are heard and are represented at every level of the industry
The Projects:
These projects will adopt our immersive teaching philosophy. Candidates from black backgrounds will be recruited on the research projects while bootcamps will be majority black with places open to a wider range of diversity. The projects that we're able to launch will depend on funding. Priority order is below:
Black in Tech Research:
Research project to delve into the experiences of black people in their interactions with the Tech industry
- Will gain insight into the experiences of black people working in Tech and measure exposure and attitudes of black adults re Tech careers, including barriers to entry
- This training will be delivered by experts and will recruit 2 black adults and prepare them for entry-level roles in User Research
Outcomes:
- With the problems properly identified, we can seek redress
- 2 people will be unskilled for entry level roles in User Research
Multiple bootcamps - centred around finding solutions:
15 week bootcamp: Create, prototype and test solutions to problems identified in the research
- Will form multi-disciplinary teams with digital experts, relevant professionals and candidates to validate, prototype and test solutions using the already developed DiverseTechNW bootcamp materials coupled with agile/design sprint methodology
Outcomes:
- Upskill 8 people to be eligible for entry level User Research, Service Design and Agile Delivery roles
- Tested prototypes, ready for alpha, that will address an issue experienced by the Black community
Black Coding Bootcamp:
Coding classes to underemployed from black backgrounds in Northern cities: Manchester, Leeds
Further research:
Identify gaps in organisational support for black employees
Identify macro impacts of Tech on black communities
More details here
About Diverse & Equal
Diverse and Equal has been working to improve diversity in Tech in the NW for the past 2 years. We’ve done this first by helping organisations understand the benefits of diversity and working with them to create more inclusive cultures to release those benefits. And through our DiverseTechNW taster sessions which have helped to dispel the myths about working in Tech held by many people from BAME and lower socio-economic backgrounds. We’ve held workshops with over 140 attendees throughout 2019.
Due to launch last month (put on pause due to Covid-19) the DiverseTechNW bootcamps were created to equip diverse people with the skills required to fill digital roles in service design, user research, delivery; also working with coding trainees from other programmes to get them employment ready — ensuring they have the necessary skills to work in a digital team, such as collaboration, presentation skills and experience of working in an agile environment.
Even as the world reels from the impact of Covid-19 and the new focus on righting the systemic racism experienced by black people in the UK, the problems exacerbated by the digital skills gap aren’t going away. Right now, where movement is restricted, jobs lost and many problems in need of innovation, we have a unique opportunity to develop future talent while honing skills for social good.
Organizer
Annette Joseph
Organizer