AFIST - A community empowering women in STEM through mentorship, education, networking and advocacy.
About this good practice
In Romania, the underrepresentation of women in STEM is a persistent issue due to gender biases, lack of mentorship and role models, traditional mentalities, and cultural stereotypes. The purpose of AFIST is to create a supportive and safe environment for women in STEM fields and to build a community for tech people where they can grow, connect, and help each other.
Strategic initiatives:
Support: Creating personalized mentorship programs with three main directions (soft skills, tech and business) where experienced professionals guide newcomers. Networking: Organizing events, workshops, and conferences to facilitate connections among women in STEM, life-long learners, professionals and tech enthusiasts. Collaborating with universities, corporations, and NGOs to promote STEM education and career opportunities for women and tech enthusiasts.
Advocacy: Promoting policies and practices that support gender equality in STEM.
Stakeholders: Educational institutions, corporations in STEM industries, policymakers, and NGOs focused on gender equality and tech evolution.
Beneficiaries: Women at various stages of their STEM careers, scholars, students, early-career professionals, and experts.
Through the developed programs, support, networking, and advocacy, AFIST aims to increase the number of women in STEM and ensure they have the resources and opportunities to succeed and lead in their fields, fostering a more inclusive and dynamic STEM community.
Resources needed
AFIST required € 5,000 for setup (program design, website, domain, outreach) and needs €10,000 annually (events, logistics, operations). It is worth mentioning that the NGO has no employees. A core team of 5-7 people, volunteers and event support are needed to run the practice.
Evidence of success
In 3 years, AFIST succeeded in building a community of 900+ individuals from STEM fields, culture, education and academia. AFIST worked towards narrowing the gender gap in STEM in Romania by mentoring over 100 students, securing partnerships with 15+ national and international institutions, hosting 10+ networking events, 10+ educational events, 3 big conferences. Awareness campaigns have reached hundreds, aiming to encourage more women to pursue STEM careers.
Potential for learning or transfer
AFIST's approach to empowering women in STEM through mentorship, networking, advocacy and cultural change can offer valuable lessons for other regions addressing gender disparities in STEM. The entire activity of the NGO is structured in directions easy to adapt and implement in other countries, as follows:
1. A well-structured program that can be implemented by following an optimized plan according to the country's needs and issues. Personalized matching and regular mentor-mentee interactions.
2. Networking opportunities to foster professional connections.
3. Collaborations with educational institutions, corporations, and policymakers, coupled with effective awareness campaigns.
4. Promoting early STEM education for girls and highlighting female role models.
Potential Barriers: The programs developed by AFIST are provided free of charge and there are no employees. One potential issue could be finding individuals to execute all the activities without compensation.