Soroptimist International Bournemouth, part of a global volunteer movement with the aims to educate, enable and empower women and girls, created this challenge in 2013 to inspire girls and encourage them to overcome barriers to careers in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). We invite secondary school students to develop initiatives that will improve the lives of women and girls in poorer parts of the world; they work together in small teams to develop the concept, write up a brief and, if shortlisted, create a prototype. The teams then pitch these to experts in the field and are judged.
This year we had teams from Parkstone Grammar, St Peter’s and Lytchett Minster Schools and the projects they produced included dealing with plastic in the oceans, helping to prevent ‘period poverty’, water purification and dealing with Chagas disease- quite an impressive variety. The prizes were awarded in a ceremony hosted by Bournemouth University by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, Jacqueline Swift, and the mayors of Bournemouth and Christchurch were both there to help celebrate the girls’ success. Speakers included women who have achieved success in diverse areas- a solicitor from Ellis-Jones, a civil engineer and the CEO of Red Funnel Ferries- each an inspiration to the participants and their families. Another great outcome!
If you are interested in this and would like to come along to a Soroptimist International Bournemouth meeting to find out more, please email us at sigbibournemouth@hotmail.co.uk.