Running activities to try to attract young people into tech takes time and energy, and it’s not always clear what activities really work. We’ve developed a framework for planning these activities to help organisers think in a more structured way about what they’re trying to achieve and to think about evaluation from the beginning.

We’re particularly interested in the way initiatives use those running the activity as role models, or representations of possible future selves, for participants. The framework is based on research carried out in 2021 with event organisers and young women studying tech. Scottish Government funded the project.

We need you to help us trial the framework. We’re looking for two sorts of participant:

1. You have already organised and run activities. You can consider the framework from the point of view of “how would my activity or organisation have benefited from using the framework for planning?”. There will be a workshop on 14th March at 4pm. Sign up here (https://survey.napier.ac.uk/n/PilotWorkshop1.aspx) by 11th March.
2. You are planning an activity to happen this Spring and would be willing to pilot the framework as you organise and run your event. We will support you through the process. We’ll make materials available online, be available for questions, and a review meeting on 12th April at 2pm. Please get in touch as soon as possible (by 25th February) if you’d like to take part. Contact Professor Carron Shankland: carron.shankland@stir.ac.uk.

Evaluation runs all the way through planning and execution to next steps. Ultimately, we hope that if lots of people to use the framework we can start evaluating activities across Scotland, and finally figure out the answer to the question “what activities attract young people into tech?”. We are particularly interested in activities targeted at women and girls, and under-represented groups, but everyone is welcome to help us refine the framework.

This project is a partnership between Skills Development Scotland and University of Stirling, with Edinburgh Napier University, and Ada Scotland Festival. The project is funded by Scottish Government as part of the Digital Economy Skills Programme.

Best wishes,
Project team (Carron, Sally, Ella, Matt)