Our latest announcement is something a bit special…
We’re guessing you’ll know that Ladies that UX sprang from the desire to connect and give visibility to women. Talk UX aimed to take that a step further by giving women a platform from which to share their expertise, at a time when it was the absolute norm to see entire manels, and minimal female representation in conference lineups.
And so, it’s with no small degree of delight that we announce our partnership with InnovateHer. The organisation may be familiar to some of you, especially if you’re based in the North West. Indeed, earlier this year, Talk UX Co-Organiser Llara was a mentor for InnovateHer (and tells us she’s keen to be involved again!). But, why Talk UX and InnovateHer?
It’s simple really. InnovateHer are blazing a trail in encouraging girls aged 12-16 to consider tech careers in future. They’re inspiring the next generation of Ladies that UX and showing girls what’s possible.
They’re on a mission to improve the gender balance in the tech sector, where only 19% of the workforce in the UK is female, compared to 37% across all sectors. They do this by equipping girls with the self-belief, confidence and skills to pursue a career in technology through their educational programme, at the same time, working with digital and tech companies to create inclusive workplaces for them to work. They’ve already reached hundreds of girls across Liverpool and Manchester – and this is just the beginning.
Jo Morfee, co-founder of InnovateHer says: “InnovateHer are proud to support Talk UX this year as a partner. We’ve worked closely with the Ladies That UX team in both Liverpool and Manchester over the past few years; they’ve provided inspiring industry mentors for our 8 week school programme for girls. We firmly believe that communities like this are hugely important to the tech sector, both in terms of progressing the diversity agenda and providing safe spaces for diverse communities to grow and thrive.”
Talk UX’s Llara Geddes adds “I’ve been a fan of Jo and Chelsea’s work since their Liverpool Girl Geeks days, having been involved in events and panels with them back then. As soon as I heard about their InnovateHer plans, I knew I wanted to be involved in some way. So it was an honour to join them in Manchester this year as a mentor. It’s truly one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done, and I look forward to being involved again.
And I’m delighted to have them on-board for this year’s Talk UX. I have no doubt that people will be inspired by the work they’re doing and that many women in our audience will be keen to get involved with them in future”
The InnovateHer team will host a panel at Talk UX 2019 with co-founder Chelsea and some of their supporters so far. They’ll also be on hand to chat if you have any questions on the day about getting involved.
Keep an eye on the site for more details on panel participants as they’re confirmed and get your Talk UX tickets online now.
