NEWS: GGS Volunteer Appeal 2017

Apply Now! More Volunteers Wanted at Girl Geek Scotland
We lots of exciting things planned for 2017 and still need more volunteers.

Working With Us
Girl Geek Scotland has always relied on volunteers to help us create our world class events. We fit our work into coffee breaks and after hours effort. Many hands make light work, and for every event we have an “All hands on deck approach!”. This means that the Lead for one event will offer support to the Lead on another event. You may be coordinating Industry Leaders for one event and serving wine at the next!

As we are expanding there is a need for clearer lines of communication, and we are now developing specific roles that meet the needs of our community, funders and partner organisations. If you are prepared to roll up your sleeves, we can help you reach your ambitions!

How to Apply
Please answer the following questions in an email to jayne@girlgeekscotland.com with the Subject Heading: VOLUNTEER

  1. What role do you want to apply for?
  2. What is *your* ambition for Girl Geek Scotland?
  3. How do you see your efforts and skills being used to greatest effect?
  4. How specifically will this role help you in your own career and life?

Volunteer Now With Girl Geek Scotland

Mentoring Relationship Manager (2 roles)
Purpose: to manage the relationships with mentors and mentees including initial matching

  • Attend up to 4 Mentoring Events and support on the ground logistics
  • Attend 4 or more RM meetings for matching mentors and mentees
  • Keeping everyone informed of progress (emails etc) & ensure any safety info is adhered to
  • Gather mentor & mentee details & design questionnaires and surveys for marketing
  • Ensure Next Steps are always clear to sponsors & delegates

Ideally our Relationship Managers will have good relationships with a number of large organisations that can help provide mentors for our mentoring programme. An understanding of routes to career progression is an advantage.
Back to How to Apply

Event Curation, Themes for 2017: Enterprise & Access to Funding
Purpose: To coordinate speakers, detail content and manage on the ground logistics for each event.

  • Select Industry Speakers & Chair and manages expectations
  • Negotiate content and format for panel sessions with guests
  • Manage team on the ground inc. budget, venue, delegate numbers, tech support, catering etc
  • Liaise with Comms to develops all communications and marketing materials including information for sponsors and post event reports
  • Liaise with Education to create Resource Packs

Must have an outgoing personality and a strong interest in access to funding for business, for under-represented groups. This is a good fit for someone with a qualification in education or business & enterprise.  
Back to How to Apply

Education Development Officer, For Entrepreneurs
Purpose: To provide consistent high quality, learning resource packs for each Panel event. 2017 themes will focus on Cyber Security and Access to Funding for Entrepreneurs in Underrepresented Groups. * We expect these resources to be distributed Scotland wide through our existing Partner organisations.

  • Consult with the Programme Manager, Event Lead and Speakers
  • Create a pack of resources for online access
  • Analyse and review speaker videos and transcripts to extract key learnings
  • Consult with audience for feedback and guidance on future sessions
  • Produce of Project Briefs and other bespoke GGS materials as required
  • Relationship building with partner organisations
  • Sign-post members to other organisations that can help

Must have a strong interest in creativity, computing and enterprise. This will be a good fit for someone who has a qualification or experience in education or training.
Back to How to Apply

Education Development Officer, Mentoring
Purpose: To provide consistent high quality, learning resource packs for each Mentoring event.

  • Consult with the Programme Manager, Event Lead and Speakers
  • Create a pack of resources for online access
  • Analyse and review of speaker videos and transcripts to extract key learnings
  • Consult with audience for feedback and guidance on future sessions
  • Produce Project Briefs and other bespoke GGS materials as required
  • Develop a network of partner organisations to help distribute our resources
  • Sign-post members to other organisations that can help

Must have a strong interest in creativity, computing and enterprise. This will be a good fit for someone who has a qualification or experience in education or training.
Back to How to Apply

Online Community, Network Manager
Purpose: To engage with and develop our online Mentoring Community.

  • Engage with online community daily
  • Steer discussions through regular posting of links and stimulus questions
  • Invite & coordinate input from Industry Thought Leaders and manage online events
  • Sign-post members to good quality resources both internally and externally

Must have a strong interest in creativity, computing and enterprise and an outgoing personality. A qualification in a subject such as Journalism, PR, English or Community Management is a bonus.
Back to How to Apply

Developer Coach for Coding Workshop & Hackathons (Blockchain)
Up to 6 people needed for 3 half day events, and adhoc online support over a period of 6 weeks.
Purpose: To lead a “student” team of up to 3 beginner and intermediate developers, in learning some basic coding skills, and to support them to develop a short project as part of a Coding Workshop and Hackathon on Blockchain. About Blockchain: http://www.ted.com/talks/don_tapscott_how_the_blockchain_is_changing_money_and_business
Blockchain and the Scottish Economy: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2411012/2411012-6207148306670325762?trk=hp-feed-group-discussion

  • Support Workshop Lead with prep and on the ground logistics
  • Identify useful resources to support learning Blockchain or Chain Core and associated languages
  • Be able to work through some basic tutorials with students
  • Support the conceptualisation and planning of development for a project brief
  • Be able to help students fix and debug code
  • Offer adhoc online support over a 6 week period in Feb & March 2017 (dates tbc)

Must have good communication skills and a strong interest in supporting under-represented people in technology. An ability to learn new coding languages, and to help others in their learning, is essential!

Strong experience in Java/ Python/ C++ or another general purpose language. The focus will be on creating web or mobile apps, so front end skills that fit with Blockchain or Chain such as java (android) or swift (apple), or (for web apps) javascript/html/css/php/json will be useful. Some previous knowledge of Blockchain, Chain Core or other languages are a bonus – but not required. (Chain is an API developed specifically for the Financial Industry – see https://chain.com/ for more info).
** Please let us know if you have a preferred suite.

Will be a good fit for people who hold a qualification in computer science, or who work as professional developers. We are particularly keen to get applications from people with experience teaching or coaching!
Back to How to Apply

UX Coach for Coding Workshop & Hackathons
3-4 people needed for 3 half day events and adhoc online support over a period of 6 weeks.
Purpose: To support student groups to design and develop their front end skills as part of a Coding Workshop and Hackathon around Blockchain.

  • Support Workshop Lead with prep and on the ground logistics
  • Identify useful resources to support learning HTML, CSS and associated languages
  • Be able to work through some basic tutorials with students
  • Support the conceptualisation and planning of development for a project brief
  • Be able to help students fix and debug code
  • Offer adhoc online support over a 6 week period in Feb & March 2017 (dates tbc)

Must have good communication skills and a strong interest in supporting under-represented people in technology. An ability to learn new coding languages, and to help others in their learning, is essential!

Strong experience HTML, CSS, Javascript and other front end languages for web and mobile apps. The focus will be on creating web or mobile apps with Blockchain, so experience working with Java/ Python/ C++ or other general purpose languages will be useful. Some previous knowledge of Blockchain, Chain Core or other languages are a bonus – but not required. (Chain is an API developed specifically for the Financial Industry – see https://chain.com/ for more info).
** Please let us know if you have a preferred suite.

Will be a good fit with people who hold a qualification in computer science, or who work as professional UX designers. We are particularly keen to get applications from people with experience teaching or coaching!

Back to How to Apply

We know you are awesome and we’d love you to join our team. Please get in touch.
Morna

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NEWS: Full GGS Programme for 2017

2017 Programme of Events & Sponsorship Opportunities

Whether you are a beginner or advanced, please come along to be inspired, learn something new, and make friends where technology, enterprise and creativity meet. Our events are known to be world-class, and very friendly. There is always plenty of opportunity to network.

Please look out for our emails which will confirm date, time and venue and please and book tickets in advance as we are often sold out!

We welcome people from all abilities, gender identities, and neurotypical or atypical people. We ask everyone attending to abide by our Anti-harassment and Photography/ Video policies.

Mentoring Events and Workshops

Sticky Floors
Tuesday 7th of February 2017, 6.30 – 10pm
Is your mind honed for opportunity? Do you project confidence? … or… Is your subconscious holding you back? Nice girls don’t get the corner office!  At least that is what we hear – but it is all too easy to lay blame on the Glass Ceiling. So, what can you do to improve your mind-set AND your opportunities? In this workshop we will have a range of speakers who work as personal coaches, and can help you think differently to overcome the subconscious blocks that are holding you back in your career.

Breaking The Glass Ceiling
Tuesday 4th April 2017 6.30 – 10pm
How do you attract more women into your business? How do you plan career paths that are supportive of women? How do you make your environment more female friendly?  We will have a range of speakers to discuss best practice for attracting and keeping more women in your workplace. If you would like critical feedback on any of your own processes please bring samples, and case studies along. We encourage delegates to openly discuss their experience of job specifications, and interviews, as well as expectations for career progression.

Crossing the Great Divide
Tuesday 5th September 2017 6.30 – 10pm
Are you looking to change career? Do you want more security at work? Do you want to move into a larger organisation? If you are looking for a change this is the event for you. We will have speakers who can help you identify, plan for, and fill common gaps in skills, and experience when taking a sideways step in your career.  We will have case studies of best practice from industry on boarding schemes to help you think about where your next opportunity lies.

Critical Skills for Leadership
Tuesday 7th November 2017 6.30 – 10pm
Did you know that mentors routinely give men and women very different advice? While men are told to fill specific gaps in experience, and build much needed skill-sets, women are told to improve confidence. The subconscious bias in this advice is responsible for holding a lot of women back from Leadership roles.  In this workshop we will explore what skills and experience are needed to get into a Leadership role, and what special qualities are desired at the highest levels.

 

All Around The Blockchain
Blockchain is of growing interest, not just in Fintech, but also in the legal sector and security. This year Girl Geek Scotland will be running workshops for women in Blockchain, followed by a Hackathon which will be open for all.

http://www.ted.com/talks/don_tapscott_how_the_blockchain_is_changing_money_and_business

Women In Tech Short Course – All Around The Blockchain
Applications Are Open for Front & Backend Developers
Part 1 – Sunday February 19th 2017  2 – 5pm

Part 2: Sunday March 5th 2 – 5pm
We are looking to create the ultimate in supported workshop for women in tech. Teams of 2-3 people of mixed competence level, will work intensively with an advanced developer coach on a project. Applications are invited from beginners and intermediate developers (in any general purpose language) who would like to extend their programming skills and gain some experience with Blockchain.

We will also be looking for applications from complete newbies up to intermediates who want to develop front end skills. Again, teams of 2 – 3 people will be supported by our front-end coaches.

Hackathon for Entrepreneurs – All Around The Blockchain
Partnering With Scottish Legal Hackers
Part 1 – Sunday March 26th 2017 2 – 5pm
Part 2 – Sunday April 23rd 2017 2 – 5pm
No more sleep deprived, beer intense, and pizzatastic, whole weekend-athons! We are making our Hackathons more female friendly. We will be splitting our Hackathon over 2, 1/2 day events, which are a month apart. This gives people the opportunity to develop a project with all the excitement and enthusiasm of a traditional hackathon, and without the downsides. After the first afternoon you will be able to work remotely with your team on the project. So, you can work around your busy schedule and still submit a winning project.

Teams will be split into front and back end developers, and business development. Event details and Prizes will be announced nearer the time.

 

Panel Events in Cyber Security & Access to Finance

Cyber Security Opportunities in Civ Tech & Local Government 
Partner Event with CivTech
Thursday 16th  Feb  2017 6.30 – 10pm
Panel experts are invited to explore, and predict the biggest and best, opportunities for Scotland in Cyber Security for Civ-Tech, and Local Government. We ask them to explore technologies, trends and opportunities for financial support, that will provide a compass for the would-be entrepreneur. Don’t miss this event if you are a start up – or dream of having one!

This event gives some great background material for those intending on entering our Hackathon. 

Opportunities for Entrepreneurs – SMART Contracts, Fintech & Cyber Security
Thursday March 23rd 2017 6.30 – 10pm
Blockchain and associated technologies, are of growing interest, not just in Fintech, but also in the legal sector and security. GGS will invite three panel experts to explore technologies, trends and opportunities for financial support in Scotland. This is your compass for the hottest areas for business development. 

This event gives some great background material for those intending on entering our Hackathon. 

Getting Past the Gatekeepers – Passwords For Angel Finance
Thursday April 13th 2017 6.30 – 10pm
What do you do? Why should I care? Why would I invest in YOU? These are the three questions that should be foremost in your mind when you plan your pitch to Angle investors.  Around 88% of pitches that get past the gatekeepers will get investment. In this panel event we invite gatekeepers to Angel Finance to tell you directly what they are looking for when they review a business application so that you can make it to the next level.

 

Thinking Big, A Change of Mind – For Entrepreneurs and Investors

Thursday 19th Oct 2017, 6.30 – 9.30pm
Scotland’s technology start-up ecosystem may just be the best in Europe. The Edinburgh Stanford link, The extremely high quality of our tech education from Games at Abertay and gold standard usability and design in Dundee; to the entrepreneurial hotbed of Informatics and Red Triangle in Edinburgh, we have a lot to offer the world… and alongside this we have several upstart million to Billion Dollar businesses that operate globally.

There is a change of mind that comes with a change of scale. In this event we invite people from every stage in the tech-startup lifecycle to tell us about their direct experience of going through the change, so that you can too.

 

Sponsorship & Speaking Opportunities
We are always on the hunt for speakers who can inspire our audiences and run workshops. We showcase speakers from different stages in career, different working environments, and different roles in industry that are united around a common theme. Speakers are leaders in business, culture and academia each inspired by technology and contributing to the industr
Please get in touch at hello@girlgeekscotland.com and tell us which event you would like to speak at in the SUBJECT heading.

Opportunities for sponsorship will be released soon. If you want to get in quick, please get in touch at morna@girlgeekscotland.com and just to make sure it does not get missed CC hello@girlgeekscotland.com including the SUBJECT heading “Sponsorship”.

I’m looking forward to meeting you all at our fantabulous events in 2017!
Morna

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EVENT: Making the Most of Mentoring Workshop

GGS Announce:

Event: Making the Most of Mentoring Workshop
Date: Saturday 4 June 2016
Time: 10:30 – 12:30 (30mins set-up time, 1.5hrs workshop)
Venue: University of Edinburgh, School of Informatics, 10 Crichton street, Room: G07 (TBC)
Cost: FREE to register
Who: Open to participants of any gender who are 18 years or over, who work in or wants to work in the technology sector

SIGN UP FOR THIS EVENT ON EVENTBRITE HERE: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/making-the-most-of-mentoring-workshop-tickets-25037020402

 

Our FREE Making The Most of Mentoring Workshop is suitable for people at every stage of their career in the technology sector.

So, whether you are a student seeking your first job, in a junior position, or at mid-level thinking about your next career move, this workshop will help you flourish.

There are a wide range of jobs in the technology sector, and this workshop is designed to be role agnostic. It is open to anyone who works in, or wants to work in the technology sector provided they are 18 years old or above.

This event will explore unconscious bias, and practical strategies for making the most of a mentor – whether you have one yet or not.

Thanks to the support of some of the best recruitment agencies in Scoltand, we are able to offer a matching service to put you in touch with someone in your line of work, who can help you plan for the road ahead. If you don’t yet have a mentor, come along and join our mentoring programme.

The Workshop is open to participants of any gender, and you do not need to be a member of Girl Geek Scotland to attend. This Workshop is open to anyone who would like to attend. You will be working in groups of 3-4 people.

Girl Geek Scotland, together with our parent organisations Edinburgh Napier University and Bright Red Triangle, are working with a number of high profile companies to develop the mentoring scheme further.

 

Requirements:

  • Participants must be 18 years or older
  • Laptops required – please bring your own equipment with you

 

The workshop is part of the ScotlandJS International Conference.

 

Code of Conduct:

As part of the ScotlandJS International Conference we ask all delegates to abide by the Code Of Conduct: http://scotlandjs.com/codeofconduct/. ScotlandJS is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion.

 

Girl Geek Scotland:

Girl Geek Scotland

Girl Geek Scotland (GGS) is a network for women working with Creativity, Computing and Enterprise in Scotland. GGS aims to develop a network of women, who are able to support each other at entry-level and throughout their careers, working at the intersection between these areas.

 

Partners, Sponsors & Suppliers:

Scotland JS

ScotlandJS is the beating heart of the JavaScript community within Scotland and is now in its fifth year. Events attract both local and international speakers and attendees with a very unique, welcoming and diverse feel.

Enigma

Enigma People Solutions are a multi award winning recruitment consultancy, specialising in contract and permanent vacancies across: Digital Media, Software Development, Electronics, Technology Sales & Marketing, Technology Support, We offer a professional, flexible, and honest consultancy service to businesses across Scotland, The UK, and internationally.

Cathcart Associates

Cathcart Associates was founded by a team of the country’s most successful recruiters, with a desire to show that good recruitment consultancy should provide a service which is simple, professional and effective. Their approach demonstrates that recruiting technical talent can be simple, seamless and enjoyable, and provides a service which adds value at every stage of the recruitment process. They are an agile and independent organisation with no parent group and are able to offer a more cost-effective solution, allowing investment more freely into their database and advertising reach.

Spring Personnel

Spring Personnel specialise in all aspects of office based and industrial recruitment. Their expertise lies in the provision of flexible staffing programmes, developed to ensure that clients receive a comprehensive staffing service. Their consultative approach is designed to ensure that each client experiences a service that is relevant to their recruitment strategy and organisation. From one-off assignments to totally managed recruitment programmes Spring Personnel has the expertise and resources to deliver a full range of recruitment services, addressing the entire recruitment cycle.

Inclusiq

The InclusIQ Institute develops serious educational games on unconscious bias and inclusive leadership, which have been popular with clients such as the Law Society of Scotland, Equate Scotland and the University of Edinburgh Business School.

Administrate

Administrate are a dedicated team that are passionate about making lives better through software. They spend most of their day talking to, developing for, and thinking about training providers (their customers) and their students. Their software helps training companies and training departments manage their entire business. Their integrated online system includes three products that focus on making training administration easier, helping deliver outstanding e-learning, and assisting in keeping websites up-to-date.

InformaticsVentures

Informatics Ventures supports globally ambitious technology companies headquartered in Scotland. Through practitioner-led entrepreneurship education and community networking, they prepare and equip Scotland’s technology entrepreneurs to scale up internationally. Engage Invest Exploit (EIE), their flagship technology investor showcase, connects Scotland’s most exciting and innovative young companies with investors from all over the world and prepares them for the process of securing investment. There is no bigger platform for Scottish businesses than EIE.

sicsa-logo

SICSA The Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance (SICSA) is a Scottish Funding Council Research Pool, comprising 14 of Scotland’s Universities. Our goal is to develop Scotland’s research excellence in Informatics and Computing Science (ICS) by supporting and facilitating collaboration among our members.

Edinburgh Napier University

Now home to over 18,000 students from over 100 countries, we first welcomed 800 students as Napier Technical College in 1964. However our story goes back to the time of John Napier, the brilliant sixteenth century mathematician and philosopher from whom we take our name. When you come to Edinburgh Napier University, you’ll study at one of our six specialist schools. Each of our schools is an impressive institution in its own right, with world-class facilities, academics, researchers and international links.

Bright Red Triangle

Bright Red Triangle (BRT) offers a comprehensive set of professional/personal development activities for students and graduates in partnership with key stakeholders within and beyond Edinburgh Napier. Our focus is on improving the enterprise skills and employability of our students and graduates while instilling them with an entrepreneurial mindset. We offer business incubation services, paid consultancy experience as well as design thinking and design your future courses to our current and past students.

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