Con l’altra metà del cielo – Magie in casa e Zainotronico
Awareness level
Us
Category
Jobs and passions
Ripple effect
★★★★★☆
It was a really different experience to the other projects. We built up a good relationship with the girls and it was an opportunity for collective growth. - Giovanni, 16
Objectives
- To introduce the girls to new professions, some unusual, through playing and collaborating with older youngsters studying on technical programmes.
- Help to cut the gap between women and men in terms of representation in technical sectors.
- Promote, with the help of the students of the participating technical college, the benefit and value of diversity – in this case diversity of gender and age – in the technical professions they will move into once they leave school.
- Share testimonials and experiences from industry professionals and convey passion for these jobs.
- In collaboration with professional institutes and elementary schools, explore themes connected to the specialism being studied by the students (mechanics, automation, optics, hydraulics, IT, etc.).
Summary
The project was split into six meetings of around two hours each.
- The first meeting, in which the children, students, elementary school and technical college teachers met each other, featured presentations and stories devised specially for the occasion, notably from Giorgio Bagnobianchi, the children’s writer and principal of several schools in Milan, who told the original “Il Sogno di Dorella” [Dorella’s Dream] story.
- All of the meetings – which took place under the supervision of the teachers from the technical college, who specialise in teaching science to children, and of the children’s teachers themselves – included a lesson-style section and a practical section and featured games designed to introduce the girls to the various parts of the finished products (twilight switches, presence sensors, light/sound signallers, etc.).
- The final session featured a testimonial from an industry professional who spoke to the children and students about their passion for studying and working in the sciences.
- For the final exhibition, the participants and the students invited their families, teachers and friends to admire their projects and present and discuss the activities they completed during the programme.
Why it’s important
The percentage of women in technical and scientific jobs in Italy is one of the lowest of the OECD countries: 31.7% of women against 68.9% of men. Without concrete action, it seems improbable that this will improve, with just 5% of 15-year-old girls in Italy aspiring to enter a technical or scientific profession (data from the OECD, ISTAT and Eurostat).
Confirmation of these stats is provided by the fact that female enrolment in Italy’s technical colleges is down (average of 7% at the Istituto Galilei – Luxemburg in Milan).
- Participants: 60.
- People involved: 190
- Output: Development of a prototype (cart for carrying rucksack and automatic homes) and a small final exhibition.
- Main supporter: BET SHE CAN Foundation.
- Technical partner: Istituto Galilei – Luxemburg in Milano and the Bruno Munari and Piazzale Axum elementary schools.
- Location: Milan, Istituto Galilei – Luxemburg, Plesso Rosa Luxemburg.
- Number of editions and status: First edition of the “Con l’altra metà del cielo” programme ran from February – April 2017, coordinated by the teachers of Class 2 BE (Electrician focus) from the Plesso R. Luxemburg, and by the teachers of Class V Elementare at the IC Bruno Munari.
