[UbuntuWomen] Outreach Issues? (Jasna Bencic)

[Scarlett Clark]

On Saturday, November 16, 2013 06:39:52 PM Jasna Benčić wrote:
> Maybe it would be good to start small with this like a pilot program and
> slightly different from GNOME OPW....
> 
> Since this would be volunteering project and there is no financial 
support
> for interns this will be a lot harder to do.  Those young women (interns)
> are expecting a possible job opportunity after that and if there is no
> official protocol in this regard then that won't happen. And I would hate
> to see sad faces.
> 
> To work for Canonical those young women don't need Outreach Program 
for
> Women at all. Many many Ubuntu projects are open. They just have to 
join
> certain project and ask how to help. <----- Here you can see a problem
> because not many women or men are aware what means to be in the 
FOSS world
> i.e. what it means to have indomitable will to volunteer and to get "Thank
> you" for a paycheck. Many of them will find that  less attractive because
> they think: "Ah, why would I do this?"  I don't blame them, it's their way
> of life.
> 
> What they don't know is that with volunteering there is maybe a longer 
way
> to get a job but much safer because when you have indomitable will you
> don't stop working on this. You can have breaks (longer, shorter) when 
you
> have a struggle in your real life but you are always here.
> 
> I've been following OPW Linux kernel internships for 2 rounds now and
> haven't seen any interest of young ladies to join in a small Linux kernel
> group for ladies  so this doesn't stay on internship level only. This tells
> you how they are just going for an internship because they want a job. 
And
> I understand that very much. After all that is GNOME OPW goal and I 
respect
> that a lot. Many young women struggle to get carrer, especially in IT
> world.
> 
> As I said, we could start with small pilot project that doesn't have to be
> OPW related but Ubuntu women related or Ubunu related. Additional 
reason
> for that is because Canonical is not interested to be involved in GNOME
> OPW.
> 
> So, I suggest a project where we could all participate as mentors in 
order
> to switch easier and get in the shape easier. If you have 1 project and
> many mentors from the start that would release potential burn out.
> 
> What kind of a project, I don't know. Something not too difficult and yet
> still challenging till some point.
> 
> This would differ till some point from GNOME OPW because it is  simply 
sad
> to see when girls who didn't make it in certain round they are on that 
same
> beginning they were when they joined the contest. This, if you will would
> be where everybody wins and their prize would be: knowledge and public
> announcement that they have successfully finished for example 3 month
> Ubuntu women program and they know: this this and that. They could 
pin this
> to their CV and would have more chance to get employed because many
> employers today ask: "What can you do?"  They are interested if a 
person is
> proactive or passive. I don't have to mention which looks better.
> 
> And after first round we can ask those ladies if they are willing to
> participate as mentors in next rounds so this doesn't stay on same 
backs
> and this Ubuntu women round v.0.0.1. could go to v.0.1.0 etc
> 
> 
> This is a sensitive project because people are in the game, so there is a
> lot of work to be done before even shipping this out.
> 
> Just a suggestion and few thoughts, let me know what you think.
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> 
> Jasna

Excellent insight here. Directly relates to my story, despite KDE not 
participating in this round I continue to contribute. I love the 
accomplishment of it, and I can use the knowledge for future employment. 
I think that is the focus that needs to be made. It is not for a job, but for 
the knowledge and training to get a job in the field. I am not an expert so I 
don't think I could mentor anyone, but if you need assistance in any other 
way, please let me know. I would love to be a part of this.
Scarlett

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