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Making positive changes for girls’ futures
On Monday evening, we hosted our Inspiring Female Changemakers panel event at GDST Trust Office. The event was held in celebration of the UN’s International Day of the Girl which falls on Friday 11th October. Sixth Form students, teachers and Heads from across the Trust were in attendance and first watched a panel discussion hosted by our CEO Cheryl Giovannoni, with four impressive GDST alumnae, who are all making positive changes in their industries.
International Day of the Girl 2024
The theme for this year’s International Day of the Girl is ‘Girls’ Vision for the Future’. This theme is reflected in the GDST’s landmark research, The Girls’ Futures Report, which Cheryl reminded us, found that ‘girls want to lead with authenticity, purpose and integrity’.
Using your voice to make a positive difference
Cheryl introduced the four panellists and posed her first question to Sasha Haco, South Hampstead High School alumna and Co-Founder and CEO of Unitary, an organisation dedicated to making the internet safer through the use of AI. Cheryl asked when she first discovered that she could use her voice to make a positive difference to the world. Sasha answered that she believes everyone can make a difference with their voice, but for her, it was when she started her company. She explained that she didn’t have a background in AI or business but saw a problem that she wanted to solve, an absence of safety online.
Innovative problem-solving became a common theme throughout the discussion. Nicola Rollock, Streatham & Clapham High School alumna and Professor of Social Policy & Race at King’s College London, explained that the key to becoming a ‘Changemaker’, is finding new ways to solve problems. For example, in her work as Specialist Advisor to the Home Affairs Select Committee, she has looked for the gaps in policies and also what’s been missing in the lens through which previous research has been done.
Rachel Wang, Wimbledon High School alumna and Co-Founder of social enterprise, Chocolate Films, explained that she deals with a lack of racial diversity in film and animation through subtle changes and stressed that industries must incorporate change in order to remain relevant.
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Having courage and fearlessness
Another common theme discussed by all of the panellists was having the courage and fearlessness to start working on something when you don’t feel qualified or knowledgeable enough and working through self-doubt. Rachel attributed some of her early confidence and assurance to her time at Wimbledon High School, where she was taught to ‘believe you can do whatever you want’.
Simoney Kyriakou, Streatham & Clapham High School alumna and award-winning financial journalist who works toward female financial empowerment, spoke about the difficulties that most female leaders and successful women face, particularly in handling deeply misogynistic language around female leadership. She said that young women must be prepared to face that, but highlighted the importance of being your authentic self as a woman in the workplace and in leadership.
To that point, Nicola emphasised the importance of acknowledging and understanding the obstacles that women face through critical analysis in order to overcome them and also the importance of putting structures or strategies in place to help navigate them. She used a brilliant analogy of a chair being the obstacles the women face – ”In order to ignore the chair, I must first acknowledge that it’s there, otherwise it will bruise me”.
”You have to be realistic and strategic about the challenges that are out there to help navigate that terrain”. – Nicola Rollock
Nicola, Rachel and Simoney agreed that having a sponsor or mentor, someone who is more senior in the industry you’re in and has more influence, is key to becoming a successful changemaker. This is essential in order to learn and gain access to information otherwise unavailable.
Following the fantastic panel discussion, the students went into breakout groups where they got a chance to ask Cheryl and the four panellists their questions. A student representative from each of the groups then reported back on their group’s discussions.
Key points from the breakout groups included advice from the panellists on being strategic in dealing with microaggressions, adversity and misogyny, the importance of listening to the opinions of those we disagree with, the importance of confidence, positivity, fearlessness and overcoming self-doubt. They also covered topics like what it means to be a feminist, dealing with failure and stress, equality, non-linear careers and how women can support each other.
Making positive changes for girls’ futures
With the theme of ‘Girls’ Vision for the Future’ in mind, finally we asked the panellists and GDST students ‘What one positive change do you want to see in girls’ futures?’
Sasha – ”I would like to see girls dreaming really big and not feeling held back by anything in society and having the confidence to give things a try”.
Nicola – ”I would like to see the removal of barriers and misogyny, particularly violence against women and girls”.
GDST ‘Girls’ Vision for the Future’
The GDST students interviewed also had very interesting and insightful visions for their futures.
”I’d like to see more female diversity in leadership” – Blackheath High School student.
”I’d like to see people of all racial backgrounds involved in pushing for the rights of minorities and women of colour, understanding that we can all contribute to change” – Portsmouth High School student.
GDST Changemakers
The Changemakers event was an inspiring occasion for all who attended. By bringing GDST Sixth Form students and alumnae together, we were able to highlight the incredible strides that are being made by women in STEM, Finance, Social Change and the Creative Arts. The students’ fantastic contributions also helped to create an uplifting atmosphere of hope and positivity for girls’ futures.
