On 19 July, the first virtual round table in our research project "Digital Female Futures" took place. With 24 participants from 14 organizations, we discussed how low-income women* can be empowered to participate equally in the digitalized world of work - and what education providers and associations need to be effective here.
Despite the summer slump and the holiday season, we were pleased to welcome a large number of our previous interview partners in the tile room of our video conferencing tool on 19 July. Since the beginning of the year, we have been researching in the betterplace lab what challenges low-income women* face in a digitalized world of work, what opportunities they have and what digital skills development offers are available specifically for this target group. In addition to desk research and comprehensive mapping, the event was preceded by interviews with a total of 17 providers of digital upskilling programmes from Berlin, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony, as well as discussions with eleven women* who have taken part in the skills development programmes.
With this round table, we wanted to take a critical look at the preliminary results of our study, discuss innovative approaches together and create a space for exchange between actors who have one goal in common: to strengthen women* for the digital transformation in everyday life and the professional world.
At the round table, it became clear once again: Promoting digital competences means more than just teaching hard skills that the labour market needs - be it the use of common computer programmes or in-demand skills such as programming. Community-oriented training actors look first and foremost at the needs, challenges and potential of women*. The aim of Digital Upskilling is therefore to empower women* in their digital literacy and to open up a space of opportunity for living wage employment. In other words, through digital upskilling offers, women* are strengthened to be able to move independently, self-guidedly and safely in a digitalised world and to be better positioned on the labour market through an increase in competence. In the end, it is also about being able to find gainful employment that goes hand in hand with a poverty-proof income and makes women* financially resilient.
To achieve these goals, a holistic approach is needed, based on three main pillars:
What do organizations need in order to provide services that empower women* in a holistic way? What does this mean for funding settings and what can good funding look like? We were also able to discuss these questions at the round table. The core results:
Finally, the Round Table also focused on existing innovative approaches. In the projects "Digital Guides For Golden Agers" and "Social Business Women" of the Wiesbaden-based association BerufsWege für Frauen e.V., for example, the teaching of skills is directly linked to opportunities for earning money and starting a business. Another innovative example is the career support and the strong community approach of the ReDi School of Digital Integration. The implementation of innovative ideas are possible where networks and good relationships with funding institutions exist. In other words: Where organizations are connected to others, experience support and shared learning is lived. The Digital Female Futures project is sponsored by J.P. Morgan. The company is committed to more economic participation and equal opportunities in 37 countries worldwide through its own programmes and in cooperation with organizations.