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Lessons learned from 6 years in PyLadies Berlin

Lessons learned from 6 years in PyLadies Berlin

Women are underrepresented in tech . PyLadies initiative aims to bridge that gap in the python community. PyLadies Berlin operate for 6 years. I will share some learnings through these years in our community in Berlin. And talk about the most effective practices that makes our community successful. How we engage with speakers, organizers, how we get motivated to keep going, how we can raise awareness to make a difference.

Resources (in the end)
* Pyladies Berlin org resources - https://bit.ly/2Zo8zIo
* Pyladies Vancouver - https://pyladies-vancouver.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
* Women in tech - http://blog.honeypot.io/women-in-tech-germany/
* Women in tech negative experiences - https://bdtechtalks.com/2019/03/21/sustaining-women-in-technology-stem/
* Writing effective and inclusive job descriptions - https://medium.com/@meb_57007/writing-effective-and-inclusive-job-descriptions-ace2a302f30a
* Stop calling women females - https://www.buzzfeed.com/tracyclayton/stop-calling-women-females?utm_term=.ba9GR6nEx4&source=post_page---------------------------#.tfJvEZzlPb
* Why women leave tech - https://medium.com/tech-diversity-files/if-you-think-women-in-tech-is-just-a-pipeline-problem-you-haven-t-been-paying-attention-cb7a2073b996#.2xw2y2f1s
* Open Tech school Berlin, coaching https://opentechschool.github.io/slides/presentations/coaching
* Django girls, coaching - https://coach.djangogirls.org/tips/
* Non violent communication - https://www.cnvc.org/training/compassion-course-online-2019
* Parent (coaching) effectiveness training
https://www.amazon.com/Parent-Effectiveness-Training-Responsible-Children/dp/0609806939

Meili Triantafyllidi

August 08, 2019
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  1. Lessons learned from 6 years in
    PyLadies Berlin
    Meili Triantafyllidi - @meilitr
    Pycon Africa 2019

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  2. Who am I
    Mom of 5 year old
    PyLadies Berlin
    organizer since 2013 CS studies
    8+ years experience
    Senior Python engineer
    @Digital Science
    remotely
    Meili Triantafyllidi - @meilitr
    Greece → Germany
    8 years ago

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  3. PYLADIES AROUND THE WORLD

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  4. PYLADIES AROUND THE WORLD
    100+
    chapters

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  5. PYLADIES BERLIN
    2013
    Who
    ~10 meetup attendees
    2 organizers
    Where
    ➢ Fixed location
    What
    ➢ Monthly meetups
    ➢ Talks & hands-on sessions

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  6. Audience
    1500 followers
    ~40 meetup attendees
    Venue
    New location each time
    2019
    Speakers
    43 women speakers
    20 men speakers
    Coaches
    44 coaches
    Community
    ORG team
    5 organizers

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  7. ➢ Monthly meetups
    ➢ Talks & hands-on sessions
    ➢ Full day workshops
    ○ Beginners
    ○ Micropython
    2019 82 events
    Events

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  8. ➢ Monthly meetups
    ➢ Talks & hands-on sessions
    ➢ Full day workshops
    ○ Beginners
    ○ Micropython
    ➢ Setup events
    2019 82 events
    Events

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  9. ➢ Monthly meetups
    ➢ Talks & hands-on sessions
    ➢ Full day workshops
    ○ Beginners
    ○ Micropython
    ➢ Setup events
    ➢ Panel sessions
    2019 82 events
    Events

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  10. ➢ Monthly meetups
    ➢ Talks & hands-on sessions
    ➢ Full day workshops
    ○ Beginners
    ○ Micropython
    ➢ Setup events
    ➢ Panel sessions
    ➢ Cross community
    2019 82 events
    Events

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  11. How it started

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  12. Pyladies
    ... my first reaction
    Pyladies lunch

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  15. Pyladies lunch
    It was a
    hostile
    environment
    ...
    “It doesn’t
    suit you”
    Everybody I
    mentored got
    promoted but
    me :( ..
    15%
    Women in tech
    Germany
    79%
    Women have
    experienced negative
    outcome in their careers
    attributed to being
    women
    41%
    Women leave tech

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  16. EQUALITY IS A WORK IN PROGRESS

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  17. Safe
    environment
    Bridge the gap

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  18. Raising awareness
    matters

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  19. … my chance

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  20. Launch event

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  21. ● Describe/Post/Advertise an event in meetup
    ● Find speakers/talk to speakers
    ● Find hosts/talk to hosts
    ● Present intro/talk/workshop
    ● Ensure inclusiveness
    ● Upload photos
    ● Update resources
    … All this on time
    Organizer tasks

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  22. My skills
    ?
    Backend Python dev + Lady + like to help

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  23. How can I do that?
    I am not like that

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  24. Everything is a skill that
    can be trained

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  25. View Slide

  26. Again
    and
    again

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  27. Don’t forget

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  28. Focus on the process
    Keep it fun!

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  29. Organizing skills

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  30. Time management

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  31. Time management
    Find the fun in it!

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  32. motivation?

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  33. Share the load
    More organizers wanted!

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  34. Recognition
    “Marketing”

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  35. ● Take photos
    ● Announce timely
    ● Write about what happened
    ● Focus on positive
    ● Celebrate small victories
    Recognition aka “Marketing”
    Find the fun in it!

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  36. Public speaking

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  37. ● Topic we are passionate
    ● Speakers notes
    ● Smile
    ● Power position
    ● Practice, practice, practice
    ● Record yourself
    Public speaking
    Find the fun in it!

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  38. Lead by example
    Women for women

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  39. Speakers
    Who
    Mostly women
    How to get them
    Call for speakers
    Personal reach out
    Support
    Speaker guide
    Coaching program

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  40. Audience & Formats
    Workshops /Full day workshops
    ➔ self-paced with coaches
    ➔ Interactive with other attendees
    Beginners
    Data scientists
    web
    Devops
    Machine learning

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  41. Event time

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  42. Warm & friendly
    environment

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  43. ● Smile
    ● Warm up games
    ● Talk to people you don’t know
    ● Discussion starter: “Do you work with
    Python?”
    ● Pac man rule
    Socialising
    Find the fun in it!

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  44. Be mindful

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  45. We are ready
    The rest?

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  46. Community
    Coaches
    Attendees
    Speakers
    ORG team
    Venue

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  47. Safe environment
    Coaches
    Attendees
    Speakers
    Code of conduct
    ORG team
    Venue

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  48. Inclusive environment
    Speaker guide
    ORG team
    Raise awareness
    &
    Educate
    Coaching guide
    Host guide
    Men you can
    help here !!!!

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  49. Coaching guide
    Open Tech school Berlin
    https://opentechschool.github.io/slides/presentations/coaching/
    Django girls
    https://coach.djangogirls.org/tips/
    Assume everyone you're coaching has zero knowledge but
    infinite intelligence
    Men you can help
    here !!!! Please read!

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  50. empower
    Less of:
    I did nothing.
    I have nothing to say...
    I did JUST a …
    I am a bad developer...

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  51. Inclusive environment
    ● Childcare !!!!!!!!!
    ● Accessibility
    ● Food preferences
    ● Coaches
    ● Installation instructions early enough!

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  52. Gender policy
    We believe knowledge is for all and at the same time our
    events aim primarily to empower women tech community.
    We request non-women attendees to be aware of this
    situation and make their presence discrete. Eg. by coming
    with a female plus one to ensure gender balance, avoiding
    to be heard more than the rest of the attendees in
    discussions and question sections.

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  53. Guides + Templates
    Pyladies Berlin
    https://github.com/PyLadiesBerlin/resources/tree/master/organizing
    or
    https://bit.ly/2Zo8zIo
    Pyladies Vancouver
    https://pyladies-vancouver.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

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  54. Conclusions

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  55. Impact
    Conference
    speakers
    Orgs of special
    meetups (ML)
    Become coaches
    Become organizers
    Ask more
    questions
    Tech projects from
    workshops
    Inspired to join tech ...
    later working in tech!!!
    Broaden tech
    knowledge
    Find (better) jobs
    Raising awareness in
    workplace/other communities
    Women & men

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  56. ● New organizers - when going well
    ● Conference booths - awareness!!!
    ● Cross-community events - tricky but worth it
    ● Social media
    ● Focus on women speakers/coaches
    ● Registered coaches
    ● Beginners workshops/setup events
    ● Panel and open questions sessions (1-2 per year)
    ● Ice breaker exercises
    Key learnings

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  57. Is it worth it?

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  58. PyLadies Berlin - 5 years picnic PyLadies NY & Pyladies Berlin
    PyLadies CZ & PyLadies Berlin
    Conferences

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  59. Everything is a skill that
    can be trained

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  60. Stay motivated and
    have fun!

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  61. THANKS
    Meili Triantafyllidi - @meilitr
    Pycon Africa 2019

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  62. ● Pyladies Berlin org resources - https://bit.ly/2Zo8zIo
    ● Pyladies Vancouver - https://pyladies-vancouver.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
    ● Women in tech - http://blog.honeypot.io/women-in-tech-germany/
    ● Women in tech negative experiences -
    https://bdtechtalks.com/2019/03/21/sustaining-women-in-technology-stem/
    ● Writing effective and inclusive job descriptions -
    https://medium.com/@meb_57007/writing-effective-and-inclusive-job-descriptions-ace2a302f30a
    ● Stop calling women females -
    https://www.buzzfeed.com/tracyclayton/stop-calling-women-females?utm_term=.ba9GR6nEx4&sou
    rce=post_page---------------------------#.tfJvEZzlPb
    ● Why women leave tech -
    https://medium.com/tech-diversity-files/if-you-think-women-in-tech-is-just-a-pipeline-problem-you-ha
    ven-t-been-paying-attention-cb7a2073b996#.2xw2y2f1s
    ● Open Tech school Berlin, coaching
    https://opentechschool.github.io/slides/presentations/coaching
    ● Django girls, coaching - https://coach.djangogirls.org/tips/
    ● Non violent communication - https://www.cnvc.org/training/compassion-course-online-2019
    ● Parent (coaching) effectiveness training
    https://www.amazon.com/Parent-Effectiveness-Training-Responsible-Children/dp/0609806939
    Resources
    @meilitr

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