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Networking is important for women and especially women in leadership positions. Being a leader or a woman in stem (STEM being a male dominated field) is challenging enough but for many women, that is not the only challenge, they are also saddled with other responsibilities such as motherhood, marriage, and other family responsibilities.

WHY YOU NEED A SAFE PLACE TO NETWORK

A safe place refers to a place you can go to meet likeminded individuals in order to feel empowered, share ideas and information as well as get access to support, services and recreational activities. In these safe places, women can meet other women who will ensure that they feel free from violence to network and provide opportunities. Without safe spaces, women’s growth is inhibited.

Here are some of the reasons why you need to find a community of like-minded individuals:

• To build a social network and connect with peers with similar backgrounds and experiences.
• To access safe services.
• To receive the appropriate information about your area of interest and issues relating to women generally.
• To get encouragement from people in the same situation.
• To learn the best ways to apply your acquired skills.

WHAT A GOOD SAFE SPACE SHOULD CONSIST OF

• Safety and Accessibility: A good safe space should be safe and accessible to the target audience. It should assure the privacy of its members and tailor its schedule to fit the schedule of its members. It should be a place people can and are willing to be themselves without the fear of stigma or shame. It should be free from any physical or emotional threat.
• Leadership and Empowerment of Women: A good safe space should be able to focus on the leadership and empowerment of women. Especially, in fields like STEM which tend to be male dominated due to cultural and social factors which leads to less women in leadership roles. It is important that women get spaces that will help encourage and promote their empowerment.
• Community involvement: Without the involvement of the general community, it will be difficult to run a safe place. For instance, such a place will need funding by shareholders who are part of the community. And community involvement will make it safer for members to meet and carry out their activities. This however does not mean that it should bend to community pressure.
• A Clear Code of Conduct for Staff and Members: A good safe space will have a clear code of conduct that all its staff and members must follow. There should be rules to guide people so as not to infringe on others rights as well as to promote peace and harmony.
• Inclusion: A safe place should be inclusive of everyone regardless of age, race, sexual orientation or class in society. It shouldn’t discriminate between members of the society or value some members at the expense of others.

WHY WOMEN IN STEM LEADERSHIP (WSIL) IS A PERFECT SAFE SPACE FOR WOMEN IN MID LEADERSHIP ROLES

Here, in Women in Stem Leadership, we provide the following for our members:

• Skill acquisition: You can never have too much skills and WISL focuses on providing its members with the necessary tools and information to improve their leadership skills.
• Experience: Our experiences shape us into the best version of ourselves. With WISL, you will get the perfect platform to acquire valuable leadership experience in order to reach your full potential. You will also have access to people with more experiences who will guide you on your career journey.
• Education: As humans, we need to constantly educate ourselves about the world around us in order to move forward, and with enough guidance and appropriate tools, you will have the perfect opportunity to further your education as well as get access to career opportunities with WISL.
• Networking: As the popular saying goes, ‘no man is an island.’ We need to connect with others to grow as humans and in our respective careers. WISL will provide a platform for you to connect and network with like-minded women and that will lead to more access to opportunities you wouldn’t ordinarily get without those connections.
• WISL will also provide professional guidance, access to the best leaders in the industry as well as a chance to learn online at your own pace and convenience.

We provide a safe space for our members to reach their full potential as leaders in the STEM field.