Learning confidence
GLAM (Girls Leadership Academy Meetup), the Silicon Valley-based nonprofit, debuted in London on November 23 and 24, at Cisco’s UK headquarters in Feltham.
At GLAM, women leaders from the tech industry joined forces to inspire 50 girls aged seven to eleven to consider tech as a career choice and to aim for senior leadership positions.
GLAM is unique in that it not only teaches the basics of computer coding, but also a full range of business skills to set girls on a path to senior leadership and entrepreneurship.
The two-day immersive programme is offered free of charge to enable girls from all socioeconomic backgrounds to participate.
As well as teaching basic computer and coding skills, it also teaches leadership abilities through a business plan workshop and coaching on public speaking and the art of persuasion.
GLAM culminates in a Dragons’ Den-like activity where teams pitch their business ideas to an expert panel of judges.
“I learned to be confident at GLAM,” said eight-year-old Emma Starkie- Garcia, a GLAM London attendee.
GROUNDHOG DAY. It’s time to vote in the (latest) general election tomorrow. Here we go again.
At least we’ll have a decision on who’s in charge of the UK and maybe we can stop beating each other up and move on.
I’m personally looking forward to the Utopia – the promised land – pledged by all parties in exchange for our vote.
This campaign has been a bit like a Beat the Clock episode on the old Sunday Night at the London Palladium shows, or maybe Crackerjack.
Our contestants/candidates have been scurrying around in hard hats while balancing babies and trying to drink beer without spilling a drop.
There has even been the odd ice sculpture or two.
All this, while trying not to drop any clangers before the clock stops and the prizes are dished out.
‘I’m in charge’ was of course the late Bruce Forsyth’s famous catchphrase in Beat the Clock, and we could do with more goodnatured humour in politics.
What lightened it for me is counting the number of times Nicola Sturgeon said ‘Scortland.’ It’s became a worrying obsession.
So… it was great
“Before, I was very shy. Now, it’s easier for me to speak in front of lots of people.”
GLAM Founder Renée La Londe, CEO and founder of iTalent Digital said: “I know from to escape from politics and into Uxbridge library where I found myself singing Christmas carols to the sound of hand bells rung by The Ruislip Belles.
I started to feel festive at last. Then I returned to good news from North Uxbridge Residents Association which has been working hard to save our police station in Uxbridge. The signatures on the petition had exceeded 1,000 and were still growing.
If our police HQ were to experience how life-changing an event like this can be. We have received incredible feedback from the girls and their parents over the years and we are thrilled to make our debut in London this year.”