Inspira STEAM

Logotipo do programa Inspira STEAM

Inspira STEAM is a pioneering project for the promotion of scientific-technological vocation among girls, based on awareness-raising and guidance actions, given by women professionals from the world of research, science and technology. This is the first time that the group mentoring technique has been used in a project to promote STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) among primary school students.

At the heart of our project are the mentors, who, on a voluntary basis, bring their daily lives to the children through six work sessions during school hours. All of them are scientists and technologists who carry out their professional activity in different fields: academic, business, research, management, etc.

During the work sessions they deal with topics such as stereotypes that surround us, work or women and science throughout history. With these meetings between mentors and girls, the aim is to help them to dispel doubts and obsessions about careers in science and technology, to clarify their motivation and to strengthen their self-esteem in order to start their professional career, if they wish to do so.

What does it mean to participate as a mentor in Inspira STEAM?

The profile of both the mentors and the mentorees must have a STEAM background, either by studies or professional career, with commitment, enthusiasm and the desire to promote STEAM areas among the students, especially among girls.
Register as a mentor at http://intranet.inspirasteam.net/. Select the Pontevedra node, fill in all the requested data and register for the active edition.
If it is the first time you participate, it is essential to attend the free training to become a mentor. The course lasts 8 hours and will present the methodology of the project, the gender perspective and the materials developed to carry out the sessions. It is advisable to return to the training every four years to keep abreast of new developments and advances in the programme.
Upload to http://intranet.inspirasteam.net the Certification of crimes of a sexual nature, essential for working with minors. It can be requested at the electronic headquarters of the Ministry of Justice.
Once the centre has been assigned, coordinate with the management teams of the schools to set the days and times of the programme sessions. These sessions will take place throughout the academic year between October and March. It is advisable not to carry out more than one session per week and not less than one every three weeks.
Carry out the six mentoring sessions with a group of young girls or boys. The group is made up of students in the sixth year of Primary Education and First Year of Secondary Education in small groups (from 8 to 15 students).
Sessions 1 and 6 will be taught jointly, girls and boys, and will be led by the mentor or mentors assigned to the group.
During sessions 2, 3, 4 and 5, the girls will work with the assigned mentor and the boys with a mentor.
To provide students with training materials (notebooks and other resources) provided by the Universidade de Vigo's Vice-rectorate for Students and Employability and financed by the Deputation of Pontevedra.
Provide a brief biographical note and a photograph to update the information on the official Inspira STEAM website: https://inspirasteam.net/mentoras/galicia/
Collaborate in the evaluation of your experience in Inspira STEAM in order to provide data for the evaluation of the programme.
Participate in the dissemination actions that your agenda allows.
To guarantee the safety and health of all participants, we will adapt and modify the programme according to the prevailing conditions at any given time.

Information in PDF format

What does participating as a school in Inspira STEAM involve?

Commitment, enthusiasm and desire to promote STEAM areas among students, especially among girls.
Register as a centre in http://intranet.inspirasteam.net/. Select the Pontevedra node, fill in all the requested data and register in the active edition.
Coordinate with the mentors to set the days and times of the programme sessions. These sessions will take place during the academic year between October and March. We recommend that no more than one session per week and no less than one every three weeks.
To provide the classrooms and the necessary infrastructures to teach the six sessions of the Inspira programme to students in the sixth year of Primary Education and first year of Seconday Education in small groups (from 8 to 15 students).
Sessions 1 and 6 will be carried out jointly, youngsters and teenagers, and will be led by the mentor assigned to the group. During sessions 2, 3, 4 and 5, the girls will work with the assigned mentor and the boys with a mentor.
Collect and keep the informed consent that authorises the girls and boys to attend the Inspira STEAM sessions signed by the legal guardians of all the participants in the programme.
Pass on to the students the questionnaires before and after the six sessions that the University of Deusto designed as part of the implementation of Inspira STEAM in the centres and whose results contribute to research in the field of education with a gender perspective.
To give the participating students a satisfaction survey about their experience in Inspira STEAM in order to provide data for the evaluation of the programme.
Participate in the dissemination actions that your agenda allows.
To guarantee the safety and health of all participants, we will adapt and modify the programme according to the prevailing conditions at all times.

Information in PDF format

Further information:

Student Recruitment Area
Miralles Building
As Lagoas, Marcosende
+34 986 130 270
inspirasteam@uvigo.gal