The Aviatrix Project will join forces with the BWPA to help inspire and encourage girls and women to take to the skies
The Aviatrix Project
Exciting new project to promote aviation and STEM related careers to women and girls!
The Aviatrix Project will join forces with the BWPA to help inspire and encourage girls and women to take to the skies. One of the main aims of this project is to raise aspirations of young girls and to promote aviation as an exciting and accessible career choice. Considerable research has been carried out about gender issues in aviation related careers and the lack of role models and opportunities for young girls is cited as two of the main barriers.
The project aims are to work closely with primary and secondary schools as well as higher education institutions to encourage girls into STEM and enthuse them into aviation. Initially the project will create opportunities for professional and private pilots to visit schools to deliver assemblies and talks and identify girls who will then be offered ‘taster’ flights. The home counties will be targeted first with a regional and national plan following the initial few months. Role models are incredibly effective in inspiring and enthusing young girls and together with the BWPA and other external agencies we will be able to develop strong partnerships with schools to support the girls who are keen to explore opportunities.
Once the project is established it has the potential to reach a far wider audience and to develop links with other organisations to achieve our aims. One of the first will be to apply for funding such as ‘Awards for All’ lottery funding to provide taster and trial flights as well as funding further experiences for girls. In addition the project aims to:
- Showcase interviews and case studies and inspirational stories about flight from pilots and students.
- Create a community of support for female pilots (especially students) to draw from.
- Link to organisations who promote STEM such as SETPOINT Hertfordshire and Essex County Council’s Girls Allowed – women into engineering imitative.
- Interviews with student pilots from flight training schools.
- School visits / assemblies – primary / secondary / college career days.
- Offer hands-on flying experience days and sponsored flights.
- Networking events – promoting BWPA membership and active involvement amongst student pilots.
- Possible mentoring programmes – more experienced and student pilots.
- Social media to promote aviation to young girls and women – sharing successes, opportunities.
The vision is to see large numbers of girls and young women enthused and excited about aviation and ultimately inspired to learn to fly!
We are looking for pilots, engineers and anyone involved with aviation to support us. Could you offer your expertise to help us? Are you interested in visiting schools? Please let us know if you would like to find out more about how you can be involved.
Visit our website www.theaviatrixproject.com and like our Facebook page!
Email: flywithus@theaviatrixproject.com Telephone: 07793 070 442
Twitter: @aviatrixproject Facebook: The Aviatrix Project
