Equipping STEM role models to effectively engage youth in STEM

Afterschool STEM programs have become a pillar of the STEM learning ecosystem. They are now recognized as crucial spaces for STEM learning access and engagement, STEM career exploration, and connecting with STEM professionals as role models and mentors. There has been a long-standing interest and many initiatives focused on work-based learning experiences and building partnerships and collaborations between STEM businesses and informal STEM learning environments. But there is now renewed attention on this issue with the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, which incentivized the STEM industry to collaborate with the local K-12 education enterprise. Additionally, the STEM Next Opportunity Fund and STEM Connector published a research report, Connecting Employee Engagement and Volunteerism, encouraging STEM businesses to build relationships with community-based education organizations and incentivize their employees to volunteer in programs or serve as STEM role models and mentors for youth.

Partnerships like these have been happening for a long time, such as through the nationwide FIRST Robotics programs, intentional public-private partnerships in which federal agencies support their staff to volunteer in community-based programs and schools, and through individual STEM professionals volunteering their time in programs. These partnerships have proven to be valuable in connecting young people to STEM professionals, expanding their networks of support, and opening young people’s minds to all the opportunities within the STEM professions.

While this can be a very impactful way of engaging youth in STEM, there is also a risk it can turn young people away if the adults are not adequately trained and supported in working with youth.  We know that adult mentors can expand young people’s social capital - the network of relationships and connections within the STEM field that individuals can leverage to access information, opportunities, and support to advance their STEM education and career goals. Mentor training is therefore especially important when the adult comes from a different background and lived experience than that of the youth they are working with. While it is essential to ensure we have a well-rounded and robust representation of STEM professionals engaging with youth, it is equally important for STEM professionals to have proper training, coaching, and support throughout their youth engagement experiences - for both the well-being of the youth and the STEM professional.

The good news is that a variety of training and guides are already available. For instance, Techbridge Girls offers a free Role Models Matter™ training program, which helps STEM role models develop skills to engage girls from marginalized communities through videos, reflection questions, and more. Additionally, the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance’s Afterschool Coaching for Reflective Educators in STEM provides coaching modules focused on Elevating Youth Voice and Choice, Nurturing STEM Identity and Making Career Connections, and Exploring Youth Understanding. Explore these modules and resources for coaching educators to support these skills.

In collaboration with the Space Science Institute’s Star Library Network (STAR Net), the National Girls Collaborative Project, and NASA Langley Research Center, the Twin Cities PBS produced a Role Model Strategies Guide. By providing meaningful insights and perspectives on gender equitable and culturally responsive practices tailored to encourage youth to consider STEM careers, the Guide equips STEM role models with the tools and knowledge to effectively engage young learners.

STEM professional societies are also working to harness the power of connecting STEM professionals with students in their communities, such as through the American Council of Engineering Companies’ long-standing ACE Mentor Program, which provides intentional coaching and training for its mentors. The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers’ (SHPE) flagship MentorSHPE program facilitates mentoring connections while providing training and coaching to support mentors and help ensure the relationships developed are productive and effective.

For programs looking for ways to connect youth with STEM role models, Techbridge Girls and the National Girls Collaborative Project created an informative guide, Creating Connections with Role Models, designed to help you recruit and prepare role models to inspire girls in STEM.

While it is necessary to connect youth with STEM role models and mentors, this alone is not sufficient to ensure we are encouraging and sustaining youth’s interest and sense of belonging in STEM. We must also ensure that our STEM role models are equipped with the tools and skills necessary to create a welcoming space for all in STEM. There are a plethora of resources available to support adult mentors and the list we have provided can get you started on this journey!