hEr VOLUTION’s 2021 Newsletter
hEr VOLUTION 2021 Newsletter by hEr VOLUTION
The Passion Project: hEr VOLUTION | Doina Oncel Part 2
This post was originally posted on The Passion Project on February 4, 2019. Please see the original story here.
“What if the cure to cancer was stuck in someone’s mind who couldn’t afford an education?”
This is a question that Doina wakes up to every morning.
“What I realized from doing what I do, a lot of the young women are very determined. They all just want a chance; they all want an opportunity.” Doina says, “What upsets me is that there are so many barriers preventing them from being that person they are meant to be.”
Doina Oncel is the CEO/Founder of hEr VOLUTION, a non profit organization designed to provide access to women and young girls to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) based education and employment opportunities. More
Why we need to continue to break barriers in the 21st Century
During our 2nd Annual Sold Out Canadian Women in STEM Conference, we brought together elite speakers from all walks of life who shared stories and strategies for breaking barriers and including women in STEM.
The attendees could not stop talking about how much they are enjoying the conference and how excited they are to be there. It is always so great to see that because of the support of our community, many students were able to take part in this yearly event. Like last year, we were able to include 40% of students attendants at the conference while some were speakers. It is imperative to have everyone at the table if we want to create change for the better.
When organizing events such as these, we always wonder if they are actually making an impact. Sometimes it is very hard to know unless people talk about it. Gladly, in our case, we had one student who was given a ticket to the conference in a contest she wan, express how she felt after the conference and because of it:
Thank you, Ashima for sharing your insight. Thank you for being open and for dreaming big. Thank you for being a part of the change. Thank you for breaking barriers and for being part of the solution and for including you and other women in STEM.
If you attended the conference on October 13, 2018, we would LOVE your feedback. We strive to always make it better a better experience and we would love to hear from you how to do that. Please take 5 minutes of your time to share your thoughts here.
Why An Inclusive Education Must Be Fostered During International Day Of The Girl Child and Beyond
“Education is neither eastern nor western. Education is education and it’s the right of every human being.”
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International Day of the Girl Child is a day we cherish now more than ever. We know that many girls and young women are still not able to develop the skills they need to enter and advance in their future careers. When a young woman comes to us and says that she is happy to be able to join an all-girl program because she doesn’t feel comfortable in being in a room full of boys at her school, is the evidence we need that enforces the concept of why these days are needed. It is important for girls and young women to see themselves as the leaders of tomorrow.
The International Day of the Girl Child reinforces that our programs, workshops, and events such as our annual Canadian Women in STEM Conference, are much needed to help girls and young women highlight the idea that they are capable of great things.
Last year, around this time, when we run our conference it was only because we wanted to raise awareness on the amazing talent pool of women in Canada and towards some amazing women who were behind the curtains of their jobs and never seen for the impact they made to our society. It started with the numerous questions asked by diverse students and community stakeholders: Who out there is in STEM that looks like me or has achieved success despite challenges? What are the many opportunities in STEM that everyone talks about and why would I care to learn more about STEM? It is questions like these that drive us to create change in a meaningful way, to create opportunities for inclusion for the diverse communities that exist in this community of ours called Canada.
We are honoured to celebrate this day with pride, not only on October 11 but throughout the year by ensuring that we provide more opportunities for girls and young women to become the best version of themselves and proud participants in the future workforce.
“Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.”―
Chandran Fernando, Promoting STEM to Young Women & Girls by Breaking Down Barriers: Unleashing the Power of Inclusion
TORONTO, ON Canada – October 10, 2018 – Toronto based STEM advocacy organization,hEr VOLUTION, is proud to announce Chandran Fernando, Managing Partner at Matrix360, as Keynote at the annual Canadian Women in STEM conference – Breaking Down Barriers: Unleashing the Power of Inclusion, held on October 13, 2018. Matrix360 is an advisory platform whose mission is to elevate a new tone for business with a global and inclusive mindset. Matrix360 is to build sustainable and successful organizations that foster inclusive workplaces where people embrace their differences: gender, ethnicity, race, orientation, age, abilities, education and all backgrounds.
We believe that the solid mission that Matrix360 has followed for numerous years, “To create accessibility to opportunities for all, and encourage open thought processes that effectively puts the heart back into business.”, is exactly what needs to be highlighted during this conference, hence why we are delighted to have Mr. Fernando as the keynote at the conference.
“People are the heart of every business and organization. It is imperative that business leaders recognize the importance of diversity in the workplace as a value-add for business and not just a checkbox-a feel-good gesture. Business leadership teams must reflect the communities it serves. We must systematically work together towards actionable solutions that not only provide access to opportunities but access to the leadership decision making tables and rooms. There must be a push for representation of all diverse people. It is time business leaders confront biases, prejudice and lack of awareness that impede fair representation in all platforms of leadership. We must use our voice, mind, and heart to elevate our presence in leadership within Canada. The time is now to embrace the human experience.” says Chandran Fernando, Managing Partner at Matrix 360. More
OACETT, Breaking Barriers as Silver Sponsor for Women in STEM Conference to Help #IncludeWomenInSTEM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Doina Oncel, Founder/CEO
504- 101 Roehampton Ave,
Toronto, ON M4P 2W2
1-647-878-9285
October 4, 2018
(Toronto, ON) – hEr VOLUTION is delighted to welcome the support of The Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) as a silver sponsor for the 2nd annual Canadian Women in STEM Conference; Breaking Down Barriers: Unleashing the Power of Inclusion.
The Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) is a non-profit, self-governing, professional association of over 25,000 members.
OACETT is Ontario’s independent certifying body for engineering and applied science technicians and technologists and confers the designations C.Tech. (Certified Technician) and C.E.T. (Certified Engineering Technologist). These designations are recognized across Canada by employers and other engineering professionals. The A.Sc.T. (Applied Science Technologist) designation is no longer conferred but is still used by some OACETT members.
OACETT promotes the interests of engineering and applied science technicians and technologists in industry, educational institutions, the public, and government.
“OACETT believes in the power of women in STEM, and that inclusion is critical to future success. We are pleased to support hEr VOLUTION as we are committed to helping create opportunities for the next generation of women in technology.” , says Kim Pickett, C.E.T., LET, President-elect OACETT. More