Stemettes is a UK charity dedicated to empowering young women and non-binary people to explore and pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM). Our mission is to engage and champion young women and non-binary people to shape the future of STEAM by building a community where they belong, connect and thrive together. For 13 years, we have been at the forefront of the movement to diversify the UK’s STEAM workforce, supporting more than 80,000 young people aged 5 to 25.
We don’t just teach technical skills; we build a lifelong ecosystem of belonging. By offering free STEAM activities, 1:1 mentoring, and industry certifications, we meet young people where they are in their STEAM journey. Crucially, we design our work through an intersectional lens. We actively prioritise those from low-income households and historically marginalised ethnic backgrounds, dismantling the overlapping socio-economic barriers that keep brilliant minds out of the STEAM sector.
Driving systemic change is never a straight path. Over the last 13 years, we have navigated a shifting digital landscape and stubborn cultural barriers:
Young women and non-binary people feeling a lack of self-identification with STEAM due to a lack of diverse role models, and the stereotyping of STEAM requiring ‘natural talent’, a historically/institutionally gendered quality.
During the pandemic, we pivoted our entire delivery model overnight to support our beneficiaries during lockdowns, fighting hard to bridge the digital divide for those without devices or internet access at home.
Amidst shifting corporate DEI budgets, we have worked tirelessly to keep 100% of our programmes entirely free for our beneficiaries, ensuring financial barriers never block potential.
Through every challenge, we’ve demonstrated adaptability and our commitment to Youth Voice. We don’t guess what young people need; our Youth Board and beneficiaries co-create our programmes, ensuring we remain relevant, agile, and impactful.
We have deep experience in supporting young women and non-binary people in STEAM. In 2025 alone, we delivered 101 events, supported 7,615 young people, worked with 322 schools, awarded 51 industry certifications, and supported 276 young people through structured mentoring.
Our greatest achievement is our alumni. Former Stemettes who attended our hackathons and mentoring programmes a decade ago are now entering the workforce as software engineers, data scientists, and tech leaders. They aren’t just entering the industry; they are returning to Stemettes as mentors and role models, closing the loop and pulling the next generation up behind them. This is perfectly demonstrated by one of our beneficiaries, Sana. When asked about the most inspiring part of their Stemettes experience, Sana tells us, “it has been speaking directly with people in the industries I’m interested in. It seems such a small thing, but it’s very inspiring and motivating to ask questions to professionals in a field or position I admire, and receive an answer.” Sana’s experience has led them to take part in projects outside their comfort zone, even receiving a CREST Gold award, and now they give back, telling us, “I love that I now know more and can support and promote any and all women, young people, people of colour whenever I can!”
We are not just changing individual lives; we are actively engineering a more equitable, creative, and diverse talent pipeline for the entire tech ecosystem.
