Far from pitch competitions, start-up incubators and the web sphere, Digital Campus, the web school in Rennes, organised its 100% women's event on Monday 14 November.
That day, at 1:30 pm, Charlène Compart, Lorène Coulange and Justine Jacquet — second-year students on the Master's in Digital Strategy — visited the Women's Prison.
On the agenda: running a workshop on the dangers of social media with a group of inmates.
Behind this initiative was the school management's wish to direct this all-female event towards an audience that is rarely connected and in a vulnerable situation. As Lucie Baudouin highlights: « This action is part of a broader programme to combat radicalisation in prison. We have a role to play »
Lorène, Justine and Charlène did not hesitate for a second to get involved in this unique venture.
Justine: « I immediately volunteered to (…) understand these women's perspective on the digital world ». Lorène took charge of creating a presentation adapted to women who had been incarcerated for many years and were disconnected from digital tools. « The hardest part was talking about social media to women for whom social media didn't exist before prison ».
Ultimately, their fears were quickly dispelled. Charlène: « I was surprised to find they were more connected than I had expected ».
After 2 hours of exchanges and debate, mission accomplished: the message got through — « they are aware of the dangers of social media and understand the importance of e-reputation »
Given this success, a new workshop is planned for early 2017. This time, the dark web will be the topic under discussion. Many students from Digital Campus Rennes are already putting their names forward to return and meet this truly unique all-female audience.
See also:
- Draw me a digital career - Women entrepreneurs in digital
- Digital Ladies by DC - Women & Digital
- Taking responsibility - Made in Women?
- Testimonial from Emmanuelle
- Testimonial from Camille