UEA expands Big Sister Little Sister mentorship to double iBelong outreach in computing

UEA expands Big Sister Little Sister mentorship to double iBelong outreach in computing

(IN BRIEF) UEA’s Big Sister Little Sister initiative, founded in 2017 by Debbie Taylor, provides mentorship, community events and school outreach to boost the 10–12% female and non-binary representation in Computing Sciences. Operated by students and alumni, BSLS offers foundation-year pizza nights, term-time gatherings and the iBelong summer workshops—which hosted 100 participants in 2024 and will double capacity in 2025—aimed at dismantling imposter syndrome and promoting early engagement in the field.

(PRESS RELEASE) NORWICH, 18-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of East Anglia is intensifying its efforts to rebalance gender representation in Computing Sciences through targeted outreach and a robust on-campus support network. Although UK-wide UCAS data for 2024 show that just 2,940 of 15,530 18-year-old domestic acceptances in Computing Sciences were women—and female enrolment at UEA remains around 10–12%—UEA’s Big Sister Little Sister (BSLS) programme is driving change. Launched in 2017 by Lecturer Debbie Taylor, BSLS pairs incoming undergraduates, postgraduates and alumni in mentorship relationships, fostering confidence and community from day one.

Taylor, who entered university later in life after a 25-year IT career and overcoming undiagnosed dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, recognized that many women and non-binary students hesitate to seek help in male-dominated settings. “Our first pizza night in week two sparks friendships that endure long past graduation,” she explains. Under Taylor’s guidance—and now led by students Sophie Bennett, Venus Nasseri, Nithya Vinaitheerthan and Joy-Moriah Balenthiran—the programme runs foundation-through-master’s events and the summer iBelong workshops for local school pupils. iBelong attracted 100 attendees in 2024 and will expand to 200 this year, allowing more young women and non-binary students to see themselves in computing careers.

By combining early intervention in schools with a year-round campus network, BSLS tackles imposter syndrome and outdated stereotypes, helping participants believe they belong in Computing Sciences. As Taylor emphasizes, “Computing is about creativity and problem-solving—not a man’s subject. Talent transcends gender or background.”

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SOURCE: University of East Anglia