Volunteers

1. Subscribe to our volunteer mailing list so you learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities!
2. Sign up to volunteer at an IGNITE event! Please view the opportunities on this page and sign up to volunteer at an event that works best with your schedule. We have panelist, facilitator, tech host, translator, and blogger roles available. After you sign up, IGNITE will be in touch with you to confirm. 
3. After signing up for an IGNITE event, panelists take our 10-minute panelist training once a year and sign up for a 1-hour Panelist Coaching Session if they have not attended one in the past. These requirements must be met at least 4 days before your event. The training and coaching is mandatory for panelists and provides important context, tips, and practice around how to best share information with students. 

Panelist Coaching Session are only for panelists who are currently signed up to be on a panel. All of these upcoming panelists, including past IGNITE panelists, must attend a 1-hour Panelist Coaching Session if they have not attended one in the past. These requirements must be met at least 4 days before your event. The training and coaching is mandatory for panelists and provides important context, tips, and practice around how to best share information with students. 

IGNITE panels are life-changing opportunities for girls to connect directly with women in STEM careers and learn about their experiences. Panels take place at local schools, virtually or in-person, or as part of an IGNITE field trip or workshop.

At the beginning of the event, a panel facilitator (either the IGNITE teacher at the school or IGNITE volunteer) will take 10 minutes to introduce girls to the issue of the gender gap in STEM fields. 

For the first half of the panel, each speaker will take about 3 minutes to tell their story. This includes their journey to a STEM career, obstacles overcome, and what their job is now. Please be sure to take our 10-minute training to prepare for this part of the panel. 

The second half of the panel is a Q&A discussion with the girls! They will ask some amazing questions, which often leads to deeper discussions about gender equity in STEM.

Panels take place during the academic year (August to June) during the school day. 

Panels are held at middle and high schools with IGNITE chapters. Panels may also be part of a company field trip or workshop. 

Feel free to wear whatever you normally would, casual or business is fine. 

A few days in advance of your panel, the IGNITE teacher or an IGNITE staff member will contact all speakers with detailed arrival instructions and reminders. If you would like to connect with your fellow panelists before that time, please let us know!

Each panelist will need to incorporate 1-2 physical visual aids for both in-person and virtual panels to help students get to know you and your job!

For in-person events, if you plan on needing access to a projector display, please let IGNITE know in advance so we can communicate this with the IGNITE teacher.

It is great that you found your place in STEM despite following a nontraditional path! However, it is increasingly more competitive and difficult to do this (and to move around once you have a career). If you were a teenager today, what advice would you give yourself about preparing for a future STEM career? We want to encourage students to develop technical skills now. For example, a 2-year STEM degree could make an incredible difference in creating an attainable future!

For grades 8 and under, it is best to focus on the girls’ immediate futures. What classes would you suggest they take in high school? What other activities can they be involved in to help sharpen their technical skills? 

We would love to connect with you to answer your questions. Please email contactus@ignite-worldwide.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.