MadLab is working with UCL's Institute of Education to grow an international network of accredited trainers, who can build capacity in their regions for equitable and inclusive participation in informal STEM learning.
UCL's 3-STEP Trainer accreditation course is a one-year online course for experienced makerspace and informal STEM learning practitioners. You'll get access to high impact resources and learning to help you make your learning space and/or makerspace more accessible, inclusive and socially-just. Your peers will include 50 other trainees based out of five regional hubs – Africa, Asia, UK, Europe, and North America. This course has been developed based on research with 21 practitioners (including MadLab) and over 1500 young people from seven makerspaces across five countries.
Timeline: February 2025 – October 2025
Hours: 5.5 hours trainee time per month across 9 months
Structure: Online workshops, tasks, portfolio development and final assessment
Funds: You will receive £1500 for your time, which can be used to cover staffing costs or personal time, e.g. if you're a self-employed trainer
Who are the trainers?
Professor Louise Archer is Karl Mannheim Chair of Sociology of Education at the Institute of Education, University College London. She has been working in the field of STEM education and social justice for almost two decades with extensive expertise in policy, practice, and research around issues of equity within STEM trajectories. She has particularly been involved in designing, delivering, and implementing impactful national and international professional development around how practices within STEM education can support more diversity and justice.
Dr Meghna Nag Chowdhuri focuses on international inequalities in STEM participation. Since her PhD, she has worked closely with formal and informal STEM educators and supported in designing and conducting numerous professional development sessions and courses.
Esme Freedman has been working with makerspace practitioners and young people to develop and understand equitable practice in makerspaces over the last 4 years. She has particular interest in supporting practitioners to develop co-production strategies for working with young people in participatory ways.
The deadline to apply is 15th January 2025. You can find out more about the programme and apply here
MadLab has been a partner on UCL's Making Spaces research project since 2020. Together, we've been working to identify and share equitable practice to support diverse young people’s engagement with STEM.
