✦ 5-week mentorship & coaching programme

You know this isn't
where you're
meant to stay.

She Shapes Digital walks alongside women in impact tech who are ready for more — with specialist mentoring, coaching, and a community that makes the next step feel possible.

Apply for next cohort Is this for me? →

Who it's for

You belong here wherever you're starting from.

→"I don't know how to break into impact tech"

You care about the sector but can't map the landscape — who the organisations are, what roles exist, or how to take the first step. We help you find your way in.

→"I'm in the field but not moving up"

You're doing good work but the next level feels out of reach. You're not sure if the barrier is external, internal, or both — and it's exhausting to carry that alone.

→"I second-guess myself constantly"

Imposter syndrome is real and loud. This programme offers a structured, safe space to understand what's actually in the way — and begin to move through it.

→"I need a change but don't know where to begin"

Sometimes the starting point is simply knowing you can't stay where you are. That's enough. We'll help you find clarity from there, at your own pace.

You don't need to have it together to start.

We ask for 4–6 hours a week and we ask you to show up honestly. You don't need to perform progress — you just need to be present.

Cohorts are intentionally small so real connection is possible. You'll be heard, not just enrolled. And you won't be doing any of this alone.

What you get

Mentoring, coaching, and
community — all three.

Coaching

Dedicated coaching

Not just content — a coaching relationship. Someone who knows the field and helps you work through your specific blocks and goals.

Mentoring

Specialist mentoring

Matched with mentors working in impact tech who can open doors and tell you things that don't appear in job descriptions.

Community

Cohort that lasts

A small group of women with shared drive and different backgrounds. Peer relationships that often outlast the programme itself.

Skills

Real, applicable skills

Impact tech literacy, self-positioning, navigating gender dynamics, building strategic visibility. Practical, not theoretical.

The curriculum

Five weeks. At your own pace, with support.

Self-paced content, guided exercises, and practical tools — each week building on the last. You don't need to have it figured out before you start. That's what the programme is for.

Week 01

Clarify your direction

We start with self-understanding, not job applications. You'll explore your strengths, values, and energy patterns — and build your first career hypothesis. Many women arrive here knowing something needs to change but not yet having the words for it. This week helps you find them.

Week 02

Build visible confidence

Confidence grows through action, not waiting. This week gives you practical tools for communication and presence — including a short personal pitch you can actually use — and helps you identify the beliefs that may be holding you back more than any skill gap.

Week 03

Reposition your career for impact tech

Your past experience is not a limitation — it's material to work with. You'll explore how different pathways in impact tech work, translate your background into language that lands, and sharpen at least one professional asset: your CV, LinkedIn, or target role list.

Week 04

Practice responsible tech

Working in tech for good doesn't automatically mean doing good. This week gives you a practical lens for evaluating technology more critically — and introduces career paths in responsible tech, digital rights, AI governance, and civic tech that you may not have considered yet.

Week 05

Commit to your next move

You don't need a perfect plan. You need an intentional next step. This final week helps you turn your insights into a realistic 30-60-90 day roadmap, choose one bold action to take first, and build the accountability structures to keep moving after the programme ends.

Live sessions

Three live sessions to create connection, momentum, and accountability.

Session 1

Kickoff

Meet the group, set the tone, and start the programme feeling welcomed and clear on what's ahead.

Session 2

Practice & peer feedback

Share your personal pitch, receive structured feedback, and recalibrate in a supportive and encouraging environment.

Session 3

Close & commit

Reflect on what has shifted, commit to your next steps, and leave with momentum and a real plan.

The facilitators

Who you'll be learning with.

She Shapes Digital is built and led by two practitioners who have worked across institutions, geographies, and sectors — and who know from experience what it takes to find your place in this field.

Anna Ackermann
Anna Ackermann
Co-founder · Facilitation & Learning Design

Anna studied Political Science and Sociology before realising that the questions she cared about most — power, inequality, access — were increasingly being shaped by technology. That led her from digital rights research in Brussels to the United Nations, where she spent two years building innovation and capacity programmes across country offices in Liberia, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Montserrat. Her particular edge is translating complex ideas into things that actually land in the room.

Digital rights UN system Capacity building Facilitation
Nithima Ducrocq
Nithima Ducrocq
Co-founder · Service Design & Digital Innovation

Nithima is a two-time founder of social-impact ventures, now working as a service designer, product owner, and digital innovation consultant across Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. She has worked with startups, local NGOs, and global organisations including UNDP, WFP, IOM, FHI360, Impact Hub, and MSF — turning complex challenges into practical, user-centred digital solutions that work in real-world contexts.

Service design UNDP · WFP · MSF Social ventures Global south

From the pilot cohort

What participants actually said.

"Joining She Shapes Digital gave me the confidence to move away from a toxic work environment and explore new paths. I loved the reflection exercises and knowing I am not alone on my journey."
Pilot cohort participant · 2024
"Anna created an open and engaging environment from the very first session. She was vulnerable, authentic, and curious — which made it easier for me to be open and share."
Pilot cohort participant · 2024
"I really loved Anna's passion for getting more women to build their confidence and take up space in male-dominated industries. And just being in the community feels great — meeting people with different backgrounds but shared interests is rare and genuinely valuable."
Pilot cohort participant · 2024

Pricing

Built to be globally accessible.

$200 to start. Scholarships on every cohort — for students, Global South applicants, and anyone facing financial barriers. The sector needs diverse voices, not fewer of them.

Standard access

$200

Full programme access — the same experience as every other participant.

  • 6 weeks of live facilitated sessions
  • Dedicated coaching and mentoring
  • Cohort peer community
  • Curriculum resources and tools
  • 90-day action plan support
Apply on Maven

Scholarship places

Open

Available every cohort for students, Global South applicants, and those facing financial barriers.

  • Identical programme access
  • No difference in experience
  • Simple, respectful application
  • No income proof required
  • Reviewed with care, not judgement
Apply for a scholarship or reach out via email

Not sure which applies to you? Write to us directly — we'll figure it out together.

Common questions

Common questions.

I don't feel "senior enough" to apply. Should I?

Yes. This programme is specifically designed for women who feel that gap — between where they are and where they want to be. You don't need to arrive with confidence. That's something we build together.

What is "impact tech" exactly?

Organisations where technology actively drives positive change — climate tech, civic tech, digital health, EdTech, sustainable finance, social enterprise. We help you find where your background and interests connect.

Do I need a technical background?

No. Impact organisations need product managers, communicators, strategists, designers, policy specialists, and operators. This is not a programme just for engineers.

How much time does it take each week?

Plan for 4–6 hours. Live sessions, community engagement, and between-session reflection. We won't ask for more than that.

I'm based in the Global South. Is this relevant to me?

Yes — impact tech is a global sector. We actively welcome participants from outside the UK and Europe, and scholarship places are specifically available. The programme is fully online.

Will this get me a new job?

We can't promise that — it would be dishonest. What we can tell you is that participants leave with more clarity, stronger positioning, and a concrete plan for their next step. What happens after that depends on you, but you won't be facing it alone.

Next cohort — applications open

Wherever you are right now,
this is a good place to start.

Spaces are small so the support is real. Apply on Maven — and if the cost is a barrier, scholarships are available on every cohort. Just reach out.

Secure your spot →