RFAs: Women in STEM Education and Mentorship Initiative (Mexico)

UNICEF is inviting applications for a project that promotes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and career pathways for women in upper secondary education in Jalisco, Mexico. With an indicative budget of USD 50,000, the initiative supports gender-responsive vocational guidance, digital learning, mentorship, and career development to encourage more adolescent girls to pursue STEM fields.

What is the UNICEF STEM Pathways for Women Programme?

The UNICEF STEM Pathways for Women Programme is an initiative designed to increase the participation of adolescent girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and careers.

The programme supports the adaptation and implementation of a gender-responsive vocational guidance and mentorship model that helps female students explore STEM careers, build confidence, and connect with women professionals working in STEM industries.

The initiative will be implemented in partnership with the Secretariat of Education of the State of Jalisco.

Background

Women remain underrepresented in many STEM disciplines due to factors such as:

Gender stereotypes.
Limited exposure to STEM careers.
Lack of female role models.
Unequal access to career guidance.
Limited mentorship opportunities.

To address these barriers, UNICEF is supporting a comprehensive programme that combines vocational guidance, mentorship, teacher training, digital learning, and monitoring systems to encourage more girls to pursue STEM education and professions.

Programme Objectives

The programme aims to:

Increase girls’ participation in STEM education.
Promote gender-responsive vocational guidance.
Strengthen career counselling in schools.
Build mentorship networks with women STEM professionals.
Expand access to digital learning resources.
Improve career awareness among adolescent girls.
Strengthen institutional capacity for STEM guidance programmes.

Key Highlights

Programme Name: UNICEF STEM Pathways for Women Programme
Organiser: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Country: Mexico
Implementation Area: State of Jalisco
Target Group: Female students in upper secondary education
Indicative Budget: USD 50,000
Primary Focus: STEM education, vocational guidance, mentorship, and digital learning

Focus Areas

STEM Education

The programme promotes:

Science education.
Technology learning.
Engineering career awareness.
Mathematics education.
Innovation and digital skills.

Gender-Responsive Vocational Guidance

Activities include:

Career counselling with a gender perspective.
Vocational guidance resources.
Career planning support.
Awareness of STEM opportunities.

Digital Learning

The initiative supports:

Digitalisation of educational content.
Self-paced online learning.
Virtual training modules.
Synchronous online support sessions.
Digital learning platforms.

Mentorship

The programme will:

Connect girls with women professionals in STEM.
Build mentorship relationships.
Support career exploration.
Encourage long-term participation in STEM fields.

Expected Results

The initiative aims to achieve several measurable outcomes.

Vocational Counsellor Training

The programme will train:

400 vocational counsellors in the State of Jalisco using the adapted vocational guidance model.

Student Outreach

School-based activities are expected to reach:

At least 4,000 adolescents through STEM awareness activities, educational tools, and vocational guidance.

STEM Mentorship

The programme will:

Train 50 STEM mentors.
Support 150 female students.
Implement mentorship activities across 20 upper secondary schools.

Monitoring Framework

The project will also develop:

Monitoring indicators approved by UNICEF.
Evaluation tools.
Programme performance measurement systems.

Programme Activities

Selected organisations will support activities including:

Reviewing and adapting UNICEF’s vocational guidance model.
Strengthening educational content.
Developing support materials for counsellors.
Conducting awareness workshops.
Digitalising training materials.
Providing online and in-person training.
Monitoring participation and learning outcomes.
Coordinating mentorship activities.
Preparing technical documentation and reports.

Who Can Apply?

The opportunity is intended for organisations that meet UNICEF’s partnership requirements and have experience in:

Education.
Adolescent development.
Gender equality.
Career guidance.
STEM education.
Digital learning.
Teacher training.
Youth mentorship.

Funding Information

Indicative Budget: USD 50,000

The funding supports programme implementation, digital content development, vocational guidance activities, mentorship, training, monitoring, and reporting.

How to Apply

Interested organisations should:

Review UNICEF’s official eligibility and partnership requirements.
Confirm organisational eligibility.
Develop a proposal aligned with the programme objectives.
Design gender-responsive STEM education and mentorship activities.
Prepare a detailed implementation plan and budget.
Include monitoring and evaluation strategies.
Submit the application through the official UNICEF application system before the specified deadline.

Why This Programme Matters

Increasing women’s participation in STEM contributes to:

Greater gender equality.
Improved access to high-quality careers.
Higher female representation in science and technology.
Stronger innovation ecosystems.
Better economic opportunities for young women.
Inclusive workforce development.
Sustainable national development.

By strengthening career guidance and mentorship, the programme helps girls make informed educational and professional choices.

Tips for a Strong Application

To strengthen your proposal:

Demonstrate experience in STEM education or career guidance.
Include gender-responsive teaching approaches.
Present a robust mentorship strategy.
Show experience in digital learning platforms.
Develop measurable indicators for programme success.
Build partnerships with schools and STEM professionals.
Include sustainability plans for long-term implementation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common issues:

Designing activities without a gender perspective.
Providing limited mentorship support.
Ignoring digital learning components.
Failing to demonstrate experience in education or youth development.
Submitting weak monitoring and evaluation plans.
Presenting unrealistic timelines or implementation strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the purpose of this programme?

The programme promotes STEM education and careers for adolescent girls through vocational guidance, mentorship, digital learning, and gender-responsive educational support.

2. Where will the project be implemented?

The initiative will be implemented in the State of Jalisco, Mexico.

3. How much funding is available?

The call has an indicative budget of USD 50,000.

4. What are the expected programme outcomes?

The programme aims to train 400 vocational counsellors, reach at least 4,000 adolescents, train 50 mentors, and support 150 female students across 20 schools.

5. What types of activities are supported?

Activities include vocational guidance, digital learning, STEM mentorship, educational content development, teacher support, monitoring, reporting, and awareness workshops.

6. Who are the target beneficiaries?

The primary beneficiaries are female students in upper secondary education, along with vocational counsellors, teachers, and women STEM professionals serving as mentors.

7. Why is this initiative important?

The programme helps reduce gender disparities in STEM by providing girls with career guidance, mentorship, digital learning opportunities, and exposure to female role models, enabling them to pursue future education, employment, and leadership opportunities in science and technology.

Conclusion

The UNICEF STEM Pathways for Women Programme offers an important opportunity to advance gender equality in education and employment by encouraging adolescent girls to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). With an indicative budget of USD 50,000, the initiative combines vocational guidance, digital learning, mentorship, and institutional capacity building to create sustainable pathways for young women in the State of Jalisco, Mexico.