#10 The Importance of Role Models for All Ages

Fish in the Boardroom

With Andrea Delannoy

Notes

As Marian Wright Edelman said, “You can’t be what you can’t see”. This quote demonstrates the importance of role models in creating our vision of what is possible. Andrea Delannoy has recognized this and has been engaged in making more role models visible to young women as well as children through her various ventures.

With MOD-ELLE, a Swiss nonprofit organization whose mission is to challenge gender stereotyping in molding and pursuing youth’s career aspiration. Andrea is convinced that bringing role models closer to classrooms will spark youth’s interest and open new perspectives in their career choices.

In this episode Andrea shares why it is so important to start building diverse role models at an early age.

“Children learn by watching us more than by listening to us.”

What you will learn

· Why it is important to have role models in school

· What the role of companies is in creating role models

· What purpose role models serve and whether it is more impactful to have relatable role models rather than public figures

Tips

- Engage in offering different perspectives to children about what futures they can have by being a role model for MOD-ELLE

- Don’t think you are not famous enough to be a role model. Everyone is a role model.

- Encourage your male colleagues and friends to challenge established role stereotypes by serving as role models

Resources

OECD Reports on youth and the job market, can be found on fishintheboardroom.ch/10

Find Andrea online

www.mod-elle.ch

[e-mail]

Twitter @mod_elle_ch

Facebook @mod.elle.ch

LinkedIn mod-elle-ch

Biography

A former Auditor for the Romanian National Court of Audit, Andrea Delannoy moved to Switzerland in 2003 and she put her efforts since into promoting a gender equal workplace.

During her MAS at the University of Geneva Andrea became aware of the missed opportunities for women in Switzerland. In 2010 she co-founded "Expanding your horizons" an association in Geneva, whose mission is to promote STEM careers for girls.

Five years in the management of a company specializing in career counselling gave Andrea further insight into the horizontal segregation in Switzerland, which starts from early ages and heavily impacts the parity in the workplace.

In 2018, Andrea founded MOD-ELLE, an association based in Lausanne whose mission is to tackle gender stereotyping in career aspirations and choices for young people. MOD-ELLE offers to primary school teachers the opportunity to invite inspiring women from different professional backgrounds into their classrooms to talk to children about their jobs, feed their curiosity, break down gender stereotypes and open children’s eyes to future possibilities.

Mother of two daughters and passionate about the intergenerational learning, Andrea mentors Masters’ students of the University of Geneva since 2012 and is an Ambassador for Women International Networking, an international network of female leaders.