My friend and work associate Ian Ames has generously offered to sponsor two places on my new course, Building Successful Communities of Practice for underrepresented and marginalised groups within the digital industry.
I asked Ian to tell me more about why he wanted to do this, and this is what he said. If you or someone you know would like to take him up on the offer, jump to the end of the post to find out how to get in touch with him.
The digital industry has a diversity problem. People who build services for everyone should represent everyone. I want to help make that change by offering the support that was offered to me when I first started out. Emily’s course will be a great introduction to getting started with communities of practice. Those communities will be richer with more voices and viewpoints leading them.
Who are you?
Hello, I’m Ian Ames, a contract delivery manager who mainly works in the public sector.
What prompted you to want to donate some places for people who are part of marginalised groups?
I firmly believe that the best teams are those with as diverse a range of experiences as possible; different points of view result in better products and services. Unfortunately, far too many people in digital are like me; I wanted to do something to help improve diversity in the digital sector.
Why this course in particular?
I’ve been lucky enough to learn first-hand from Emily when forming a community of practice at the Land Registry. I know how great this course will be, and the fact that it is offered as self-paced learning supports my goal of opening up digital roles to as wide an audience as possible. For new folks getting started in digital roles, taking a lead in communities of practice is a great opportunity to boost your career through knowledge sharing.
Who can request one of these places?
If you consider yourself part of a marginalised or underrepresented group in the tech and digital industry, who would otherwise not have the opportunity to participate through other means. This could include (but is not limited to) women, ethnic minorities, people with disability, and those who are LGBTQIA+
How can they get in touch with you?
Either email me at [removed] or drop me a message on LinkedIn.
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Note, these places have been snapped up. If you would also like to sponsor places on the course, please get in touch.
If you would like to be notified of any sponsored places in the future, please fill in the form here.
27 June 2025 at 9:26 am
Thanks Emily for the post. this is what an inspiring initiative for us. Huge respect to Ian for using his position to uplift underrepresented voices in the digital space it’s exactly the kind of support that creates real change. Your course sounds like an excellent opportunity to empower people to build stronger, more inclusive networks. Communities of practice thrive when they’re filled with diverse perspectives, and this sponsorship is a beautiful step in that direction. I hope more people follow Ian’s example. Looking forward to seeing the impact this has!