As the world prepares for the spread of COVID19, we want to ensure we are doing all we can to support our community. Over the coming weeks and months, for most of us the disruption to our day to day lives is inevitable. To name a few - self-isolation will mean more remote working, could make job hunting harder and looking after our loved ones a challenge.
We went out to our global membership - over 8000 women/people who identify as - to ask them about the current and potential impact COVD19 could have on their businesses, careers, and families. Here are our high level recommendations; followed by fuller responses below.
What can government do now:
- Increase broadband speeds to handle remote working
- Support community-based childcare and other needs-based solutions
- Support community-based funds to help small businesses and freelancers
What Ada’s List is doing now:
- We’re launching an ask/offer channel for all members to put their needs and haves into a global marketplace
- Identifying potential partners across London to help with the creation and implementation of any community-based solutions
- Raising our hand to support the spread of disinformation
What our global community can do now:
- Start thinking now about how you can help your neighbors. Create a list of 3 things that you’re prepared to offer when/if it's necessary
- Reach out to friends, new parents, family members, colleagues, vulnerable friends, etc to set up scheduled ‘check ins’ via video conferencing. You can still support your community, it’ll just look different.
- Tip service workers; we recommend checking this out via our friend, Jess Morales Rocketto
- Building on the work done by NewSpeak House, you can continue to build out their resources. https://coronavirustechhandbook.com/
We want this community to roll up its sleeves and help each other if/when possible and lets get through this, together. Tweet us (@adaslist) with your pro-tips and we'll share them.
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Background + Community Concerns
Ada’s List is a global community of women who work in/around digital. We have polled our 8000-strong membership base to get an understanding of how COVID19 is impacting their businesses and/or their fears around how COVID19 might impact their livelihoods.
We have spoken to: Business owners, consultants, freelancers, public speakers, event organizers, mums/carers and small business owners
The top responses we’ve received in the last 24 hours since polling our community:
- Remote working - childcare - managing remote work and childcare simultaneously; broadband speeds with a large, sudden remote workforce; having access to affordable remote working tools
- Livelihood +other essentials - having access to food and medical supplies; being able to support older and vulnerable loved ones from afar; how to support ill loved ones living with you.
- Business viability - overall lack of certainty; cancelled and postponed projects; postponement of business launch (2x); postponement of going out for external funding (3x).
- Freelancers - related to the above, but there have been many individuals directly impacted by projects getting cancelled or postponed
- Self-isolation - maintaining human connection and inspiration throughout all of this