A conversation between Alessandra Fassio, our previous Advocacy and Relations Manager and Iwona Soppa, who is stepping into this role.

Iwona: Alex, I’m so excited to be taking over from you as the Advocacy and Relations Manager at the Data for Children Collaborative with UNICEF. I have observed the Collaborative since it joined the Edinburgh Futures Institute. I have been admiring the energy you bring to the wider team and the approach to not only the work you do within the projects you are involved with, but also more broadly in advocating for the culture of ethical awareness in the space of data for children initiatives. So, I would love to hear from you about the achievements that you are most proud of?

Alessandra: My time at the DCC has been full of new experiences and opportunities to advocate for change in the data ethics space. I think one of my earliest successes has to be the first time using the Ethical Assessment on a real life project. This piece of work was a long time in the making, and involved lots of back and forth with experts in the field to get the language, structure and approach just right. Being able to finally take that assessment and introduce it to a project team, and see it land successfully, was a real win.  

Following this, I think I’ve been really fortunate to be able to present at and participate in numerous events, promoting our Responsible Innovation work and talking about how to make ethical discussions practical and actionable. Some highlights for me definitely include being on panels at Data Summit 2021 and Think Data for Government, and being able to talk about our work on a global stage.  

Taking a risk and giving it a go with our Responsible Innovation framework has helped the DCC become a go-to platform for advice and support about practical ethical frameworks. I was involved in a piece of work with the Scottish Government’s Data and Intelligence Network helping them to build an ethical framework to govern their data-driven projects during the pandemic. Being able to support another organisation and offer feedback and advice from my own experience was really rewarding. The outputs of the work landed really successfully and are now being further embedded into the Scottish Government, which is great to see. 

My role at the DCC has allowed me to build a diverse set of skills across a variety of areas – including relations, communications, project and stakeholder management, to name but a few! Looking back, I think I’m proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone and getting stuck in to all areas of the organisation. I’ve tried to be like a sponge, absorbing as much knowledge from my colleagues as possible!  

Iwona: That is an awe-inspiring list of vital work in this space. I think it is so important, as you say, to make those, sometimes high-level ethical discussions, actionable and practical. This way, people who strive to make lasting improvements to children's lives and want to do it in a way that conveys integrity and respect have tools that are digestible and accessible to them. Taking this over for you feels like a natural step in my journey.  

I had always been passionate about addressing social and political inequalities, and a sense that whatever I did in the professional sphere had to reflect my commitment to it. So, it comes as no surprise I have chosen to study Philosophy and Politics. During my time at the university, I had been drawn to issues of gender and race inequalities, and the way in which they can be addressed through cultural and political shifts.  

Since joining the Edinburgh Futures Institute in 2020, and supporting the Centre for Technomoral Futures, I had been exposed to the area of data and artificial intelligence ethics in a lot of depth which helped me to narrow down my focus. I came to appreciate how certain inequalities can be reflected in data and technology and learn about constructive ways in which to address this. I’m far from an expert, but I believe that to nurture a culture of ethical awareness we need an array of perspectives and experiences.  

I think it is important to think about inclusion in every step of working in the space of data ethics. These could be reflected in asking questions like: “who is in the room when we organize an event around these issues?,” “do people know what we mean when we talk about ethics,” “how can we reach people who are affected by this?”.  

That is why it is crucial to create clear communications practices, an area I worked in intensively at my previous role at the Centre for Techonomoral Futures. I know you have done some amazing work in creating transparent and easily accessible ways of engaging your audiences, and I’m really looking forward to continuing this.  

Alessandra: It sounds like your interests are well-aligned to the DCC mission! Your background and experience will have played a large role in shaping your view and approach to ethics, and data ethics, as a concept, and I think it’s always important to have a fresh pair of eyes and a new perspective to sense check your work. I have no doubt that you’ll be instrumental in helping to continue the growth and development of the DCC’s Responsible Innovation framework. I wonder if you could tell us a little about what excites you most about your new role at the DCC, and what you’re most looking forward to working on?

Iwona: Oh, where do I start! EVERYTHING. 

I’m really passionate about the Responsible Innovation Framework, and how that has a material impact in improving the outcomes for every child. Knowing that your work has such an impact is very rewarding. I’m sure I have a lot of learning in this area, but I also know I’m in good hands. The team at the Collaborative is amazing. I have so far admired the energy of the team from afar and so calling them “my team” is super exciting.  

I also cannot wait to learn more about the projects themselves. It’s so energizing to see the creativity behind ethical innovation.  

Secretly – I'm also a bit of a geek when it comes to web and comms design, so you will find me doing some creative stuff around that.  

Alessandra: Really looking forward to seeing everything you get up to on this next step of your journey, and best of luck in your role at the Collaborative!

If you are interested in chatting with Iwona you can drop her email: https://www.dataforchildrencollaborative.com/dcc-contact-us

If you would like to keep in touch with Alessandra, you can find her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandrafassio1996/