The 2022 grant recipients of the Mo Siewcharran Fund, administered by Creative Access, are Saqi Books, The Reader and the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme. Each organisation will be taking on a paid intern from a Black, Asian or ethnically-diverse background because of the Fund.

The Fund was set up by John Seaton in loving memory of his wife, Mo, who was the director of Nielson BookData.

Read BookBrunch’s article in full here.

Heloise Wood in The Bookseller has reported the latest round of grant recipients from the Mo Siewcharran Fund, administered by Creative Access. Saqi Books, The Reader and the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme will all be taking on a paid intern from a Black, Asian or ethnically-diverse background because of the Fund.

The Fund was set up by John Seaton in loving memory of his wife, Mo, who was the director of Nielson BookData.

Read The Bookseller article here.

Creative Access has announced the first 2022 grants from the Mo Siewcharran Fund to support internships for talent from Black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds. The Fund grants, which are administered by Creative Access, have been awarded to three impressive organisations working to change the face of the creative industries: The Reader, a national charity working to make literature accessible to all; Saqi Books, a leading independent publisher of trade and academic books on the Middle East and North Africa and the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme (RTYDS), the UK’s foremost programme of paid professional development for theatre directors.

The Fund was set up in memory of former Nielsen BookData Director Mo Siewcharran, who was passionate about ensuring theatre and publishing were accessible to all, and supports internships for talent from Black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds, which are groups under-represented in the creative industries.

The pandemic has had a devastating impact on people working in publishing and theatre. Creative Access research, conducted in May 2020 and then again in December 2021, shows financial stability has declined dramatically with just 26% of those working in publishing and 34% in theatre describing themselves as financially stable versus 55% in both sectors who had said the same in May 2020. 29% of people in theatre and 26% in publishing said the pandemic had negatively impacted their job security – 26% for those from Black, Asian or other ethnic backgrounds.

John Seaton, Mo’s husband and founder of the Fund, said, “As we come out of the pandemic, it is great to be awarding the first grants of 2022 to three organisations that are leading the way in creating a more diverse and inclusive culture in publishing and theatre. The past two years have been incredibly challenging for the sector, but we now have a real opportunity to make fundamental improvements by changing hiring practices and recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds and I am very pleased that the Mo Siewcharran Fund is playing an active role in this mission.”

Josie Dobrin, CEO and founder, Creative Access, said, “It’s a privilege to partner with John in managing the Mo Siewcharran Fund and to be awarding the first grants of 2022 to three incredible organisations who share our passion to make theatre and publishing more accessible, inclusive and representative. We’re excited to see the talent coming forward to take up the internships with these organisations and the impact they will have on the future of the industry.”

The Fund is once again open for other theatre or publishing organisations wishing to support internships for those from under-represented communities. Those interested in applying should contact lucy@creativeaccess.org.uk. The deadline for the next round of applications is 1^st July 2022.

We recently asked our community how important they thought networking was for a successful career in the creative industries. Over 97% agreed that it was vital, however 87% admitted that they found networking difficult. Despite networking helping us move up the career ladder, many people find making connections with strangers cringey or awkward, and it’s often seen as something that happens within privileged circles. However, as our latest masterclass shows, networking can work for everyone – no matter their background or where they are in their career!

Chaired by our director of communications, Bibi Hilton, our panellists included LinkedIn’s social marketing manager, Aston Brooks-Ashitey, head of brand marketing, Zara Easton, and director/producer, networking enthusiast and CA Alum, Dean Webster.

Dean kicked off the masterclass by emphasising how important networking is in the TV world, where most people are freelance. He explained that events such as Royal Television Society Futures can be a great way to mix with both your peers and those high up in the industry. He once met the creator of the Million Pound Drop at an event and simply started the conversation with: “How did you come up with the idea?”. He recommends that anyone in the creative industries does their research prior to networking events on who’s going to be there and read industry trades so that you have relevant news to discuss. Our other panellists echoed this sentiment, agreeing that researching the person you want to reach out and thinking about what can be gained from the connection is vital. Why them? What about their career do you admire? And, fundamentally, what do you want from the exchange? Be it mentoring, career advice or simply widening your network, it’s important to have a beginning, a middle and an end in mind when having a conversation.

As Aston stated, networking doesn’t always have to be about looking for a job. Sometimes, you might gain a great friend or mentor out of it, or a job may come, but perhaps later on down the line when you don’t expect it. She explained that networking at its core is about “building connections”, but you shouldn’t be knocked back if someone doesn’t respond. Bibi reassured the audience that most people in senior positions are happy to help, she recommended asking for 10-minutes to pick someone’s brain – a quick exchange, without pressure, is something that most people can make the time for, even if they’re busy. Although you should always respect people’s boundaries and be thoughtful when reaching out, as Dean says, you have to be aware of “what’s in that person’s control”. Zara suggests waiting a few weeks to chase someone up if they’ve not responded to you, rather than sending a barrage of emails in quick succession.

The creative industries is a small world and Dean made a great point that networking doesn’t have to mean ‘networking up’. It’s just as important to ‘network sideways’ with your peers. He said that building up a network of your industry contemporaries is where “true moments of creative flair can spark”. When he has recruited for TV work, Dean has often thought of people who he’s met at networking events in the past and got in touch with them, proving the power of ‘networking sideways’. Dean is such a fan of networking and an advocate of its power that he came up with his ‘3 Ps of Networking’ on the spot during the discussion! He stated:

Although networking may seem like a skill that only confident people can practice, Zara reminded the audience that even if you’re more introverted, there are forms of networking that can work for you. She recommended that people take it slowly and make it as easy as possible for themselves, explaining that making online connections through platforms like LinkedIn can take the anxiety out of these interactions.

On the power of LinkedIn, we were lucky enough to receive a whistle-stop tour on how to ‘Rock Your Profile’ by Zara and Aston. During the pandemic much of networking moved online and it has shown that location doesn’t have to be an issue if you’re looking to put yourself out there. Zara’s key advice was to customise each LinkedIn request you send; if you explain to people why you want to connect with them, they’re more likely to respond. Similarly, their top tips for optimising your LinkedIn profile were:

1. Utilise your headline (think about how you’d describe your personal brand in 3 words)
2. Your ‘About’ section should be your elevator pitch – keep it to 40 – 100 words
3. Create a custom URL with your name
4. Use a good photo – it doesn’t have to be an expensive headshot, but it should be a semi-professional image that represents you in your work-life

The main sentiment from the evening’s discussion was that networking doesn’t have to be scary, it can be a relaxed and positive way of making connections with likeminded people in your field. It’s also important to bear in mind that we all get nervous; whether someone is a CEO or hasn’t entered the world of work yet, everyone suffers with some level of imposter syndrome. Our panellists assured the audience that you can’t let this fear stop you from trying thing. They encouraged our audience to remember that ultimately networking is just having a conversation with another person. Ending with her favourite piece of networking advice, Zara quoted the Squiggly Careers Podcast’s explanation of networking as “people helping other people”.

All our panellists agreed that their favourite thing about networking is the ‘weird and wonderful’ opportunities it can bring. The truth is, most people are happy to help and most people enjoy telling their stories, as well as hearing other yours. As Aston highlighted: “Everyone has something to offer”. So, remind yourself of this the next time you feel nervous about striking up a conversation with someone at an industry event or sending out that LinkedIn request – you never know what the connection might bring.

Thank you to our fantastic panel, and of course everyone who came along and asked such insightful questions. If you missed the masterclass, you can watch it in full below.

Make sure you join our next masterclass with our friends at McLaren Racing, who will give the lowdown on the many creative careers on offer at McLaren. Keep an eye on our events page for more sign up details.

Some helpful tools on amplifying your career:

o    Jobseeker checklist – to help people create a LinkedIn profile, network and search for a job

o    How to amplify your profile on LinkedIn – online learning video

o    Career transition tool – uncover potential career paths and see how your skills match to real job titles

o    Online training for most in-demand jobs and accredited digital skills training – hundreds of hours’ worth of free online training, including some accredited courses

o    A job search guide attached

Karolina Kaminska in C21 has written about Creative Access’ new partnership with Nutopia to drive diversity in senior leadership in the TV industry. Read Karolina’s article here.

Creative Access alum, Luke James, shares his thoughts on returning to the office after nearly two years of working from home during the covid-19 pandemic.

I go back to the office full-time this week and honestly everything about it, aside from the return of the office birthday cake, is making me a bit nervous. The pressure is on, with the government and big business screaming for the country to get back into the office. Coincidentally, those that scream the loudest for this have a huge economic interest in making sure that their lucrative office buildings in the centre of the big cities up and down the country are being used. However, as most of us aren’t property tycoons or postcode millionaires, there are a lot of conflicting feelings around returning to the office.

I’ve got good reason to be hesitant to return to the office, I’ve enjoyed a simple life at home not having to worry about things like awkward micro-aggressions – “no I haven’t brought ‘jerk chicken’ in for lunch again, it’s just last night’s dinner”. I, like many others, am really not looking forward to my creeping social anxiety returning right in the middle of an important pitch, and if I could avoid using public toilets for the rest of my life I would. These issues are ultimately trivial compared to the impact that returning to the office will have on my wallet.

Full-time office work can add up very quickly. Commuting, the occasional lunch and, unless pyjamas with holes in the crotch become on trend, new clothes will all cost me money. Whilst I’m experienced and fortunate enough to be able to mitigate these costs, it’s my junior colleagues that will be hit the hardest by this. Aside from the obvious (that they are paid less) often our junior colleagues may feel the pressure to spend money to keep up with senior members of staff – I know I certainly did. Couple this with the skyrocketing cost of living, the coming increase in national insurance and energy prices and I do fear that return to the office means, yet again, excluding those from lower-incomes the opportunity to work in our industry. We risk losing those junior members of staff who do not have the capital to survive returning to the office. It goes without saying that those who struggle with mobility or social issues also stand to lose the most. In some ways a return to work can be seen as a step-back for diversity of thought.

It’s not all doom and gloom and I really am looking forward to returning to my office. I’ve missed those shared experiences of hearing someone’s good news together, I’ve missed going to the pub to discuss a long day at work, I’ve missed the birthday cakes. It’s easy to forget the human aspect of these jobs that have been mostly solo over the last 18 months. Perhaps my rose-tinted glasses need some adjusting, but these days I even yearn to watch a colleague chew with their mouth open. I’m fortunate enough to enjoy my job and love where I work, but I know it’s not the same for everyone. It’s an over-simplification to suggest that you should find a working environment that you love – how do you even do that?

Perhaps we should just be grateful that we even have a choice in the first place. Many workers up and down the country don’t have the luxury of working from home at-all, let alone some form of hybrid working. There are genuine benefits to the office, the socialisation aspects, the growth and learning opportunities, the birthday cake – but is this worth the cost of greater autonomy over our day-to-day lives? Is this a step-back in the fight to have a greater work-life balance? How detrimental will all of this be to increasing the level of diversity of thought in the workplace? I’m not sure, but I do know that sales of birthday cakes will surely rise to pre-pandemic levels.

In Adele Redmond’s latest article for Arts Professional, she discusses the recent difficulties in recruiting to arts roles, which is prompting claims of a “great resignation” from the sector. She states: “New staff are demanding higher pay and more flexible working conditions than before the pandemic, leading to imbalances in some organisations.”

Redmond highlights Creative Access’ research into how under-represented groups have been affected by the pandemic, specifically that mental wellbeing is a priority for nearly two thirds (61%) of the Creative Access community and that in a snap survey we conducted last month, 96% said a four-day work week would be good for their career.

Read the article in full here.

Televisual have highlighted Creative Access and Nutopia’s new partnership, alongside National Geographic. The collaboration will address the under-representation of people from Black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds at senior levels in the TV industry through hiring 2 individuals working as a line producer, producer, series producer, or director level to accelerate to the next level or move into high end factual TV.

Read more about the partnership here.

Apply for the opportunity.

In Broadcast’s In Brief section, John Elmes and Alex Farber wrote: “Indie Nutopia has teamed up with Creative Access to provide opportunities to execs from black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds through its recently launched Nutopia Partnerships scheme.”

They further detailed how vital this move is by Creative Access and Nutopia: “With less than 10% of senior productions roles in the UK held by people from BAME backgrounds, Nutopia Partnerships is an accelerator programme intended to help overcome this challenge.”

Read the article here.

Ambitious Nutopia x Creative Access positive action programme offers opportunity to join the team on a new global adventure series

Award-winning production company Nutopia and Creative Access, the leading diversity social enterprise, are today launching ‘Nutopia Partnerships,’ an ambitious new collaboration to address the under-representation of people from Black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds at senior levels in the TV industry.

As part of the new landmark programme, Nutopia is offering a unique opportunity, funded by National Geographic, for four experienced individuals to join the team on a multi-part multi year global adventure series.

Less than 10% of senior production roles in the UK TV industry are held by people from Black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds, according to the Creative Diversity Network*. The Nutopia Partnerships initiative is the first programme of its kind specifically designed to tackle senior-level diversity in the industry and the first to be led by an independent production company. It is part of Nutopia’s ambitious new diversity and inclusion strategy spearheaded by CEO and Founder, Jane Root and supported by Creative Access, who work with over 450 employers across the creative industries to enable them to be more accessible, representative and inclusive through progressive recruitment, training and mentoring.

The Nutopia Partnerships will be an accelerator programme aimed at creating the next generation of creative leaders by offering a training opportunity to traditionally underrepresented groups.

From today candidates from Black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds, who have already taken on senior roles in TV and film. The positive action programme is designed for both the existing senior production team and the successful applicants to learn new skills and approaches. The successful candidates will receive insight and experience on the making of an episode from start to finish, under the guidance of senior leadership; deepen their leadership, financial and technical skills and have first-hand on location experience in the most challenging situations. They will bring new insights to our senior team, driving the next level of creative aspiration across Nutopia. To find out more and apply, click here.

“While we are seeing progress being made to address diversity at entry-level in the TV industry, the lack of diversity at senior levels remains a serious and concerning issue and is a real barrier to the retention and progression of the new, more diverse junior talent coming in to the industry,” says Josie Dobrin, founder and CEO, Creative Access.

“This new, industry-leading collaboration between Nutopia and Creative Access is designed to specifically target this issue. We are very proud to be working with Nutopia, as well as National Geographic to drive meaningful change in diversity at senior levels in the industry,”

“At Nutopia to achieve the next level of creative aspiration we need to invite people in and embed different voices and experiences in our core. We are proud to partner with National Geographic and Creative Access on the Nutopia Partnerships,” says Jane Root, founder and CEO, Nutopia.

“Our aim is to create a lasting legacy within factual television across senior levels. There’s much work to be done, and we will continue to learn as we make progress through our most comprehensive initiative to date.”

Who is eligible to apply?

Candidates applying should be currently working at Line Producer/Producer / Series Producer / Director level or similar and looking to further progress to the next level or make the move into high end factual TV.  The Nutopia Partnerships are designed to give the successful candidates space to bring their creativity into the world of factual adventure.

As a Nutopia Partner they will embark on a 12-month programme that will take them through all the processes of senior leadership in a multi-part global factual series, from development of the episode story, production on location with a large crew and then edit oversight.

In addition, they will also be provided with a curriculum of leadership coaching, a bespoke training plan with focus areas for individual development and a mentor, to give them the skills and experience to make the move into a senior role in the premium factual genre. They will be funded to participate at a rate commensurate with current salary.

The ‘Nutopia Partnerships’ will run over two years. There will be four Nutopia Partners who each join the team for 12 months and we are looking for people to join the 2022 cohort. 

*Source: UK Race and Ethnic Diversity: a deep dive into Diamond data, Creative Diversity Network, October 2020

FURTHER APPLICATION DETAILS

The Nutopia Partnership project will run over two years. There will be four Nutopia Partners in total, completing 1 year each and recruitment is opening from February 10^th for year one.

The team particularly want to hear from adaptable and collaborative individuals with the following knowledge, skills, and experience:

• Demonstrable experience at mid- senior level, Line Producer, Producer, Series Producer
• The desire to learn more about the whole process of making high-end factual entertainment TV.
• Proven creative leadership
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to maintain key relationships with multiple stakeholders.
• Confidence to think analytically and make effective decisions in fast changing environments.
• A commitment to this project for 12 months with an interest in building a career in factual documentary.

To apply

Please upload your CV & covering letter as a single document to Creative Access by 3^rd, March 2022.

The partnership has been covered in Televisual, Broadcast and C21 Media.

iStock Awards $20,000 to Four Emerging Commercial Photographers, Videographers and Illustrators Globally as Part of Inaugural Inclusion Grant

In partnership with four organizations working directly with underrepresented communities in the U.S., UK, LATAM and Australia, iStock awards much-needed financial support to four creators.

iStock, a leader in affordable visual communications for the creative, entrepreneurial, student and SMB communities, today announces the four creative commercial artists chosen to receive its inaugural Inclusion Grant, designed to support them as they endeavor to draw attention to underrepresented communities through their work. The grant was open to commercial photographers, videographers and illustrators based in the U.S., UK, LATAM and Australia and is being awarded in partnership with U.S.-based organization Black Women Photographers, UK-based organization Creative Access, Fotografas Latam and Australia Council for the Arts.

“This grant demonstrates iStock’s continued commitment to support diverse creators around the world, both financial and in terms of mentorship, as they seek to tell stories around their communities and ultimately take their commercial careers to the next level,” said Claudia Marks, Senior Art Director, iStock. “To that end, we’re thrilled to say that our four recipients from the U.S., UK, Columbia and Australia are each incredible storytellers in their own right, creating visuals which the world needs to see—and that’s something we’re eager to make happen alongside our partners.”

The four recipients include:

• U.S.: Malaika Muindi, Film-maker. Malaika creates short videos, coupled with portraits to connect her audience to varied people, communities, and experiences that may be foreign or familiar.
• UK: Mathushaa Sagthidas, Photographer. Mathushaa’s work often examines her identity – Tamil Eelam ethnicity and British nationality, which is reflected through traditions, history and fashion photography.
• LATAM: Natalia Ortiz Mantilla, Photographer. Natalia’s work framed in the understanding of the relationship between communities and the inhabited ecosystem, being each territory a source of memory and identity, connected to topics such as resilience, resistance, social justice and gender approach.
• Australia: Marley Morgan, Photographer. Marley, a member of the Wiradjuri, Gamilaraay and Yuwaalaraay nations, highlights the beauty of First Nations Aboriginal families with a heavy focus on Aboriginal women, motherhood and culture.

“Getting this funding means so much to me for so many reasons – one of which being that I’m able to bring life to a project revolving around South Asian stories and perspectives, a concept that I’ve been wanting to create since before the start of the pandemic. This project will tell various South Asian stories about our beautiful cultural differences and share personal stories to teach those outside of the community that might not know much about the various cultures, creative and celebrations within this Asian continent. I’m super grateful to have this support to be able to progress my project and practice,” said Mathushaa Sagthidas, photographer, UK.

“The pandemic and decline in creative industry funding have disproportionately impacted people in the creative sector from under-represented communities, which is why this Getty/iStock grant is such an important programme. We are so pleased to partner with Getty/iStock to award the inaugural grant to Mathushaa to support her important and inspiring work and that of the wider creative community,” says Josie Dobrin, founder and CEO, Creative Access.

Each of the four grants was judged independently by the following judges, in collaboration with the iStock art team:

• U.S.: Polly Irungu, Founder of Black Women Photographers, and Barbara DuMetz, pioneer in commercial photography
• UK: Josie Dobrin, CEO & Co-Founder of Creative Access, and Vanessa Martins, Freelance photographer
• LATAM: Lorena Velasco and Fernanda Pitaño, Co-Founders, Fotografas Latam, and Cristina Otero, commercial and fine art photographer
• Australia: Franchesca Cubillo, Executive Director of First Nations Arts & Culture, and Patricia Adjei, Head of First Nations Arts & Culture Sector Development, both with Australia Council

In addition to the $5,000 prize, each recipient has been given the opportunity to license their winning work on the iStock website at a 100 percent royalty rate. The iStock Inclusion Grant is part of Getty Images’ wider grants program which has awarded US$1.8 million to photographers and filmmakers worldwide since its inception. Please visit Getty Images Grants to learn more.

Creative Access welcomed us back with the “How-to turbo-charge your career” masterclass last Thursday. Our own April Brown chaired the discussion with Lynn Blades, leadership coach and advocate for a “workforce more representative of our society” as well as football journalist Ahmed Shooble, who has been making waves of his own writing for the likes of The Times and The Athletic. Together they discussed how to take your professional career to the next level, the obstacles that may arise, how to deal with them, and most importantly – the power in self-belief.

With a new year often comes the desire to better ourselves; to elevate, improve and implement changes that our future selves will thank us for. This includes within our work lives – everyone wants to level up, to reach that new position, or to smash goals in an existing one, but the idea of change might be scary. Turbo-charging isn’t about getting somewhere quickly, but more so the small actionable tasks we can undertake to build the ladder to get to that place.

Ahmed, a Creative Access alum who is now a journalist writing for one of the biggest sports websites in the world, stresses the importance of knowing you are in control. “It’s not a race, but a journey,” he says, as he explains his route into sports journalism. “Know where you want to be, which publication, then figure out whose attention you need to get – work backwards.” It’s so important to show initiative, and know you are in charge of your future. Lynn adds how vital it is to be mindful, taking time to think about your ambitions and achievable goals. Sometimes all that’s needed is a step back to see things as a whole, and look at specific skills you’d like to improve on or acquire.

Networking is key to levelling up. When asked about the importance of networking online, our panellists had lots to share. Lynn, who works with the best and brightest as well as a slew of very impressive companies such as Nike, BBC, and Sony, spoke about LinkedIn. With 74 million viewers, LinkedIn can seem like a never-ending pool of people sharing their achievements, but with only 6 million original posts, it’s vital you make yourself known and celebrate your accomplishments – no matter how small! Ahmed added that it was through keeping contact with someone he’d networked with online, that he found his current job.

Ahmed then continues, explaining that his turbo-charge was aided by a journalism degree. This is not to say that this is needed to get into sports journalism, but the lesson here lies in the initiative he used to push himself to get one. “Degrees aren’t essential, I didn’t get one at first”, he explains before sharing his other tips. Employers want to see that you are willing to learn and grow, and a lot of companies offer training in-house – you should take advantage of this if it is available. If specifically looking to get into journalism, Ahmed advises contacting commissioning editors and making sure your pitch is above par. How is this done? By explaining why this is the publication for you, and what ideas you have to offer. “Don’t give everything away” he warns, “lay it out like a conversation”. We learn that pitching can sometimes be brutal, but Lynn adds “if you can’t fail, you can’t succeed” and suddenly failing doesn’t seem so fatal.

Sometimes we can face difficulty on our way to success. Lynn bravely shared her experience of harassment in the workplace, and harrowingly, the little that was done to support her. This was her calling card to leave, and she found several opportunities available to her. She cautions our listeners not to “let a big head take over” and think carefully about the chances we are given. Not every position will be a dream job, but the transferable skills and doors that could open can sometimes make It all worthwhile. April, our chair, spoke of her struggle with the culture of unpaid internships, an issue Creative Access is working tirelessly to change.

Ahmed agreed, speaking of his own clashes with imposter syndrome and wondering whether his skin colour was the reason he got the job. 85% of people in positions of power experience imposter syndrome – so an experience that can often leave us feeling inadequate and alone, is a lot more common than you might think, which is even more reason to talk about it and have these difficult conversations with your peers.

Not everyone’s seeds will bloom so openly though, as our audience asked for advice on what to do when feeling lost – an overwhelming emotion that most of us can sympathise with. Our panel reassured us by saying that discomfort is okay! Great things never came from comfort zones, sitting in that discomfort can perhaps teach us what we don’t like, and on top of that, encourage us to go back to basics and ask ourselves – what do we like? What makes us happy? What are our strengths? And build from there. And if you’re looking to change industry, this advice still stands; try sitting, doing some research, and contacting specific individuals in an area you would like to try out.

If big change seems a little too much – start small! Our panel shared some resources they are using to make themselves the best in their respective fields. Reading about what’s going on around you, especially within the field you’re interested in can help you stay in the know. Setting alerts to email bulletins such as Media Beans and Creative Access (shameless plug!) can put you ahead, and can be impressive when cited in an interview. In addition, Lynn shares some apps she uses to stay present in our fast-moving world. She suggests Calm, and regular meditation – there’s strength in steadiness.

As our discussion came to an end, we broached the subject of the future of the Creative industry. The murder of George Floyd sparked a much-needed cry for justice and resulted in many coming together to both educate themselves and spread awareness of the effects of discrimination. Still, there is a way to go, our panel agrees. “A house divided cannot stand,” Lynn says, and she’s right. BCOMP (The Black Collective of Media in Sport), where Ahmed spent some time during a summer internship, is proof our house is still very much divided, but he expresses the significance of “being the change you want to see”. It might be inevitable that you meet unsavoury individuals, but we are growing into a community that sees the necessity of allyship. The future needs more leaders of colour; individuals who stand as beacons, calling to those who feel as though they’d never make it to positions of power. A lot of companies are missing the mark, which can be frustrating but the talent within the emerging generation is also undeniable. If given the chance, this great talent is ready to do some turbo-charging of its own to the top.

If you’re looking for more information and resources don’t forget to follow us on our social media (Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn) to stay up to date. Our next masterclass will focus on battling the nerves that come with Networking on the 24th of February at 5:30pm.

A special thanks to all our panellists and April for chairing an amazing discussion. Watch the recording below.