In honour of Jessica Kingsley Publisher’s upcoming book ‘The Bigger Book of Amazing Dyslexics’, we spoke to authors Kathy Forsyth and Kate Power about the incredible work that dyslexic people do across all the creative industries!

Welcome to the colourful world of dyslexia.

Looking to inspire our teenage dyslexics through secondary school and college, we spent three years interviewing amazing dyslexics about the jobs they do. It was an incredible and inspiring experience to meet over fifty happy and successful amazing dyslexics working in a wide range of jobs – from a top London surgeon to a Royal ballet choreographer, and a few famous faces too… The project resulted in a design-led book showing the amazing dyslexics pictured in their working environments alongside their interviews. The wonderful fashion designer Paul Smith supported the project and wrote the foreword to ‘The Bigger Picture Book of Amazing Dyslexics and The Jobs They Do’.

The thing that all these amazing dyslexics share is that they have found careers they love, they have explored subjects and pursuits that they are passionate about, and carved out niche careers for themselves, careers from football to writing for a living. The key is to identify what you are good at and enjoy, to find projects that energise you rather than drain you. Once you know what you’re amazing at, look at what you may struggle with, and find people to work with that can do what you can’t, and vice versa… collaboration is a dyslexic’s best friend!

We talked to our amazing dyslexics about their top tips, what gets them in a pickle and what makes them burst with pride. As a dyslexic is important to know your challenges and build your toolbox of coping strategies and technologies available that make life easier. It’s the ideas that are important, leave ‘spellcheck’ to check the spelling! Our first book ‘The Illustrated Guide to Dyslexia and Its Amazing People’ is an easy way to understand how dyslexia affects you, which provides some useful top tips.

At school, we only study around fifteen subjects, but there are thousands of jobs available using more than these topics. At school, you’re not tested on key skills like empathy or collaborating which are so valuable in the world of work. In this new digital age, new jobs emerge all the time, your perfect job may not have been created yet. Recent research commissioned shows that the things that many dyslexics are good at are needed for the future job market. There’s never been a better time to be dyslexic!

It’s time to change the negative perception of dyslexia and to embrace the skill set and divergent thinking of dyslexics. “Your time has come,” says educational psychologist Katherine Sharkey.

Dyslexia is a different way of learning and thinking and affects everybody differently, it can be mild or severe. About 1 in 10 people are dyslexic, and it’s commonplace in the creative industries where thinking differently is embraced. Sebastian Conran, son of design guru Sir Terrance Conran noted: “In the design industry it’s actually a stigma if you’re not dyslexic.” Lots of entrepreneurs are proudly dyslexic too.

We also interviewed experts in the field of dyslexia, like Professor John Stein FMedSci. Professor & Fellow at Magdalen College, Oxford who has said he “wouldn’t want to cure dyslexia; it comes with too many good things.”

Dyslexic strengths are more recognised with companies looking for big picture thinkers. Matt Boyd runs Exceptional Individuals, an employment agency for dyslexics (and other neurodivergent thinkers), it provides support and educates employers about how great minds think different.

Marketing Director at Direct Line Mark Evans believes that “dyslexia is the next big thing in the talent conversation.”

Read more in ‘The Bigger Picture Book of Amazing Dyslexics and The Jobs They Do’ publication date May 2020. You can pre-order your copy here.

From Spike Lee, to Martin Scorsese… we were thrilled to host a Q&A between Times journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera and award-winning writer, producer and director Asif Kapadia on all things film…

Hosted on the 17th floor of News UK, yesterday’s masterclass boasted beautiful views of the city and a night of illuminating advice. Sathnam’s insightful questions for Asif led an incredible discussion on how to thrive in the film industry.

The evening kicked off with a viewing of the trailers for award-winning films, Amy and Senna. Sathnam acknowledged that it was the first time we had an Oscar winner at a Creative Access masterclass.

He started the discussion asking Asif about his roots and where his journey into film started. The filmmaker recalled “I came from the most unmedia background ever. I grew up in Hackney, I was working class, Muslim – the youngest of five children – I didn’t know anyone in the media.” But he didn’t let this deter him: “I was lucky because I worked hard and I fell into something that I loved; it didn’t feel like work.” Asif’s passion for what he does was a real staple of last night’s discussion.

Asif discussed his route into cinema, citing the number of rejections he received from arts schools and universities. Despite not taking any A-levels, Asif went on to study for several degrees and is a big believer in the value of education. After a multitude of awards and recognition for his creative talent, Asif is now able to ask, “What was it about my application form that never got me in?”

Asif’s love of film didn’t initially come from studying, like many other great filmmakers, but rather from being involved in the process and creating film itself: “My love of cinema and filmmaking has come from working on film, making them, a being part of a gang, a crew, making it happen.” 

Sathnam then asked Asif how he felt about diversity in film. The question touched on the recent controversy, following allegations that award ceremonies don’t favour people of colour. However, Asif doesn’t hold these awarding bodies to blame. Instead, he asked, “tell me which films get made, who is financing them, who are the people who run Film 4, the BBC… who do they hire? It starts really far back. We can’t just blame awards.” 

The discussion then led to advice for aspiring film directors. Sathnam enquired whether you need to be fundamentally a self-starter? Asif responded that “if you want to direct, you’ve got to teach yourself to write, you need to have an opinion, watch movies and be interested in characters and stories, travel and culture.”

Asif also stressed the importance of discipline; “it’s all about deadlines – set yourself a target to make one film every year.”

The masterclasses then ended in an engaging Q&A; from Asif encouraging creatives to create work they themselves would enjoy, to making sure they can also take on work to pay the bills: “If you are working on something you don’t even like there’s something wrong.” 

He urged the audience to question, “what draws you to a story? I think generally it’s like a question.” He recalled the making of Senna, a film that prompted him to explore how to make “some bloke driving round and round a track, wearing a helmet, emotionally engaging.”I like that challenge“.

Other advice involved pursuing education and its value for creating content and being patient in cultivating relationships that will drive a story and its characters. Asif finished by asking our interns, “What is interesting you to you? What is personal to you?” to find out what works.

Massive thanks to News UK for hosting us in their fabulous space and of course to our speakers Sathnam Sanghera and Asif Kapadia. 

Khaleda Rahman has come so far since her internship with Creative Access in 2013. She has worked across the world in offices in London, New York and Sydney, but one thing she has noticed consistently is the diversity problem in journalism. Khaleda shares some of her own experiences with us…

Walking into an unfamiliar newsroom for the first time is daunting for any new journalist, I’m sure—but it’s even more so when you realise you’re one of very few people of colour there.

As a freshly qualified journalist, I secured an internship with a local London newspaper through Creative Access. I’m incredibly thankful that I was able to learn the ropes at a small weekly newspaper so when I made the leap to the nationals and found myself walking into newsroom after newsroom where I was in the minority in the years that followed, I was a much more confident journalist.

Over the past six or so years, I’ve worked at the Birmingham Mail and the Scottish Daily Mail while on the MailOnline graduate scheme and then went to work in MailOnline’s offices in London, New York and Sydney. After a stint as a foreign news reporter back in London, I decided to go freelance and move to Los Angeles. I’m now based back in the U.K. as a reporter for Newsweek.

I’ve been lucky enough to live and work in some of the greatest cities in the world and work on some of the biggest news stories in recent years—the 2016 presidential election, ISIS and “Megxit” to name just a few.

But one thing I’ve noticed everywhere I’ve worked is the lack of diversity. It’s not just an issue in UK newsrooms, but also in the US and Australia.

Don’t just take my word for it—there are plenty of statistics that speak for themselves. According to the National Council for the Training of Journalists, 94 percent of journalists in the UK are white and it is 87 percent in the US. Research in the US also found that employees in newsrooms are more likely to be white and male than anywhere else in the country. In Australia, newsrooms are overwhelmingly white and a recent study found that more than a third of hard news stories reflect negatively on minority communities.

That lack of ethnic diversity is most glaring when stories related to race have made headlines, whether it’s about politics or terrorism. It’s clear there’s a problem when mainstream news outlets misidentify prominent people of color or someone like the BBC’s Naga Munchetty is unfairly penalised for voicing her experience of racism when speaking about racist comments made by Donald Trump. And of course, there’s the specific kind of coverage of the Duchess of Sussex that some have claimed is fuelled by racism, while others insist has nothing to do with her skin colour.

In my years in journalism, I’ve had an editor suggest I would have an easier time securing job interviews if I Anglicised my name on my CV. I’ve had another confuse me for the only other brown woman in the office. I’ve seen the surprise on the faces of colleagues when I’ve told them I’m Muslim. And sometimes, I’ve had to strongly push back on headlines that I feel are unnecessarily inflammatory or biased.

But when it comes to these kinds of things, it can be challenging to have your voice heard. Speak too loud and you’ll be accused of “playing the race card.” Say nothing and it keeps happening. Sometimes you might feel it’s better to pick your battles as you always have a job to be getting on.

The onus shouldn’t be on the few people of color in newsrooms to educate their colleagues, especially if they’re in more junior positions.

Of course, more people of color should be recruited into newsrooms but tokenism in the workplace won’t make a big enough difference. They should also be recruited into more senior roles and changes should be made at the top.

Newsrooms should reflect the communities and demographics they represent, and it’s disheartening to say that almost a decade after I started on my path to become a journalist, there’s still a long way to go.

Journalists from diverse backgrounds can add so much value to newsrooms today and ensure reporting is more accurate and comprehensive. While it can be a tough road at times, the job is also an incredibly rewarding one. Over the past few years, I’ve had the chance to pursue some of the stories I feel most passionate about, including revealing the identity of a jihadi bride from Scotland, speaking to a Saudi teenager who fled the kingdom and barricaded herself in a hotel in Bangkok Airport and interview a man who survived the mosque shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand.

There are plenty of stories like these that need to be told and we are the ones who should tell them.

You can follow Khaleda on Twitter at @Khaleda

We are so happy to welcome the newest member to the Creative Access team, Laura, who has joined us as our Head of Programmes! In honour of her joining, we arranged a Q&A with her to learn more about her role and what brought her to Creative Access, and ask what advice she would give to young creatives just starting out…

First of all, welcome, Laura! How are you enjoying your time here so far?

I’m settling in really well thanks, it’s such a lovely team and supportive environment to work within. I’m only in my second week and it’s been a busy start including two trips to Bristol already! I’ve especially enjoyed learning about the breath and depth of Creative Access’ work, working with a range of creative organisations as well as matching mentees with mentors. Of course, I’m still getting up to speed with everything!

How would you describe your role as Head of Programmes?

It’s a brand new role which is exciting, including outreach – so as many people as possible from under-represented careers pursue creative careers; and then support – so they can progress and flourish once they secure their first role. My role involves managing programmes, maintaining existing relationships and building new partnerships.

What brought you to this career path?

My background is in Art History, Anthropology and Youth Work. I worked at Tate for 10 years, starting off as an Intern: Youth Programmes in the Learning team at Tate Britain and then as Customer Services Assistant for Tate Enterprises Ltd. in their Publishing team. I worked as Assistant Curator: Young People’s Programmes and then as Curator where I led on the delivery of the cross-arts education programme for young people aged 15 – 25 years, which engaged 20,000 visitors per year.

In 2018, I completed an MA in Applied Anthropology, Community and Youth Work at Goldsmiths University, whilst on sabbatical leave. I then worked as Employment Manager, Create Jobs Programme at A New Direction to oversee the delivery of various strategic projects to support the next generation of creative talent and bring in new ideas and energy to the creative and cultural sector. I am passionate about making positive change, inspiring young people and this new role at Creative Access’ is well suited to my interests and experience.

What advice would you give to young creatives at the start of their careers?

1. Be kind and respectful – treat others how you wish to be treated
2. Do your research into individuals, organisations and projects
3. Prioritise self care, your physical and mental heath comes first
4. Don’t compromise on your values and what matters to you most
5. Keep in touch – your network is your net worth

What’s one interesting thing about you that’s not on your CV?

I have a really loud laugh which sometimes shocks people! It occasionally gets me into trouble but generally people seem to laugh along too.

Forming a relationship online or over the phone is not always straightforward, so how do you create an effective and fruitful virtual mentoring partnership?

We’re so grateful for our team of brilliantly committed and encouraging mentors. We’d thought we’d share a collection of resources and guidance for both our mentors and mentees to help with connecting remotely.

For mentors

• Mentoring is such a powerful tool, through the ups and the downs, allowing time for reflection, supporting with structure and to help put things in perspective. Drawing on your professional experience to date, you can support by providing a sense of grounding and long-term view.

• Of course, there’s pros and cons to mentoring virtually as opposed to face-to-face and it’s important to acknowledge that whilst it may be more flexible, it may be more challenging to develop a trusting relationship. That said, and as long as you’re able to overcome any technical issues… it could actually inspire more relaxed and creative conversations away from both of your workplace settings.

• For early career professionals who are often the newest members of the team, it can be harder to sustain meaningful relationships with colleagues whilst on furlough and/or working from home. This could lead to feeling lonely or out of touch with the rest of their organisation. The simple act of checking in by sending a text message or brief email to your mentee asking how they are doing can go a long way.

• It’s important to be mindful that the COVID-19 pandemic may trigger trauma for young people. The National Mentoring Partnership in the US provides a practical resource for mentors.

For mentees

• Your mentor might be going through a very challenging time in their personal and/or professional life, remember to ask how they are and whether they’re able to connect remotely. Good mentees are considerate, respectful and can work within their mentor’s schedule.

• It is still important to prepare for a virtual meet up with your mentor, in order to maximise your time together. You might find it helpful to identify some recent accomplishments to share, think about a challenge you’d like to work through together and remember to be specific with how your mentor could help.

• Like many of us, you might be feeling worried and stressed and it can feel difficult adjusting. It’s important to remember that this situation will pass and we will get through it together, we’ve written a helpful blog post on managing your mental health during the coronavirus crisis.

For both

• Successful mentoring takes two and it can also take time and generosity to develop. The relationship must be managed and nurtured, we think the key elements of successful mentoring remain the same when connecting remotely.

• Remember to have fun, it’s ok to have a laugh and talk about something you did at the weekend, enjoyed watching on the TV or baked for the first time. Sometimes it can be helpful to take breaks from more serious conversations. And remember not to judge yourself by pre-pandemic standards, we’re living in unprecedented times!

Also sending a massive thank you for all your efforts, we hope you both continue to learn from a mutually beneficial mentoring relationship. Diverse voices are still very much needed within the creative sector, and mentoring is such an important strand of our work to achieving our vision where Britain’s creative industries truly reflect our society.

Creative Access hit the road for the first 2020 event in partnership with The Publishers Association. Aimed at encouraging under-represented audiences to pursue a career in publishing, we were thrilled to be hosted by University of Brighton in the Sallis Benney theatre…

With a 100 strong audience of wannabe publishers, our panel kicked off by talking about their routes into the industry. Jason Hook, Publisher at Ammonite Press said he did everything “back to front”; dropping out of college to write freelance. He then wanted to get an editorial job but was told he needed a degree so went back to University and finally got the job of his dreams – only to be made redundant when the publisher merged with a larger company. Cut to now and Jason is publisher and author for non-fiction and illustrated publisher Ammonite Press, which is part of the much bigger group GMC. An amazing journey!

Following her degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, Saidah Graham started her career doing social media for her university. She then went on to do a Masters in publishing media at Oxford Brookes. Her degree helped her get some internships including one in the licensing team at Wiley before securing a role via Creative Access as Trainee Office Administrator that resulted in her getting a permanent role at Bonnier Books as a Rights Assistant working across a variety of children’s and adult imprints.

Explaining her current role, Saidah said: “When a book is acquired, we agree with the agent and author whether we have any other rights (e.g. to translate it into another language, to make an audiobook, to make a TV show). Our job is to meet with publishers around the world to talk about their industries and what kind of books they are looking for. If they want to buy something, we work out an agreement and write up a contract. Once that’s signed, the publisher can translate the text.”

Jason spoke about the income from these extra sales which are needed to make a profit out of book publishing, saying there are always surprises; he was convinced his word puzzle book wouldn’t work overseas but a German publisher bought and translated it into their own version.

Saidah said the skills needed to work in Rights include “being a people person. You need to build relationships with people all over the world and remember their interests. Being personable and communication are key, as are a willingness to travel and being able to summarise a book in three sentences.”

Phil Manning, Senior Marketing Manager, Bloomsbury Professional spoke about his journey – first at Reed Business Information and then at William Reed before landing at Bloomsbury Pro. Of his role now, he said: “Publishing is always evolving; the digital aspect in particular, whether that’s routes to market or format. You’re always chasing the next big thing. Fundamentally, publishing is a business and your job is to look for opportunities to make that business work.”

Anna Burtt graduated six years ago and spoke about her portfolio career which spans foreign rights, scouting, creative consultancy, editorial, marketing and teaching. She currently works for Myriad Editions and RedDoor Press in Sussex, hosts Radio Reverb’s Brighton Book Club show and podcast, and is the founder of the West Hill Writing group. She is a guest lecturer at Westdene College and New Writing South and speaks at various publishing events across the country. Busy woman!

She says: “Every time you publish a book, you need to know where your audience is and where your book sits in the market. How does your cover look against similar books? What do their campaigns look like? All of it is part of the marketing campaign.”

Anna’s top tips for working in publishing were:

1. Go to literary festivals and events
2. Send speculative applications to a select few publishers that you really love and feel like you understand
3. Be prepared to do casual, project-based work to get your foot in the door

The panel opened up to some excellent questions from the floor, kicking off with whether it’s worthwhile to do a Publishing MA. Saidah, speaking from first-hand experience, said: “Publishing MAs give you a lot of broad knowledge about the industry that help you when you get your first job. However it’s not particularly necessary as you will learn all of those things on the job anyway.”

What kind of person makes a good marketer? In Phil’s view it’s:

1. Be a great communicator
2. Be Persuasive
3. Be willing to try new things You can get marketing experience in other industries and then move into publishing to build up your skills.

Saidah was asked how she succeeded in securing a full-time role at the end of her internship. She said: “The people working with me liked my work, especially the person that became my manager. My manager knew that I liked rights and she championed me to the CEO and HR department so they made a position for me.”

Jason was asked if a passion for books was enough to sustain you in the work place. In response, he said: “Book publishing is hard. It’s badly paid and it’s hard to have a bestseller. But it’s a creative industry and there’s something quite magical in the creative process when it all goes right.”

With huge thanks to our brilliant panel for their wise and inspiring words and to the University of Brighton for hosting us. Stay up to date on our website to hear about our events taking place later in the year in conjunction with the Publishers Association.

The first masterclass of the year was held at the award-winning news and media powerhouse ITN. Put together by the brilliant former Creative Access alumna Hila May, the event offered a unique insight into the world of broadcast journalism

The legendary Jon Snow kicked off last night’s masterclass, making an appearance to give an inspiring introduction into the necessity of diversity in journalism to a packed audience of over 100 students, alumni and current interns. He was glad to see that Britain is finally “waking up to a massive talent that has been neglected among minorities in particular”, recognising that “Channel 4 is beginning to lead the way and are proud to be doing that”.

Masterclass Chair, Girsh Juneja, started things off with a discussion on what drives people to get into the newsroom. After joining Channel Four in the “last millennia”, he revealed that “the great thing about journalism is that you get to pursue what you’re interested in.” He enjoys seeing what motivates people in the newsroom, reminding budding reporters in the room: “don’t lose sight of what drove you to get into journalism in the first place”. After first joining ITN in the mailroom handing reporters their scripts, Girish recalled the excitement he felt when finally in the newsroom, describing the feeling that “this was it”. Now Senior Producer, he demonstrates how anyone can start anywhere in journalism and work their way up.

Creative Access alumna and Assistant News Editor Hila May embarked on her journey into journalism after first arriving at Creative Access five years ago via an internship at Mentorn Media which gave her experience working on Question Time. After working at 5News for a number of years, she joined Channel 4 two years ago, bringing exciting fresh perspective to the editorial team. Hila spoke about how she creates content on culture pieces, delivering media that “Channel 4 needed for younger audiences”. While she had to “fight to get cultural stories out there” at the beginning of her career, she now finds that “I don’t have to fight so much anymore”.

Multimedia journalist Zahra Warsame spoke about entering journalism later on than her peers and not letting that deter her. She emphasised that “people have different journeys into journalism” and that “every journey can be different”. Like Girish, when she arrived at ITN, she knew that this was what she wanted to do. Zahra encouraged aspiring journalists to “find the little gap to see what you can personally do” and write about something no one else is reporting on. She also imparted wise words on writing in a world obsessed with the next viral content. She advised us that “you have to have a news sense in journalism. Don’t go in with an idea that’s just supposed to be controversial and go viral, because eventually it loses you your journalistic integrity.”

Channel 4 reporter Symeon Brown also had a great story on how he got into journalism and the nature of the industry. Viewing journalism as “part of storytelling”, his career started by getting “bored of other people telling stories” and not being the one to pursue them. Like Zahra, he advises aspiring journalists to “have something others don’t have”. Symeon’s most successful piece includes a viral drill track that uses real quotes from MPs that employ violent rhetoric. This prompted a vital discussion into language, politics and hypocrisy in the nation. Lastly, Symeon imparts the knowledge that “journalism is a transactional industry; it relies on the transaction of stories and ideas”, encouraging people to utilise their distinctive backgrounds and bring their own ideas to the table.

Last and by no means least, we had the privilege of hearing the Head of Foreign News at Channel 4, Liliane Landor speak. She began with the motivational advice: “If I can do it, each and every one of you can do it too.” Liliane first started off at the BBC in 1989, becoming a controller for languages at the BBC World Service. The most important thing she learned here was to “find a mentor, someone you can trust, who is open and honest and will give you good feedback and learn from them”. Her own mentor gave her a piece of advice she has never forgotten: “Always keep your eye on the horizon”. Liliane certainly did so and has become a defining figure in the world of journalism. She advises our interns to “never box yourself in and go out of your comfort zone. there’s a great deal more to us than the place we are from and the languages we speak.”

Following the introductions, the Chair opened up the floor to questions. When asked about how to pitch an article, Liliane said the first things she does is look at the Twitter feed of the person sending her the email to make sure they’re authentic. The panel spoke about public engagement with their pieces with Gurnish reassuring the audience that they let people see and check their work to avoid mistakes with most pieces been seen by the journalist, a lawyer and a duty editor.

The women on the panel were asked how they navigate a traditionally male world. Zahra said she had been inspired by other women to enter journalism.  Lilian said that the gender pay gap still has a huge impact on the lives of women and that it’s still hard to be a working mother in the newsroom. Hila gave some important advice for women in the media industry: “I had to train myself not to be super nice … you’re just doing your job. You don’t need to apologise for doing your job.”

With huge thanks to our panel and hosts for their time and advice.

Former Creative Access Intern Olivia Evans tells us about life as a newbie in the TV industry. A year on, she reflects on all that she has achieved…

Today is the day I complete my one-year Creative Access Researcher placement with Objective Media Group and what a busy year it has been. For those who don’t know, Objective is an umbrella company encompassing many different TV productions companies and labels. Through my placement I have been lucky enough to work at three of them.

Having spent most of my career at one company, progressing from Runner to Researcher there, I had little experience moving from company to company, so I was nervous, but keen for this new experience. Having worked on three long running shows I was ready for a change and was immediately given the opportunity to work in development at Hitchhiker TV. This was the area I had wanted to get into from when I first decided to work in Television. Within the first fortnight I was drafting treatments and researching ideas, as well as being encouraged to come up with ideas of my own. When we got funding for a pilot I was asked to do casting research for the show and learnt outreach skills that would come in handy in my next role.

May came quickly and I moved to my second Label at Objective: Second Star Productions. Here I was a Casting Researcher and then Locations Researcher on the prime time Channel 4 show Flirty Dancing. My first time ever working on prime time television. This was a whirlwind three months. Street casting in Liverpool, frantic calls to councils to get filming permits and dashing around London on recces. These were two roles I had little experience in and it wasn’t until the summer was over that I realised how much I’d learnt. Our series finale Stand Up to Cancer Celebrity Special airs tonight.

In September I moved to my final company at Objective: Betty. Here I started out on a proof of concept for Fox called Turf Wars. This entailed a short preproduction period followed by long days on set in a field in Essex, followed by long days in the edit. Once again I was learning on my feet. There wasn’t an edit producer, it was just the editor, the executive producer and me. We pieced together the new show and tried to interpret what the channel wanted. I loved being in the edit and when I finished, my exec was kind enough to suggest that I should become an edit producer. We are still waiting to hear if the show has been commissioned, but in the meantime I moved onto the Betty Development team. Where I met lovely former creative access alumni Gama.

I have greatly enjoyed my placement and feel it has really helped me further my career. I have learnt so many invaluable skills, met so many kind people in the industry and gained experiences that would have taken me far longer had I not been on the scheme. All in all I feel far more employable!

The organisations we work with use Facebook ads for a range of different goals: driving donations, email subscribers or video views, for example. But regardless of the goal, for Facebook ad campaigns to succeed it’s crucial to drive clicks from the right people as cheaply as possible.

To make sure we’re always spending ads budget as efficiently as possible, we regularly test new ideas to challenge and improve on best practice. And this testing can throw up some surprising results – here are just a few of the things we’ve learned.

Images can sometimes be an afterthought of the creative process, but we regularly find the ad’s image impacts performance even more than the copy. A trend we’ve consistently seen in the past is that the more emotive an image is, the better it performs. But recently, we’ve found that in many cases maps significantly out-perform other more relevant or emotive images we test against, even if its geography isn’t particularly relevant or unique to the campaign.

It’s a fascinating result, and we’re still trying to work out why it is maps perform so well. Our current leading theories are 1) the simplicity of the graphic makes it stand out in people’s timelines, 2) if the map shows the country someone lives in this makes the campaign feel more relevant to them, or 3) a map gives a ‘current affairs’ tone, which appeals to the kind of people who tend to engage with progressive campaigns. But if you have any theories of your own, get in touch – we’d love to hear them.

It’s easy to assume that everyone knows that any part of a Facebook ad is clickable. But on one campaign, even though the copy had a clear call to action, we started to see comments underneath asking how to sign up. It wasn’t immediately clear to everyone they needed to click the ad. So we included a page URL in the ad copy to see if this would increase sign ups – and it did, by 45%. It certainly doesn’t look pretty, but a URL link does scream ‘click here’.

Facebook gives you the option to add a call to action button like ‘Sign Up’ or ‘Learn More’. But we’ve found in some tests that using a button actually reduced click rates, versus not having a button at all.

Instead, we’ve found it much more effective to include a tailored call to action in the headline copy. We’ve found a 40% increase in conversions for ads using a call to action in the headline, versus those without. Adding your own call to action in the ad’s headline means you can tailor the language to be as specific and compelling as possible – and it works.

Our tests on email and action pages show that when people know the action is quick and easy, they’re more likely to do it. Facebook ads are no different; telling someone ‘it only takes 30 seconds’ can actually see conversions rise by 11%. We found that ‘30 seconds’ also beats ‘one minute’, which makes sense considering the quicker time should be most compelling. But surprisingly, saying ‘it only takes 10 seconds’ actually produces fewer conversions than ‘30 seconds’. Our hunch is that quicker is only better if it still sounds realistic.

Results like the ones above inform our work, but testing is a never ending process. There are always so many factors at play in an ad’s success, and it’s impossible to say that any of these findings will always hold true. But it just goes to show that data is always more illuminating than going off gut instincts alone.

Have you ever had surprising results with Facebook ads? We’d love to know.

Forward Action is a digital movement-building agency for progressive causes. They work with clients from campaign conception through to results, creating strategies, content and tools to get the job done. Their clients are some of the most exciting and impactful organisations in campaigning, including Greenpeace, The Labour Party, Centrepoint, WaterAid, and SumOfUs.

From the depths of Dublin to championing diversity in literature, former CA intern Namra Amir shares her amazing journey into publishing with some helpful hints along the way!

It’s been a full year since I was a Creative Access intern, and what a year it has been!

Hailing from Ireland, I didn’t think my prospects of breaking into the publishing industry were high at home. It is fiercely competitive in Dublin, the industry is smaller and there aren’t any BAME initiatives. I didn’t even know BAME schemes existed until I stumbled across Creative Access! I thought not being a UK citizen would hinder my chances, but thankfully it wasn’t the case.

I wanted to work in publishing because I have a goal of championing diversity in literature. I studied English Literature at Manchester University and throughout the four years, I didn’t encounter much ethnic writing until I conducted my own thesis on Muslim Female writers. I had to go searching for these writers and I always wondered how easier it could have been if I found it sooner.

I can still remember interview prepping with Anouska (Director of Talent) and her impressed tone when I told her about my thesis struggles and desire to rectify the situation. She was so encouraging and I felt truly grateful to be heard.

Then I landed my dream internship at Faber & Faber. Never in a million years did I think I would get it. It was everything I wanted; a mix of poetry and fiction. The home of Irish poet Seamus Heaney, whose poetry I learned at school. Also the home of Nadeem Aslam, an amazing Pakistani novelist. A mix of both my ethnicities combined, exactly what I wanted!

For three months, I was surrounded by the writers who I adored and the most hardworking and talented staff. From publicity to marketing, editorial and rights, I learnt so many valuable lessons about publishing. While learning about the industry, I also made friends for life at Faber who mentored and guided me consistently. The three months ended and I had finished with a wealth of publishing knowledge. But I desperately wanted to stay. Thankfully I did when a job opening appeared in the publicity department.

It’s been a year since I was an intern at Faber & Faber and now I’m a Marketing Assistant for the Children’s team at Bloomsbury. Though my job and company has changed, the connections I’ve built remain strong. I went back to Creative Access to give an induction talk and pass on what I’ve learnt. Though I no longer need mentoring from my Creative Access mentor, we have become close friends who still catch up. The family I created at Faber & Faber are still checking in and championing my success.

You can follow Namra on Instagram

To mark its 70th anniversary, Kavita Puri sheds a light on the untold stories of those who witnessed India’s partition in 1947 with the BBC Documentary, Partition Voices. The award-winning TV executive producer and radio broadcaster also recounts their experiences in her new book, Partition Voices: Untold British Stories…

In 2017, I ran a project called Partition Voices whose main component was a three part Radio 4 series. It documented eye-witness accounts of colonial British and British South Asians who lived through the partition of British India in the summer of 1947. It also recorded interviews with the children and grandchildren of the partition generation on the legacy in Britain today.

Speaking to the partition generation was one of the most moving experiences of my life. Some were speaking out loud for the first time about what they saw. Some children and grandchildren wept silently as they heard about what happened to their family seventy years ago. The stories were told with great sadness, but the interviewees wanted them recorded and heard. The collection of testimonies paint a nuanced picture.

The pull to the land of their birth, even if it was a place they had to flee, and had not returned to in many decades, still persisted strongly. And they remember a time before partition where people of different faiths lived largely peacefully.

My book, Partition Voices, is based on the original interviews from the BBC Radio 4 series – many of which are now in the British Library Sound Archive and able to view online – and on subsequent interviews with each contributor and independent research.

Many whose lives were disrupted by partition migrated to post-war Britain and they put down roots here. But they didn’t speak about their experiences. Now they are finally opening up, it’s important that we listen.

Kavita Puri works in BBC Current Affairs and is an award-winning TV executive producer and radio broadcaster. Her landmark three-part series Partition Voices for BBC Radio 4 won the Royal Historical Society’s Radio and Podcast Award and its overall Public History Prize. Her critically acclaimed Radio 4 series, Three Pounds in My Pocket, charts the social history of British South Asians from the post-war years. She is currently making the third series. She worked for many years at Newsnight and studied Law at Cambridge University.

You can follow Kavita on Twitter and Instagram at @kavpuri

You can buy a copy of Partition Voices here.

To be in theatre or to not be in theatre? Our former Creative Access intern from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Armani Ur-Rub decided to go with the former option and shares his journey into the Arts with us…

It’s not uncommon to finish university and struggle to find your first job. In fact, I reckon it’s more common than not in the current climate. Being plunged into an over-saturated job market, where it feels like every job spec requires ‘at least two years’ office experience’, can feel like an uphill battle. But winning is not impossible.

After graduating, I immediately went looking for a job in the Arts, but every application I sent off seemed to hit a brick wall. Application after application fell by the wayside without response, and it’s natural to feel downtrodden by that, but that’s not a reason to give up – it’s a reason to search harder.

About 11% of all NPO (Non Profit Organisation) staff are Black or Asian*. A staggeringly small amount, but progress is being made (we are that progress). Art and Government quotas demand that council-funded organisations hit a “BAME” workforce quota, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Widespread awareness from the Arts Council is good. But it’s still easy to overthink that quota and to feel like a token – and that’s a totally fair feeling to have, but it’s probably not the best way to look at it. And that’s the second way in which Creative Access changes so many lives.

They don’t just help you find a job, they help you become part of a growing, and diverse community who are taking the Arts by storm.

They exist to rebalance the Arts

• To help BAME professionals feel represented on stage, screen or in journalism
• To help redress unfair representation
• And they help you meet other interns and alumni who have been through exactly what you’ve been through

I had lived in Newcastle and have frequented other parts of the North, but I wasn’t prepared for how overwhelmingly white Stratford-upon-Avon would be. But it’s hardly fair to blame the RSC for the demographic of the area around it. When you see a show with disabled or POC actors, you can immediately tell that steps in the right direction are being taken.

Moving to Stratford-upon-Avon was difficult, but it was a leap of faith I’m happy I made. How would I have looked at myself if I hadn’t uprooted my London life, knowing that I had a chance to help pioneer diversity in the arts? Someone always must be the first…and equally, sometimes you might think you’re the first, and you’re not; but it’s still important to always tell yourself that your presence is making an important difference.

Creative Access still gave me an opportunity to come back down to London regularly for masterclasses where I met like-minded, excellent CA interns who had started their journey at the same time as me. Following my five-month internship, I came back to London with more confidence and an improved understanding of how theatre worked. I have now secured an improved role at the RSC in their London office where I work on the press and marketing for all their shows at the Barbican and in the West End, including Matilda The Musical.

If you’re an aspiring BAME who’s looking for a way into the Arts, look no further; Creative Access will support you every step of the way.

You can follow Armani on Twitter

*Overall in 2016/17, 11% of all NPO staff were from a BAME background – the same as the previous year – compared with 16% of the working age population. Across all staff, 54% identified as white, while 31% were unknown and 4% did not disclose. – from Arts Council England stats, taken from an article on The Stage.