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.

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.

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.

Earlier this year, Creative Access hosted a session for over thirty former journalists who are now refugees in the UK, on behalf of the Refugee Journalism Project. Two of the participants subsequently spent time here in the CA offices to understand more about what we do and how we work.

Zouhir, who grew up in Syria, wrote about his career journey for Creative Access and his unconventional route into journalism…

I began my journalism career as a civilian reporting on the ground in Aleppo, Syria, my hometown. I didn’t have an education in journalism. On the ground, I learned how to tell the stories of the people of Syria, with a truthful insight into what life was like.

At the time, the media outlets around the world were suffering from a lack of content and news about Syria, which in part was due to a lack of English-speaking journalists on the ground in Aleppo, but also due to the extremely limited internet access and electricity.

My career really began on an international level in 2014/2015 as I started to develop a large network of connections with news editors who were in charge of commissioning stories directly, so I didn’t have to go through other journalists or fixers. I dedicated my attention to covering the humanitarian crises in Syria and what followed afterwards. So, this included the human rights violations by the Syrian government targeting service facilities, as well as violations conducted by local rebel factions against people and activists within the city. Despite the existence of radical groups in the city whom had been targeting journalists – in the same way as Assad’s regime – alongside other reporters, I was determined to focus on covering and exposing the inhuman practices of those factions and their violations.

After leaving the city in December 2016, I moved to Idlib, north Syria where I continued my coverage, this time focusing on the humanitarian crises the refugee camps after the evacuation of Aleppo. This work contributed to raising global awareness about the humanitarian crises. As a freelancer, I believe that it is important to develop a self-promotion strategy, in order to get more editors to get in touch with you seeking help for their stories. But also, promoting our work also helps make an impact and boosts action based on the stories that we publish.

It allowed me to contribute to big media outlets and be featured in online news coverage, conducting live streaming from inside the city for BBC, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph Die Ziet, CNN and many other media agencies. This hugely increased my credibility and the exposure of my story to a large-scale audience. I came to the UK in October 2018. I believe that through being in the UK, which has been quite satisfying so far, I will have the opportunity to further empower and improve my journalistic career by being involved with native English speakers and media organisations who are interested in developing talented young journalists.

For a non-native English speaker, it will be challenging and I will have to work hard to fit in and reach the high standard required to write materials that are suitable for British audiences.

Also, for a Middle Eastern journalist it is overwhelming and hard when you come here and try to find where to start. The diversity and differences between the British media approach and way of working compared to what I have been used to is challenging.

However, I am excited about confronting these challenges and continuing my career in the UK. It’s an uneasy task moving to another part of the world as a journalist. However, the foundation of journalism in the UK with its commitment to free open sources of information and resources, will motivate me to become a successful journalist.

You can follow Zouhir on Twitter

From Parks & Rec to professional publication, our former Creative Access intern at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Mariam Khan, writes about her career journey to date and what led her to releasing her debut book ‘It’s Not About The Burqa’…

After leaving University, I knew I wanted to be involved in publishing but I didn’t have any connections in that field despite being incredibly involved in the young adult fiction community. I was getting to know people who worked in that industry but unsure as to how to make those people into connections or those connections into anything related to a role in publishing. Blindly sending my CV and cover letter out wasn’t working.

I landed a role at the Royal Shakespeare Company through Creative Access and I was more than willing to give it a try. That was my step into working world as a graduate. It was one of the steepest learning curves for me. The lack of diversity in the places I worked after I left University was shocking. There weren’t many people like me working in the spaces I was occupying. But each month there was the Creative Access masterclasses in London, where often people from Black, Asian and ethnically-diverse backgrounds placed across the creative industries talked about their experiences and journeys. Seeing is believing and seeing those people in their respective roles helped me realise that there were spaces being created for people like me, even if it was people like me creating them.

I was making strides into publishing even whilst I worked outside of publishing. As my internship came to an end at the RSC, I decided that moving to London and getting a job in publishing was the way forward. I interned without pay for a few months, slept on friends sofas and beds. It worked out in the end cause I got a job in publishing.

Working in publishing was on of the reasons I was able to say out loud ‘I want to write a book that represents the diversity Muslim Women identity’. I wanted to deconstruct the narrative around Muslim women built by media and culture and make something on our own terms. I wanted to make Muslim women speaking for themselves the norm. In the process I thought about how I’d come to be in the place I was.

I didn’t want to publish a book about Muslim Women all by myself; I wanted to create a shared platform where as many Muslim Women as possible could speak up about their experiences and be heard and in creating It’s Not About The Burqa, I think I’m doing that.

Mariam Khan is a British writer and activist, the editor of It’s Not About the Burqa, an anthology of essays by Muslim women published by Picador. She currently lives in Birmingham and works in education.

Twitter: helloiammariam

Instagram: helloiammariam

You can purchase It’s Not About the Burqa here.

Hear from one of our CA interns English Touring Theatre, Christina McDougall talk about her journey from broker companies & fraud analysis to theatre & creativity…

After 10 years of not working in theatre I am excited to finally get another chance at it.

I always loved performing from a young age in school productions and after school clubs but never had the opportunity growing up to attend theatre shows or be a part of any drama clubs.

I couldn’t see any characters that represented me or my peers — as a child and teenager it can be very intimidating to be among an audience of people who are seemingly completely opposite to you. However, after studying drama at high school it sparked my passion for acting and I found it was a great way for me to express my emotions in a creative way. In college I studied performing arts where we put many of our dance productions on at the Lyric theatre. I remember the feeling of pure happiness when I was finally able to perform on a stage.

I studied performing arts to university level but after a year I decided to leave due to personal reasons. Frustrated with not knowing what to do next on my journey in the arts my old dance teacher advised me to do a one year stage management and costume theatre placement that her friend was running. The placement was located at a variety of theatres including the Royal Court, English Touring Theatre and Polka Theatre.

I spent the year learning how to sew and create costumes as well as shadowing stage managers and making props. This placement allowed me to see beyond acting and allowed me to gain skills that I never dreamed of having. I loved being a part of different theatre companies and being able to watch endless rehearsals and performances.

Once my placement had finished I was so excited to find a job in a theatre but not one theatre company was interested in giving me a chance. It felt as though despite the experience I had gained and my clear passion for theatre, every door was shut. Seeing other interns with less experience than me get the roles I desired made me question so many things — was it because theatres are not ready to meaningfully diverse?

After nearly a year of persisting I decided to take a step away from theatre and try looking for non-creative job.

I spent the next seven years working for a broker company as a sales trainer and compliance officer. I would often use the games I learned in drama classes to help train agents to be more confident on the phones. I then went on to become a fraud analyst for a fashion company.

Over the past three years I have tried to do as many creative things outside of work as possible, including acting (music videos and short sketches), writing plays and teaching myself to play the violin…with the help of YouTube.

After three years as a fraud analyst I finally decided to try again and look for a role in theatre. I was completely petrified at the thought of it as it would be a huge career change plus starting from scratch at my age seemed very daunting. I felt completely out of touch with the arts world which worried me.

Reflections by The Andrew Lloyd Weber foundation stated: ‘… the stage needs to reflect the diversity of the UK population or it risks becoming sidelined. If the situation continues, there is real danger that not only will black and Asian young people stay away from the theatre as a profession, they will stay away as punters. And without them in the audience, theatres will become unsustainable, as they are forced to compete for a dwindling ageing, white, middle-class audience.’

These figures highlight just how important it is for theatres to invest in being more inclusive. Creative Access post vacancies weekly and once I saw there was a job role for a Production Assistant at ETT I couldn’t wait to apply — a full-circle moment having worked here briefly during my placement year. I knew this would be my second chance at getting a job in theatre.

I am so grateful to Creative Access for serving underrepresented communities in theatre. Until theatre’s diversity problem is addressed effectively, organisations like Creative Access will continue to be needed.

I’ve also found that my non-creative work has been useful for my career in the arts. My skills as an analyst required me to be extremely organised and pay great attention to detail which are skills that have been transferable to my current role at ETT.

I am thrilled and excited to be a part of such an exciting and established theatre. ETT as a company have made me feel welcomed and part of the team.

Every day in my job is completely different, which I love. I could be watching a rehearsal one day and sourcing press night gifts the other. Currently we are touring Othello and I have been able to watch the development of the play from rehearsals through to its first press night performance. I get to meet a large variety of people and I feel that I am finally on the right path to my dream career.

This blog update is courtesy of Medium

Aspirational uni grad turned award-winning Web Series Producer, Kashif Boothe gives us an insight into how his Creative Access internship led him to find his perfect role in production, with his growing web series, Nate & Jamie.

My name is Kashif Boothe, I’m 26 years old and I currently work in broadcast at Discovery Channel. This isn’t something I thought I would be doing when I graduated from Roehampton University back in 2013 with a Film degree. My journey within the TV industry hasn’t been a conventional one, when I got my internship with CA at RAW TV in 2014.

I heard about Creative Access when I was desperately seeking a job after graduating from university. I was a recent graduate working lots of overtime at Sainsbury’s and hating it. I would be on the internet for hours applying for work experience and internships and eventually stumbled across an ad for a Runner position at RAW TV.

After my three month internship ended, I worked at RAW TV on off for two years. I went on to work at Jamie Oliver’s production company and spent the remainder of the year working on factual TV shows before moving into scripted. In Spring 2015, I started working as a Production Runner on the ITV period drama Mr Selfridge and the following year as a Development Assistant at Idris Elba’s production company.

It was great working towards my career goals but I felt like I forgot why I wanted to work in television. I took a break from the industry and decided to start making short documentaries that eventually lead to me writing and producing my web series Nate & Jamie.

I self-funded the first season whilst freelancing and working nights in retail on the weekends. I shot the first season with DSLR cameras and with other freelancers who were eager to produce indie content. In January 2018 it won a Screen Nation Award for Favourite Web Series ensemble. The series has led to a spinoff web series entitled ‘Imperfect’ and Season two of Nate & Jamie is premiering on October 11th on my YouTube channel ‘Kashif Boothe Entertainment’. My plans for the show are for it to be picked up by a production company or to receive funding for season three to produce a full-length season.

It’s great having conversations about diversity but without Creative Access I haven’t seen what production companies or networks are actually doing to solve the issue. I’ve worked at production companies where I’ve been told to make a note of all the BAME and LGBT applicants because they failed their diversity report or it was an afterthought to find a BAME producer after a show was picked up by a network.

My family have been supportive of my career in the creative industry especially my Mum. My Dad however, doesn’t understand what I do or that I’m a freelancer. He knows I work within the media industry but never can explain what I do adequately and would prefer I had standard a 9-5 job, but that’s not for me.

That might sound cliché but that’s the best thing I’ve learned. I was told on numerous occasions that I needed to be very chatty or be more of an extrovert to get to where I wanted to be. That’s not me, I’m an introvert and when being myself I am able to bond with the right the people, which will lead to my next opportunity.

Thanks Kashif for sharing your story and advice, we look forward to seeing the next series of Nate & Jamie.

You can follow Kashif on Instagram at @kashifbootheentertainment and check out his webseries Nate & Jamie.