In PRWeek, Elizabeth Wiredu has stated that marcomms “lags behind” other sectors when it comes to welcoming disabled, deaf and neurodivergent employees, following on from Creative Access’ recent research.

Read the article here.

Sian Bailey has written about Creative Access’ newester report on disabled workers career progression in the creative industries. Read The Bookseller coverage here.

Pippa Consadine has reported that the findings showed the extent to which disabled UK workers have experienced prejudice around access to jobs or progression opportunities in creative industries. The gap widens when disabled individuals also identify as being from a Black, Asian, Ethnically Diverse (BAED) or low socio-economic status (LSES).

Read the article in full.

• Only a quarter feel they have access to the contacts and networks needed to progress their creative career (vs. 62% of general respondents) 
•  88% cite the two biggest barriers as: lack of employer understanding of ‘reasonable adjustments’, and awareness of disability issues among colleagues 
• Many candidates choose not to disclose disability to potential or current employers 

Creative Access has today published a new report on Disability equity in the UK’s creative industries, which reveals the shocking extent to which disabled UK workers have experienced prejudice around access to jobs or progression opportunities in creative industries. The gap widens when disabled individuals also identify as being from a Black, Asian, Ethnically Diverse (BAED) or low socio-economic status (LSES).  

Creative Access data showed, when asked to agree or disagree with the statement ‘I feel I have the the necessary confidence to progress in my career’ 70% of respondents who identified as BAED agreed, this dropped to just 40% when respondents identified as BAED and disabled³. When asked about seeing opportunities for career progression, the answers were 71% vs. 60% respectively³. 

In the UK currently 1 in 5 in UK workers are disabled, and the likelihood of unemployment is higher with disabled workers (81% vs. 52.7% of non-disabled workers)¹. And while the employment gap had been closing, the pandemic took us back a step. Disabled workers are also more likely to be in lower-skilled occupations, self-employed, working part-time (and subsequently less hours), working in the public sector or temporarily away from work¹. 

We asked candidates about tactics to improve the accessibility of roles and opportunities in the creative economy to disabled people. The most important thing was that employers be responsive to employees negotiating a working pattern that met their individual needs; over three quarters of respondents cited that they’d like: 

• More flexible working  
• Training for line managers in supporting disabled employees to thrive 

The survey found 56% of respondents are affected by more than one category of disability (rising to 86% of respondents affected by mental illness and at least one other). Only a third of respondents felt they had confidence to progress their creative career, citing negative experiences at work contributing to low confidence. And only 1 in 3 stated that their organisation had an inclusive culture.  

On intersectionality, BAED respondent Lily Ahree Siegel said: “It’s not about the lack of talent but lack of access. It seems no matter how qualified or excellent I am, I need to be extraordinary to receive praise and access to similar institutions to my white, able-bodied peers…Like many jobs, there’s a lot hinging on others to “take a chance” on someone. Not to mention other systemic disadvantages – disabled people are more likely to be unemployed or living in poverty. I have [also] yet to see a person like myself in a leadership position.” 

While there was no ‘one size fits all approach’ for adjustments or considerations for employers when it comes to helping disabled workers and candidates thrive. A common theme appeared among immediate considerations, including: 

• Audit your staff to ensure hiring and line managers (and third party recruiters) sufficiently understand their legal duties towards disabled people as set out in the Equality Act 2010 
• Undertake appropriate team training, e.g. on embracing neurodiversity, mental health or disability equity to ensure staff are more aware of what ‘reasonable adjustments’ can and should be made
• Consider making adjustments to your application procedures regarding forms, interviews and communication around the recruitment process

Josie Dobrin, Executive Chair, Creative Access: 

“In the creative industries – in which disabled people are under-represented – there is a huge opportunity for employers to gain from the advantage of a more diverse workforce. And disabled candidates are clear about what will best set themselves up for success, whether that’s around flexible working, better training at all levels of the organisation or bespoke routes into mentors. It’s collectively down to us all in the creative economy to decide to listen to the data, spot room for improvement and act upon it. 

“We at Creative Access also don’t shy away our part to play as a diversity, equity and inclusion organisation that connects diverse candidates with opportunities for jobs and career advancement. We have already begun implementing numerous changes to how we recruit and support our own staff, and we will also be exploring how we support disabled candidate access to networking, bespoke mentor matching and potentially ringfenced access to bursaries for career development.” 

• Creative Access disability equity report 2022
• Inclusive employer action plan resource (disability) 
• Upcoming open employer training: mental health, neurodiversity, disability equity

We designed the survey in consultation with a disability consultant. This was sent to approximately 8,000 contacts on the Creative Access candidate database who had identified themselves as disabled, Deaf or neurodivergent. It was sent by email and completed via an online form during September 2022. In total we received responses from 770 candidates. 

¹ ONS ‘The employment of disabled people 2021’, 11 February 2022 

²Responses in the category ‘other’ included responses such as Hard of hearing/Deaf, Epilepsy, PTSD, Dyslexia, Cerebral Palsy, Stammer and Multiple Sclerosis amongst others. 

³Creative Access 2022 Thrive Report which surveyed employers and employees in creative industry roles

Jo Faragher has written about McLaren Racing’s drive to improve diversity in the motorsport industry. One of Creative Access’ interns at McLaren, Margo Bondar, was featured, as well as the Creative Access x McLaren Engage programme.

“When 19-year-old Margo Bondar arrived in the UK as a refugee from Ukraine, her hosts drove her past the space-age McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking. “It was the first thing I saw after I was picked up from the airport,” she says. It would also be the site of her first UK internship with McLaren Racing as part of its Engage programme – an initiative aimed at boosting diversity in motorsport.

Since April, Bondar has been working in fan engagement, meaning her day typically involves opening thousands of emails and letters from Formula 1 fans, including artwork and gifts for the McLaren team’s drivers, Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo. Her role came up as part of the Creative Access route into the Engage programme, which aims to build more inclusive practices into how the company hires into creative roles.“

Read the article in full here.

John Elmes has written about Creative Access’ latest 16-strong group which aims to create a pathway for future leaders into non-executive roles. Read the article in full here.

Evie Barrett has highlighted Creative Access’ new steering group initiative for PR Week. Barrett describes how the programme aims to prepare rising PR pros for leadership roles in PR and other creative industries. Read more here.

Creative Access’ newest initiative will bring together a group of 16 individuals from the Creative Access community. Ruth Comerford in The Bookseller has reported how the programme will provide a leadership pathway for participants to becoming trustees or non-executive directors of other creative organisations, social enterprises or charities. 

Read in full here.

Creative Access is delighted to announce the launch of their Steering Group; a brand-new initiative bringing together a group of 16 individuals from the Creative Access community. This unique year-long programme will provide a leadership pathway for participants to becoming trustees or non-executive directors of other creative organisations, social enterprises or charities. The group will also provide feedback, input on and steer various Creative Access programmes and areas of development.

Creative Access – a leading diversity and inclusion social enterprise – has selected members of the Steering Group from its own alumni community; candidates from groups that are under-represented in the creative industries in terms of ethnicity, socio-economic background or disability. By the end of the year-long programme, participants will be supported to apply for leadership positions.

Josie Dobrin, Executive Chair, Creative Access said: “We are hugely excited about this new initiative. Our community have a huge amount of skills and energy to offer to leadership teams of commercial and not-for-profit organisations.  All too often, job descriptions require applicants to have experience for non-executive roles, so by creating this leadership pathway, we are removing obstacles for progression. In the long run, we’re creating a pipeline of candidates from communities that are under-represented at non-executive level, who will help organisations to innovate, future-proof decision-making and better reflect the organisations in which they serve. Any organisations interested in hearing from our budding trustees should get in touch!”

The new programme – which will be repeated annually – offers members the opportunity to share perspectives and network with people working cross-sector in the creative industries, gain insight into the responsibilities that come with being a trustee, and give members the chance to meet and be mentored by senior figures in the creative industries. This reflects Creative Access’ wider goal of creating sustainable change across the creative economy.

Lizzy Burden, interned via Creative Access at The Times in 2017 and is now the Europe, Middle East & Africa Economics & Government Correspondent at Bloomberg TV, will act as co-chair of the committee. She said: “Creative Access opened the door to my dream career in journalism so it’s important to me that I pay forward that opportunity. By co-chairing the steering group, I want to learn how the organisation runs — both financially and in terms of strategic decision making — so that I can help to drive its success further.”

Hetty Ashiagbor, who started off as a researcher at Lime Pictures through Creative Access in 2015 and is now a managing producer at BBC Good Food and OLIVE magazine, explained: “I am so excited to be part of the steering group for Creative Access. I am most looking forward to making an impact in the creative industries regarding diversity and inclusion, addressing challenges and evoking positive change. Creative Access played a huge part in kick starting my career in broadcast. It is an honour to be able to give back, share my experiences and knowledge and be part of positive change.” 

Appointments to the Steering Group will last for a one-year term. During the course, the Group will attend workshops with multiple external speakers, covering themes including charity and Community Interest Company status; the role and duties of a trustee; financial literacy and liabilities; principles of good governance and trusteeship; responsibilities of non-executive directors.

The members of the 2022-23 Steering Group are:

• Abs Gandhi, PR Manager, EMEA, Snowflake
• Alex Zepherin-Pinnock Founder / Creative Director, Don Dada Studio
• Amir Amirsolimani, Development Editor, SunnyMarch
• Arshdeep Kaur, Product Lead, Sky Glass, Sky
• Cameron Myers, Commissioning Editor (Penguin Business), Penguin General
• Charlotte Gray, Creative Designer /Partnerships Assistant, Freelance / SafetyWing 
• Cheyney Smith, Marketing Manager (Macmillan Children’s Books), Pan Macmillan
• Hetty Ashiagbor, Producer (multiple platform film/video producer)
• Isabella Silver, Branded Content Editor, Hearst
• Lizzy Burden, Europe, Middle East and Africa Economics and Government Correspondent, Bloomberg TV
• Nikou Asgari, Reporter, Financial Times
• Nitin Rishi, Producer / Director / Cinematographer
• Rabeeah Moeen, Audio Publishing Assistant, Pan Macmillan
• Saphia Abrahamovitch-Venner, Assistant Curator: Artist Development & Engagement, Spike Island
• Shamima Noor, Communications Co-ordinator, Fuel Theatre

Jamie Body reports: “Mask theatre company Vamos Theatre has been awarded funding from the Mo Siewcharran Fund to launch an internship, as part of a drive to increase diversity in the theatre and publishing industries.”

Lauren Brown in The Bookseller reported: “Oneworld is one of four organisations to be awarded grants from the Mo Siewcharran fund in its latest round, the second time the independent publisher has received one of the grants.”

“Oneworld publisher and founder Juliet Mabey said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Creative Access once again. They have made, and are continuing to make, such an important contribution to the campaign to increase diversity and inclusivity in the creative industries.” 

The next round of funding is now available and closes on 11th November. Organisations interested are invited to email lucy@creativeaccess.org.uk to express interest.

The Mo Siewcharran Fund has announced the latest four grant awards; to charity The Poetry Society, Worcester-based Vamos Theatre, inclusive children’s fiction studio Storymix, and independent publishers, Oneworld. In its fourth year, the Mo Siewcharran Fund continues to support a unique breadth of organisations within the creative industries in its mission to enable young people from Black, Asian and ethnically-diverse backgrounds to break into publishing, theatre and music.

The Fund was set up in memory of Nielsen Books’ former Director of Marketing and Communications, Mo Siewcharran by her husband, John Seaton and is administered by Creative Access – a leading social enterprise specialising in diversity and inclusion. The grants contribute to the salary of an intern for a six-month traineeship and a full programme of support from Creative Access to ensure the trainee thrives in their new role.

Since the Mo Siewcharran Fund started in 2018, it has supported 27 ethnically-diverse trainees in publishing, theatre and music across the UK. A recent report into the impact of the Fund by Creative Access found that two-thirds (63%) of interns supported by the Fund stayed on at their host organisation at the end of their traineeship and 9 out of 10 (89%) trainees continued to work in the same sector where they did their traineeship.

Speaking on the Fund’s impact and the latest round of recipients, John Seaton said:

“In its fourth year the Mo Siewcharran Fund continues to do its bit to make workforces in the arts more ethnically diverse, representative and fairer.  It is thrilling to be associated with four such vibrant and en rapport companies as these. I am sure the interns will all have a wonderful and beneficial experience and will be supported via Creative Access to thrive in their careers”.

The Poetry Society is a charitable organisation which champions poetry for all ages. It is looking for a publishing & participation trainee to join the team. On receiving the Fund, Judith Palmer, Director at The Poetry Society says: “With the support of the Mo Siewcharran Fund, The Poetry Society is delighted to be able to work with Creative Access to offer a new dedicated publishing and participation trainee. The Poetry Society has a long history of working with young poets to transform their confidence and creative skills, and of widening access to poetry. We’re excited by the new opportunity this presents to make positive change to strength and diversify the arts sector workforce.”

The second recipient, Vamos Theatre is the UK’s leading full-mask theatre company. Vamos is seeking a learning and participation trainee to learn about the power and connection of mask theatre based on real life stories. Executive Producer at Vamos, Claire Morton comments: “We are thrilled to have been awarded funding from the Mo Siewcharran Fund. The grant will enable us to offer an internship within our Learning & Participation department to a young person from an under-represented community and we are delighted by the prospect of positive change this will bring to us as a company and to the young person’s future career. Support from Creative Access will help us take important steps in developing Vamos Theatre as a more representative arts organisation, impacting on our planning, our processes and working towards a more diverse future workforce. We look forward to offering our intern the best possible experience and a valuable stepping stone to the next stage of their career”

Storymix Studio – a fiction production company focusing on Black, Asian and ethnically-diverse voices in children’s fiction – have also been awarded the Fund. Jasmine Richards, Founder of Storymix states: “Finding and supporting BME talent is fundamental to Storymix’s mission of improving representation in the children’s book industry – both on the page and behind the scenes. We are a relatively new venture. The Mo Siewcharran grant from Creative Access will give us a much-needed intern to support our ever-growing book list and an opportunity to share our knowledge and expertise with a BME professional at the start of what we hope will be a long career in publishing.”

Finally, this is the second time that London-based independent publishers, Oneworld Publications, have received a grant from the Mo Siewcharran Fund. On receiving funding again Publisher and founder Juliet Mabey says: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Creative Access once again. They have made, and are continuing to make, such an important contribution to the campaign to increase diversity and inclusivity in the creative industries. We are especially grateful to the Mo Siewcharran Fund for their financial support in this work, which is facilitating publishers in their efforts to transform our industry so that it more truly represents the readers we serve.”