Taking Action

The UK independent television sector is making an even greater commitment to diversity on and off the screen, with new companies signing up to a ground-breaking training scheme.

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The Indie Diversity Scheme was launched in January 2013. Supported by Creative Access, it aims to connect independent production companies with people from underrepresented groups. Companies offer a paid six-month internship, giving the hopefuls hands-on experience in areas in a variety of production areas, including social media and second screens, artistic and literary copyright, camera operation, music copyright, storytelling, and scriptwriting across platforms, and the freelancing business. 

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The companies involved are: All3Media, Endemol, FremantleMedia, Hat Trick, Keo Films, Shed Media, Shine Group, Tiger Aspect Productions, Tigerlily Productions, and Zodiak Media.

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Sophie Duker spent her internship with Hat Trick Productions, starting as a runner on a comedy pilot for BBC3.

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“Talking to people at Hat Trick, I know it’s a really enviable scheme, to just get that grounding for six months. It’s an unprecedented opportunity to learn.”

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Read more about Sophie’s story here.

John McVay, Chief Executive at Pact, said:

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“Successful shows must reflect the community, and indies have long recognised the importance of diversity. However, we wanted to make sure we were doing more than just talking about it. Through the Indie Diversity Scheme, we have achieved real results, with people who might not have otherwise had the opportunity now working in the sector.”

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The Indie Diversity Scheme is now entering its second year. All seven companies that participated in the inaugural scheme are returning in 2014, with new independent production companies also getting on board.

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Maddy Allen, Head of Production at KEO films, said signing up to the scheme was an easy decision.

“Keo Films takes diversity extremely seriously, both in our team and our on-screen output. We are keen to encourage people from as many varied backgrounds as possible to enter a career in television, and we felt that the Indie Diversity Scheme offered a well-structured and well-supported means to achieve that for people who may not otherwise have had the opportunity or avenues to get into the industry.”

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Bella Lambourne, Endemol’s Global Head of Human Resources, said the scheme had given her company access to diverse new talent.

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“The chance to collaborate with Pact and the other indies was an opportunity we would never miss. By working together, the breadth and scale of the training we have been able to offer have been taken to a new level. The young talent involved with this scheme is being given the tools to achieve their maximum potential, fast.”

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Pact and Creative Access have recruited new trainees for the scheme in 2014, and the industry hopefuls will begin their internships in January.

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Find out more about applying to future intakes of the scheme at Creative Access, and for any queries, please contact Joyce@pact.co.uk.

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Explore other training and development opportunities available across the industry on our Useful Links page, along with the wealth of case studies and examples in our Information Hub on Taking Action.

Creative Skillset is passionate about diversity within the creative industries and addressing gaps of underrepresentation within the workforce. Its diversity strategy underpins the support and funding for training that companies can access to take action.

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Creative Skillset company support

Access to funding for organisations

Support for companies across the nations & regions

Useful links and case studies concerning disabled people getting into the Creative Industry.

Apprenticeships can open the pool of talent entering the creative industries. This diversity of recruitment ensures that our future workforce is more representative of the population, bringing fresh ideas, talent, and experience.

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Apprenticeships give employers in the creative industries the chance to mould the fresh ideas and enthusiasm of a new generation into a highly skilled and motivated workforce.

The benefits for learners are huge: they have the opportunity to ‘earn and learn’ at the same time and are trained to meet the current industry requirements through effective training.

Areas covered by Creative Skillset’s Creative and Digital Media Apprenticeship include animation, archive, computer games, digital media, film, photo imaging, radio production, social media, television production, and web design.

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Apprenticeships are designed to give apprentices a solid skills foundation in their chosen career. This means that their training will encompass a broad range of skills, including competency skills, knowledge-based skills, workplace skills, functional skills, and personal learning and thinking skills. Training takes place around work patterns with the training provider, apprentice, and employer working together to build a flexible timetable.

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Creative Skillset has been working in collaboration with the BBC and the Universities of Salford and Birmingham City to create the first level-6 Higher Apprenticeship for the Creative Industries. It has been developed to enable learners to gain technical knowledge and practical experience whilst still earning.

The Higher Apprenticeship in Broadcast Technology will provide training at a level equivalent to a university degree, and it is the first time these universities have collaborated on the development of such an apprenticeship.

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The innovative new programme will address critical skills shortages in the broadcast and technology sector and aims to attract a more diverse range of young people into the industry.

Find out more about apprenticeships:

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• If you are an employer, watch Creative Skillset’s interviews with other businesses that share their experience on the benefits of hiring an apprentice.

• Prospective apprentices can find more information on Creative Skillset's Facebook page.

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Apprenticeship Toolkit

Creative Skillset provides practical advice and information for employers in the form of a toolkit that will help you roll out your apprenticeship scheme, however small or large.

Follow these links for:

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• Advice on running an apprenticeship

• An employer’s view on apprenticeships

• More Info

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Explore other ways of finding great new talent, such as offering job shadowing opportunities, running open auditions, and offering work placements.

We believe there should be a better representation of the UK's diverse society in the television and broadcast industry.

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Diversity isn't only about ethnicity; it's also about gender, sexuality, disability, and social background. Having a diverse crew, production, or workplace is a major driver of creativity, diverse ideas, and output.

There's often a significant under-representation of diverse communities in our industry, and CDN members individually run initiatives to provide opportunities for people to gain the necessary experience, advice, and training to get their foot on the ladder.

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Thinking differently about your recruitment strategy or the places you advertise for people can lead you to connect with an untapped source of talent.

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Consider models of successful projects such as The Hatch, Shine Group's social enterprise production company, and Endemol's Success For Life, which actively seek to work with young people from diverse or socially disadvantaged backgrounds.

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Try to identify shows to nurture diverse talent onscreen or share resources to provide offline training, as Channel 4 did with new presenters for the Paralympics, or the specific training provided on the BBC's Women's Expert Days. Commit to finding diverse talent, such as E4 and Big Talk Productions did with Youngers, or ITV's Original Voices, aimed at finding new writing talent for Emmerdale.

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Smaller organisations can utilise social media, such as Twitter and YouTube, and the online community groups in our Useful Links section to connect with talent or candidates at a grassroots level and run small-scale initiatives that still have a big impact.

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Wider entry-level schemes, apprenticeships, and specific positive action initiatives have led to greater access for diverse talent, but progression is still a real issue, so providing development and networking opportunities can help address this to some extent.

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We all need to attract and develop people with a wider range of backgrounds and attitudes because they help realise our ultimate ambition and keep our eyes on the prize: creative world-class content for the digital age.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Template​

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[Company Name] recognises that diversity and inclusion are vital to creativity, innovation, and the continued success of the UK broadcasting industry. We are committed to fostering a working environment where equality is championed, inclusion is the norm, and all forms of discrimination are actively challenged.

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We aim to build and maintain a workforce – both staff and freelancers – that is reflective of all parts of society and where every individual feels respected, supported, and able to thrive.

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1. Policy Purpose and Scope​

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This policy provides a clear framework to ensure equality, fairness, and inclusion in all areas of our operations. It applies to everyone who works with or for [Company Name], whether on a full-time, part-time, freelance, temporary, or permanent basis, and covers those working both on-screen and behind the scenes.

We are committed to ensuring that all employment and hiring practices are free from discrimination based on:

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• Age

• Disability

• Gender and gender identity

• Gender reassignment

• Marital or civil partnership status

• Race, ethnicity, or ethnic origin

• Nationality or national origin

• Religion or belief

• Sexual orientation

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2. Our Commitment to Fairness and Inclusion​

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At [Company Name], we:

• Treat all employees and freelancers with fairness, dignity, and respect.

• Make all recruitment, hiring, and promotion decisions based on aptitude, ability, and potential.

• Provide equal access to training, development, and progression opportunities.

• Encourage every individual to realise their full potential and contribute to our creative success.

• Recognise and value the unique contributions of individuals from diverse backgrounds.

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3. Our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Actions​

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To promote a truly inclusive workplace and improve diversity within our teams and productions, we will:

• Actively increase the representation of individuals and groups currently underrepresented in UK broadcasting, both in front of and behind the camera.

• Regularly review employment practices to ensure they are equitable, transparent, and help attract the widest pool of talent.

• Diversify our casting decisions with the aim of reflecting the full spectrum of British society on screen.

• Make reasonable adjustments to support the inclusion and full participation of disabled people in all aspects of our work.

• Expand and diversify our networks, ensuring we’re engaging with talent from a broad range of backgrounds and communities.

• Promote a respectful and inclusive culture, free from bullying, harassment, or intimidation.

• Provide development and training opportunities that support career progression for all staff and freelancers.

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4. Targets and Accountability​

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We are committed to transparency and progress. Where appropriate, we will set measurable diversity targets or goals to support continuous improvement.

[If your company has set diversity targets or goals, include them here along with time frames for achieving them. E.g., “We aim to achieve 30% representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in senior roles by 2026.”]

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To support this, we have developed an action plan to guide the implementation of this policy and measure our progress.

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The person responsible for overseeing the implementation and monitoring of this action plan is:
[Insert Name or Job Title]

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5. Monitoring and Review​

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We will review this policy and our progress annually to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. Regular monitoring will help us identify areas for improvement and adjust our strategy accordingly.

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6. Policy Governance​

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This policy is fully endorsed by the senior leadership team at [Company Name]. Any breaches of this policy may be treated as misconduct and could lead to disciplinary action.

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Signed:
[Insert Senior Leader’s Name and Title]
[Date]