At PressPad, our aim is to lower the barriers of entry to journalism that shut so many diverse voices out of the media. Many media organisations offer low-paid (and sadly, unpaid) internships or work experience opportunities and don’t consider the financial burden of commuting, relocating, and finding a place to stay.
We strive to remove the priciest burden from that list: accommodation. We believe that interns shouldn’t have to pay this, particularly those from disadvantaged groups who already face greater barriers of entry to the media industry. We partner with media organisations and ask them to cover the costs of their interns’ accommodation through our host-mentorship scheme.
Unfortunately, some media organisations cannot afford to cover this (because they’re a small, independent outlet or a charitable organisation) or simply choose not to (unfairly, in our opinion). But we don’t want these interns to either fork out hundreds or thousands of pounds to fund their stay, or miss out on the opportunity entirely.
That’s why, if an intern’s stay isn’t funded by their media organisation, we will support them to find alternative funding elsewhere: be it from media diversity schemes, bursaries, or even the PressPad charitable foundation. We’ll point them in the right direction and give feedback on any application they make to funding providers.
Here are just a few examples of funding options available:
PressPad Charitable Foundation
The PressPad Charitable Foundation was set up in February 2021 to support the work of the social enterprise in improving social mobility in the media. If you have a placement secured and need financial support, the team helps those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Email bursary@presspadfoundation.com to request an application form.
BCTJ Placement Assistance Scheme
Available to students from BJTC-accredited courses who would most benefit from a one-off bursary of £250 to help them take up industry placements. Find out more here.
ScreenSkills Bursaries
A cash grant to remove the obstacles to getting into the screen industries or progressing your career. You can apply for money to pay for training fees, accommodation, care, disability access costs, equipment, software and travel. Find out more here
The Supporting Act Creative Bursary
Open to students from marginalised backgrounds in their final year of an undergraduate degree, this bursary opens up opportunities to explore career opportunities across arts and technology. It includes bursaries of €10,000, which will go toward tuition fees, living costs, study materials, or other educational costs. Find out more here.
Journalists’ Charity First Jobs Fund
Offers early-career journalists support with essential costs such as accommodation, moving home, transport and essential work-related equipment. Find out more here, and check out the charity’s other available bursaries on their website.
The Printing Charity
Offers grants to people working in the print industries or allied trades, tailored to applicants’ specific needs and circumstances. Find out more here. They also offer a £1,500 Rising Star award to emerging talent in the sector.
A Writing Chance
A bit of a sidestep from the list above, but equally helpful, this scheme co-funded by Michael Sheen and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation might be just the ticket. You can get mentoring and a bursary of £1,500 as a storyteller from an underrepresented background in the media. You’ll also leave the programme with a byline or a podcast. Find out more here.
Image Credit: Adomas Aleno
