Breaking barriers: 30 young voices enter The Student View’s journalism career pathway programme

We are thrilled to announce the official launch of our New Creator Fellowship programme at the esteemed Financial Times HQ in London on Thursday, April 13th! Our 2023 cohort of 30 talented young people aged 16-23, selected through a competitive application process, travelled from all over the UK to attend the kick-off event. The day was filled with learning, ice-breaking activities, and networking with industry guests.

The event boasted an incredible panel of industry experts, including renowned comedian and BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcaster Eddie Kadi, Channel 4 presenter and reporter Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, and Global Head of Audio at The Financial Times, Cheryl Brumley, hosted by Fellowship board advisor and Talk TV producer/presenter Mosique Lavontelle. The panel shared invaluable insights and tips on what it takes to make it in the industry, inspiring our cohort with their career journeys.

 

 

Throughout the day, the cohort had the opportunity to meet and network with programme mentors and other industry professionals, including BBC Radio London presenter Amelia Poamz, Abbie Scott and Kevin Wilson from The Financial Times, founder of Axe & Saw Rachel Allison, author and coach Tiwalola Ogunlesi, CEO of Ness Labs Anne-Laure Le Cunff, BT Group Director Kerensa Jennings, sports marketing expert Sol Lovemore, and many others. Our Executive Director Bejay Mulenga MBE provided insights about the future of The Student View and announced the Fellowship’s two-year plan. Tiwalola also gave signed copies of her book “Confident and Killing It” to the cohort and guests, adding to the goody bags guests got to take home.

After the event, our amazing fellows provided feedback on the day, and their responses were overwhelmingly positive. They expressed gratitude for the opportunity to connect with industry professionals, learn from the panel of experts, and network with their peers. Many mentioned feeling motivated and inspired to pursue their careers in journalism with renewed passion and determination. Take a look at some of their comments below: 

 

“Two weeks ago, the cohort for the first ever New Creator Fellowship Programme got to meet at the Financial Times HQ! The action-packed kick-off started with an introduction to the awesome team, ice-breakers, and a presentation giving us an idea what the NCTJ qualification will look like.

The wonderful Bejay Mulenga, Chief Executive of the programme, then organised my favourite part of the event; an evening of networking with the cohort and experienced mentors. We were joined by a panel of inspiring speakers, a live DJ, and plenty of canapés and drinks. I am looking forward to the 26-week journey we are about to embark on!” – Aaliyah 

“It was wonderful seeing so many multi-talented young creators all in the same room. If this is what journalism looks like in 5 years’ time, I cannot wait to be part of the wave” – Rory. 

The New Creator Fellowship is a groundbreaking programme aimed at supporting underrepresented groups in the industry, breaking down barriers to entry, and creating positive action. The 2023 programme welcomes a diverse cohort of young people, with the majority of participants from non-white ethnic backgrounds and residing outside of London. Working to increase accessibility in the industry, nearly a third of the participants have registered an accessibility or support need, and only 6.66% of participants have listed a parent, caregiver, or guardian as linked to the industry.

The programme officially started on the 13th of April and runs  to October 13th, 2023, and we are incredibly excited about the journey ahead for our talented cohort of New Creator Fellows. Our first session went live last week, focusing on gathering information in journalism. Commenting on the first week of the programme our fellows said: 

“Todays session has been a great chance to meet everyone and hear other aspirations and experiences. Looking forward to next week!” – Paige 

“Thank you for this really insightful call! I’m excited to have a look at the recommended readings. Looking forward to the next session!” – Shenice 

“It’s been beautiful to hear from everyone! What I’m taking away from this is we should make good use of this lil network, support each others’ various projects and keep an eye out for how we can help each other? i wish all of you loads of luck getting where you wanna be, if i can help please always reach out”. – Sophia

“Great first meeting everyone, so many exciting projects – looking forward to next week!” – Rory

“Thanks everyone – today’s call really signified how diverse the field of journalism is, hearing everyone’s different interests and journeys so far has really elucidated this and it was lovely to begin getting to know everyone!!” – Aaliyah

“Thank you for today! It has been such an insightful and motivational session.” – Sonakshi

“It has been amazing to meet everyone and hear all about our different experiences and paths. Looking forward to the next session, thank you!” – Jaspreet 

“Thanks for a great call. One thing I’ve taken away is the importance of surrounding yourself with all things journalism in order to succeed in this industry.” – Vinay

“Thank you everyone!! Biggest thing I took away from the call is the core of journalism being the exploration of the truth, and also very excited to look at those recommendations.” – Hanaa 

Join us in celebrating this momentous occasion as we pave the way for the future of journalism through the New Creator Fellowship. Together, we are breaking barriers, fostering diversity, and empowering the next generation of storytellers. Stay tuned for updates on their incredible journey and the impact they will undoubtedly make in the world of journalism.