Saturday 5th December: My Media Roundup by Olivia Crellin, Founder, PressPad

December 05, 2020

Every Saturday morning, we invite a publishing pro to put together their top media links. This week we're delighted to bring you a #PressPadRemote takeover from PressPad founder Olivia Crellin.

PressPad is an award-winning social enterprise that is fighting to lower the financial barrier of entry into journalism. The scheme linked young people doing work experience with experienced journalists who could offer a spare room and great advice. But, since Covid, they’ve been providing online support via the #PressPadRemote programme.

Learn more about Olivia and PressPad on their website.

Olivia says:

"Before the pandemic struck, PressPad hosted interns in affordable accommodation with mentor-hosts as our unique way to tackle socio-economic and geographic exclusion in the media industry. Covid-19 meant we had to pause our hosting services as many young people also lost their internship offers. Research by social mobility charity The Sutton Trust earlier this year found that over three-fifths (61%) of employers offering work experience placements had to cancel their schemes.

"#PressPadRemote was our response to this situation - offering online masterclasses, CV clinics, pitch workshops and networking events at the height of the pandemic and lockdown. PressPad is now currently crowdfunding to be able to bring back #PressPadRemote, bigger and better than before! Our £15,000 target would allow us to run the scheme for four months in 2021, which we know will be crucial to helping get young journalists back on their feet as we pursue a ‘new normal’. "

First off - just a cheeky plug for our current #PassItOn crowdfunder! Just a flavour of what’s to come: masterclasses, career clinics, networking events, commissioning workshops and much, much more. Follow us on social for more teases to the line up for season 2, starting in mid-January - if we can meet our target! We’re just over 50% of the way there - donate or share news of our crowdfunder using the link!

Our work at PressPad has always been rooted in working towards greater diversity in the journalism industry. This excellent article from NiemanLab clearly and succinctly sets out both the moral case for diversity in newsrooms, as well as the business imperative to push for change. Our work with media organisations

Lots of people find networking difficult or cringe-worthy, but it doesn't have to be! This was one of our most popular masterclasses during the first PressPad Remote programme. Freelance journalist and former PressPad programmes manager Nicola Slawson sets out exactly how to network - both in-person and offline (very handy during a pandemic).

Mentoring has often been the subject of debate - and PressPad even hosted a remote session that was all about this. Lydia is one of the interns behind the crowdfunding efforts - and these are her thoughts about mentoring, as well as looking at the positive impact mentors can make. Lydia is also on the Autistic spectrum, and is a freelance journalist.

One of our PressPad campaign team members wants to recommend this podcast by Claire Hutchison, which features women who work in the creative industries. It’s always helpful to hear the different routes people take to get to where they are, and the podcast is a fascinating, clear insight into how different people get to various stages in their career.

Another blog post from one of our PressPad team members! Nicole, a Singaporean journalist, looks at how remote opportunities are more vital than ever during a time of COVID-19. She argues that these opportunities are great equalisers in terms of access, breaking down geographical barriers to networking, learning and community.

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