成人论坛

成人论坛 Elevate

Supporting deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent talent in the TV industry

About Elevate

成人论坛 Elevate is an initiative from 成人论坛 Content to progress mid-level deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent production talent industry-wide who have experienced blockers in developing their career due to access barriers.

We offer participants supported and meaningful matches in roles with production companies across our content. This initiative is talent-led, so we get to know the candidates鈥 skills, experience and goals, and how we can help reduce the barriers for them so that we can find the right match. The only requirement is placements must be on 成人论坛 shows.

Candidates are employed directly on fixed term contracts with host production companies. We fund a substantial part of the salary and oversee any access requirements. We also arrange tailored training, coaching and/or mentoring for the participants, and provide support to the host production company, including disability confidence training and a regular point of contact at the 成人论坛.

Want to apply?

Elevate 2024/2025 will be opening for applications in Autumn 2024.

It was a fantastic experience that culminated in six weeks filming manatees, howler monkeys, dolphins and crocodiles across the Caribbean.
鈥 Rosemary Cafferkey, Elevate Cohort 2022/2024
Learn more about Rosemary's placement

Elevate and Productions

Over 80% of Elevate candidates have stayed at their elevated role and have continued to progress their careers in the industry. We have successfully moved a researcher from unscripted to scripted, welcomed a question writer back to the industry, and a production coordinator made the move into an editorial role.

Matches have been on productions including Survivor, RuPaul鈥檚 Drag Race UK, Pointless, Inside Our Autistic Minds, Best Interests, Here鈥檚 One I Made Earlier, The One Show, Sports Personality of the Year, and Michael McIntyre鈥檚 Big Show.

 

Thanks to Elevate I managed to get placements on 鈥楿nbeatable鈥 and then 鈥楶ointless鈥 which restarted my production career.
鈥 Gordon Hart, Elevate Cohort 2022/2024
Gordon Hart

Gordon Hart

Elevate Cohort 2022/2024

I returned to TV production thanks to Elevate and I have loved it.

I was working in the press department of the government agency which looks after data protection - yes, that is as boring as it sounds! Thanks to Elevate I managed to get placements on Unbeatable and then Pointless which restarted my production career.

After that, I worked on The Hit List, and to name a few.

The highlight so far was having writing credits on Pointless and Limitless Win at the same time on Saturday nights, which was a massive honour. During that run, an episode of Limitless Win aired where I had written several of the questions that a couple faced when they won 拢1 million on the show for the first time. I am actually prouder of the fact that I wrote the question which knocked out the previous couple which was 鈥淗ow many times does the word 鈥榃onderwall鈥 appear in the lyrics to the Oasis single 鈥榃onderwall鈥?鈥 The couple said 15 but it was only three! I felt awful and elated at the same time!

I am currently working on a quiz idea that I have had with production company Honeybird Studios with a view to getting it commissioned. It鈥檚 early days at the moment but I am hopeful!

Rosemary Cafferkey

Rosemary Cafferkey

Elevate Cohort 2022/2024

I was thrilled to be selected as a 成人论坛 Elevate candidate.

I have been working in television for 7 years and felt I was ready to step up from AP to P/D. Elevate found me two fantastic placements, the first as a producer with Lion TV working on Liz Bonnin's Wild Caribbean. It was a fantastic experience that culminated in six weeks filming manatees, howler monkeys, dolphins and crocodiles across the Caribbean. This placement also gave me my first taste of edit-producing a 成人论坛2 50min episode.

My second Elevate placement was as a Story Producer and P/D for the 成人论坛 Science Unit working on the UK and US versions of 'Solar System'. This was my first experience of directing my own episode, and thankfully PBS NOVA thought it was great!

The experience I gained during both these placements was invaluable, but so too was the support and encouragement from the Elevate team. As well as arranging placements, they advised on requesting assistive technology or adjustments, and directing me to other ways I could get support at work or training I could access. Regular check-ins also were also places where I could openly talk about how my condition was affecting my work (or vice versa) without worrying that an honest answer about how I was feeling would affect my career.

Thanks to Elevate I now have the skills and experience to apply for P/D roles.

A white woman with brown hair scooped into a bun smiles and looks down, she is wearing a white shirt with rolled up sleeves and is perched on a rocky outcropping, a camera hood in her lap, watching the recording. In the background, a wilderness of grey rocks and green plants.

Elevate Team

  • Nichola Garde

    Nichola Garde

    Creative Diversity Partner Content & Nations Disability Lead
  • Hannah Truswell

    Hannah Truswell

    Senior Project Manager, 成人论坛 Elevate

If you have access requirements and need this website's information in another format, please contact: Hannah.truswell.ext@bbc.co.uk

For more information or to register your interest, contact the team.

Want to host a candidate?

More info for production companies
  • 成人论坛 Commissioning

    Get to know previous Elevate candidates and find out how suppliers and independent production companies can support the initiative.

Creative Diversity Initiatives

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