Cowshed has joined forces with Wales’ Future Generations Commissioner’s Office to offer more paid opportunities for people experiencing barriers to starting a career in communications because of race, religion, age, sex or social background.

Your-turn-ship is a paid ten-week work placement designed to unlock potential and progress the careers of those who represent Wales.

The two Cardiff-based employers believe the placement is key to building a more dynamic and sustainable communications industry for Wales and will help ensure campaigns which engage Welsh society are created by people from all corners of that society.

Successful applicants will gain on the job industry experience and get to develop skills such as design, content creation, copywriting, media relations, social media, event planning and social advertising.

The scheme is open to individuals who identify as any of the following:

  • Disabled person (including long term illness and neurodiversity)
  • LGBTQ+ person
  • Gender re-assigned person
  • Recent returnee from maternity/adoption/parental leave (within 3 years)
  • Black, Asian or Minority eEhnic person
  • Refugee
  • Person from lower socio-economic background
  • Mature applicant (45+)

Your-turn-ship is an expansion of Cowshed’s award-winning Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic programme which has helped everyone on the placement go on to find roles in Welsh industry.

Vicki Spencer-Francis, Managing Director of the creative communication agency Cowshed said: “Since 2018, our groundbreaking BAME internship has helped eight people from Black and Ethnic Minority backgrounds to develop the experience and skills they need to secure rewarding jobs the creative industries.

“Given the success of the programme, the logical next step is to open our placements to anyone from a marginalized background or circumstance. This will ensure that everyone, no matter what their religion, age, sexual orientation, or location, can take part.  

“We couldn’t think of a more perfect partner to help us progress our programme than the Future Generations Commissioner of Wales – a pioneering organisation setting new standards that we all strive to live by.’

Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, said: “The Well-being of Future Generations Act sets out a legally binding vision for a more equal Wales – and for that to happen, every organisation needs more inclusive workplaces to attract and retain talent from under-represented backgrounds.

“This partnership with Cowshed will help us to widen the voices who communicate our work, from the campaign for a basic income to influencing how our children are educated, so that we can continue challenging policy makers to ensure achieving social justice is central to tackling the climate, nature and cost of living emergencies – and that Wales is creating real and lasting change for current and future generations.”

There are three paid work placements available. Two with Cowshed and one with the Future Generations Commissioner.

The work placement will start on Monday 9th January 2022 and end on Friday 10th March.

To find out more about the placement, visit wearecowshed.co.uk/join-us/ or Working with us – The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. Applications close at 9am on Wednesday 7th December 2022. 

Cowshed is a Blueprinted agency, a Disability Confident Employer and Autism Aware. The Future Generations Commissioner’s Office is I-ACT Mental Health awareness accredited, Healthy travel charter and Community Jobs compact signatories. Both pay the Real Living Wage.

ENDS