Channel 4 teams up with National Film and Television School Scotland to host a week of free online sessions focused on a healthy workplace

4 October 2024

Channel 4 has partnered with the National Film and Television School Scotland to deliver an insightful week of online sessions that are free and open to anyone to join.

Kicking off on Monday 7th October, the theme of next week’s webinars is ‘Building a Healthy Workplace’. The sessions include masterclasses and conversations with industry professionals offering practical knowledge, advice and strategies on topics such as leadership, HR, access and inclusion, generative AI and mental health awareness.

The initiative, led by 4Skills, will be delivered online via Zoom to ensure it is accessible across the UK and will be open to everybody currently working within or wanting to learn more about the creative industry with previous NFTS sessions reaching thousands of participants across the country.

Kevin Blacoe, Channel 4’s Head of Partnerships & Skills, Nations & Regions says: “It’s brilliant to team up with NFTS Scotland once again to deliver these action-focused online sessions aimed to connect and inspire the film and television community. This year’s theme is all about building a healthy workplace and we hope many of the discussions will resonate with people whilst providing helpful advice that they can apply to their own workplaces.” 

Session highlights include:

• Building a Healthy Company Culture with Producers Jules Hussey and Louise V Say. Producers Jules Hussey (Guilt, Ralph & Katie, Catherine the Great) and Louise V Say (Shetland, Dracula, Les Miserables) talk to Alison Goring (Head of NFTS Scotland) to discuss what a healthy company culture looks like on a practical level and what they seek to incorporate into their productions for the benefit of those who work with them.
   
• Access and Inclusion with TripleC Co-Creative Leads Melissa Johns and Cherylee Houston. TripleC's Co-Creative Leads, actor / director Cherylee Houston and actor / writer Melissa Johns will discuss the meaning of true access and inclusion within the screen industries and look at what can be put in place to create a fully inclusive and accessible workplace - one that works for and benefits everyone.
   
• Leadership with Sophie Turner Laing OBE and Jon Wardle (Head of NFTS). Sophie Turner Laing OBE (Chair of the National Film & Television School, former Chief Executive Officer of Endemol Shine) and Dr Jon Wardle (Director of the National Film & Television School) will discuss the essential qualities of good leadership and how building compassionate and resilient working relationships creates healthy practices and company cultures.

 

• Mental Health Awareness and Resilience with Sarah McCaffrey of Solas Mind. Sarah McCaffrey of Solas Mind will talk about the importance of looking after your mental health and staying resilient whilst managing the stressors of daily life. The session will explore ways to support positive wellbeing and boost resilience - introducing key information and practical strategies to support self-care.

All sessions are free to attend and will be hosted on Zoom.  To view the schedule and book your place, please visit: https://nfts.co.uk/channel-4-and-nfts-building-healthy-workplace

Notes to editors

About 4Skills

4Skills is Channel 4’s nationwide training and development strategy which aims to create thousands of opportunities nationwide with a particular focus on people from diverse and disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds who want a career in broadcasting.

In 2023 4Skills generated more than 57,000 training, development and learning opportunities for people across the UK, focusing on those from underrepresented groups. It offered full-time, fully-paid training to young people taking their first steps in our industry including 41 apprentices, 30 Content Creatives trainees and 16 disabled trainees recruited for the Paralympics Production Training Scheme.

4Skills invests £5m in training, development and learning opportunities annually and this will double to £10m by 2025.

For more information visit: https://careers.channel4.com/4skills

About Channel 4

Channel 4 exists to create change through entertainment. Publicly owned yet commercially funded, Channel 4 generates significant and sustainable cultural, economic and social impact across the UK – at no cost to the taxpayer.

The broadcaster’s distinctive remit is set by Parliament, and it has a role to represent unheard voices, challenge with purpose and reinvent entertainment. For more than 40 years, it has been a British success story, engaging generation after generation of young people.

With a unique publisher-broadcaster model, Channel 4 commissions its content from the UK independent production sector. Working with hundreds of creative companies every year, Channel 4 makes a major contribution to the local, regional and national economy, creating and supporting thousands of jobs and businesses across the country.

In 2024, Channel 4 launched its Fast Forward strategy to accelerate its transformation into an agile and genuinely digital-first public service streamer by 2030. It is designed to ensure Channel 4 embraces the generational shift in TV viewing, elevates its impact across the UK and stands out in a crowded market.

From its bases in London, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow, Channel 4 is fully committed to harnessing the power of its regional structure to increase its impact across the UK. Through its training and development initiative 4Skills is opening up opportunities in broadcasting, with a particular focus on disadvantaged young people and addressing skills gaps across the Nations and Regions. 4Skills invests £5m in training, development and learning opportunities annually and this will double to £10m by 2025.

Channel 4 has the UK’s biggest free streaming service. Through Film4 Productions, Channel 4 also invests in British filmmakers to huge critical acclaim, producing 43 Oscar wins and 97 BAFTA wins in its history.