Bursary recipients

Alycia will be studying MA Journalism at the University of Sheffield.

She brings diversity into the newsroom as she is from a working class background in the midlands and will represent this. She is also passionate about diversity and inclusion work and will provide a voice for underrepresented groups. 

Bethany Benge is completing a MA in Journalism at Leeds Trinity University. She is a mature student who also has a young child.

She will bring diversity to the newsroom as she comes from a lower socioeconomic background and bring a different perspective and shine a light on stories that will relate to the everyday person.

She also has aspirations to change the discourse of working-class people in the media and portray them in a more positive way.

Brendan will be studying the NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Sports Journalism at News Associates from September 2023. Brendan will learn the key skills required to succeed in the profession. He will look to use the course to master all taught to him on the course to achieve this success.

Brendan will look to bring greater representation of the Northern Irish Catholic diaspora in English newsrooms. Brendan will bring greater exposure of the opinions and experiences from this community.

Starting the NCTJ full-time Diploma course in September 2023.

Will aim to bring diversity to the news room as a black woman as this social group is underrepresented in the journalism industry, with hopes to bring fresh and innovative perspectives from a point of view that hasn’t been highlighted as much yet.

David will be completing the sports journalism course at News Associates starting in September. David is very passionate about all things sport and has been very involved in writing for a series of sports websites including match reports for his local non-league football club and took part in a work experience at The Guardian sports desk.

Having previously completed a Journalism degree a few years ago, David will be looking to further develop his journalistic skills and experiences this year in inspiring journalists of ethnic minority backgrounds and are neurodiverse in creating compelling journalism.

Hannah is a freelance journalist and will be studying an MA in Journalism at the University of Portsmouth. She is passionate about sports, social justice and the environment.

Having previously experienced homelessness, Hannah is passionate about using her experiences to create compassionate and trauma-informed journalism.

Lucy Rowan is an aspiring culture editor from South-West London. The first in her family to go to university, she gained her BA in Religion, Politics and Society from King’s College London and completed her study abroad at the University of Toronto. Following her graduation, she moved to Berlin. There she gained extensive writing experience including placements at the Guardian, OE and Exberliner Magazine. She is now the Online Editor for the Goethe-Institut London.

Besides coming from a low socio-economic background, she also has ADHD and BPD. She hopes to become a beacon of change for those with invisible disabilities.

Marti is studying MA Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Marti is particularly interested in accessibility within journalism and look forward to learning more about the industry and while studying the NCTJ qualification.”

Meg is set to study the fast track NCTJ course in Manchester. She is a previous editor of Varsity in Cambridge, where her exclusives featured in national and local papers. Meg is also a recipient of the The Orwell Society Young Journalist award and is a Lyra McKee Fellow.

Meg is a state educated, first generation student from a working class background in the North West. She hopes to champion class and regional diversity in national newsrooms with an interest in social and political affairs across the UK but particularly in the North.

Nicole Collins is an aspiring journalist from Wolverhampton. From a young age, she developed an interest in creative art: musical theatre, film and creative writing. In 2020, Nicole started her undergraduate degree at King’s College London in English, to develop the skills needed to become a professional writer.

After three years at King’s College London, Nicole will take the next steps in her journalism journey: she will start her postgraduate degree in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Nicole plans to bring diversity to the newsroom with her interest in neurodivergence, after being diagnosed with ADHD when she was 18.

After completing his law degree at the University of Durham, Oliver will be studying his NCTJ at News Associates, Manchester, as a participant in their Sports Journalism Fast-Track Course.

As Sport Editor of Palatinate, Durham’s student newspaper, Oliver received the Student Publication Association’s Best Sport Reporter Award and Best Sport Section Award in 2023 following his investigative efforts and his conscientious reporting of university sport.

Oliver will provide diversity to a newsroom due to this morally conscientious style and his capacity to offer a fresh perspective because of his first-generation and socially underrepresented background.

Becca is excited to start the NCTJ fast-track Multimedia Journalism Diploma in September with News Associates, Manchester. During her time at the University of Cambridge studying History, she was heavily involved in student media, presenting a radio show and writing for Junior Rowing News.

Becca hopes to represent views often excluded from the mainstream media and will use her own experiences as a gay woman, who had a difficult childhood and has struggled with mental health to bring diversity to the newsroom.

Siân is a passionate journalist from Glasgow. Since graduating with a BA in English Literature, she has embarked on a freelancing journey, collaborating with independent outlets and gaining invaluable skills. Previously contributing to renowned publications like the Daily Record and Daily Mail, Siân’s determination to expand her skillset and broaden her horizons has led her to pursue a Master’s in Multimedia Journalism at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Coming from a working-class background, she is committed to amplifying underrepresented voices in her work. Eager to explore digital storytelling and innovative reporting, Siân aims to make her mark in journalism. With support from the JDF, she is one step closer to achieving her goals

Tabitha is currently working as a maritime journalist and editor after graduating with a BA in Politics from Durham University and will be studying for an MA in Journalism at Sheffield University in September.

Tabitha is a first-generation, state-educated student who hopes to promote diversity in the newsroom, with her involvement in the 93% club at Durham being something she hopes to take into her studies and her future career.

She wants to encourage young people to get involved with journalism and wants to change the perception of the industry.

Taina Popoola is a Politics and International Studies undergraduate at the University of Warwick. She will be starting her Journalism Masters at Kingston University in September 2023 and will be given an NCTJ diploma at the end of her course.

She will be able to bring diversity to a newsroom through her being a young black woman from a working-class background in South London. This allows her to provide an understanding of how different marginalized communities within Britain interact with one another from a unique perspective missing in current mainstream journalism.

Amy Burrell is a 29-year- old from Salford and is beginning their MA in Journalism at the University of Salford from September 2023. Amy is fluent in Korean, having studied the language doggedly for over eight years. Amy came out as non-binary in their early twenties.

They’ve not had it easy in suffering with their mental health but are determined to overcome these setbacks. They wish to become a journalist who can be an inspiration to others, not because of their differences, but despite them.

Ben will be studying the NCTJ-accredited multimedia sports journalism course at News Associates in Manchester in the 2023/24 academic year.

Having spent 2 years working as a researcher for various production companies in Belfast, Ben discovered an interest for finding and telling important stories. He has recently combined this with his love of sports, writing for the Manchester United fan website Utddistrict.co.uk.

Ben was diagnosed with Dyspraxia as a child and has had to adapt to this to ensure that neither his education nor professional life has been, or will be, impacted by this life-long disability.

After finishing her BA in Culture, Media, and Creative Industries at King’s College London, Carla Feric is now completing her NCTJ, with News Associates in London. Carla was diagnosed with ADHD five years ago, but she hasn’t let that prevent her from pursuing her goal to forge a successful career in the news industry. Instead, she views her condition as an asset, helping bring new perspectives and voices to journalism.

Coming from a lower socioeconomic background, Carla is also passionate about diversifying the news to a more general demographic, helping to tackle the upper-class bias present in journalism.

Eduardo will be studying MA Sports Journalism at St Mary’s University. Recently, he was able to visit TalkSport offices. As well as reporting on sporting events, he has an interest in the impacts of sports on peoples lives and on societies in general.

Coming from a mixed race background, Eduardo understands the importance of seeing a story from several points of view. He also hopes to represent the city of Lincoln, where he grew up, and speak from experiences of a smaller English city and town perspective.

Farida, a politics and philosophy graduate, embodies unwavering curiosity and boundless passion, propelling her to lead the world with a compelling blend of inquisitiveness and empathy.

Driven by a profound desire to comprehend the intricacies of the human experience, she embarks on a compelling journey to unveil the untold stories of diverse individuals. Hence, She will be attending the News Associates part-time program to pursue her passion for storytelling.

Japtej will be undertaking the Fast-track sports journalism course, offered at the PA training Centre. The course is based in London, and lasts seventeen weeks. Japtej is a passionate, aspiring journalist, looking to focus on sports, and in particular football.

Diversity is vital to Japtej, and being a practicing Sikh, he is determined to be vocal and try to implement change in the industry. He has spoken about how there are not enough Asian journalists in general, but even less Sikh ones. He aims to be an inspiration for young Asians who want to get into journalism.

Jethro is a recent graduate who is due to begin his fast-track NCTJ in Multimedia Journalism at News Associates, London this coming September. Using his lived experience of growing up on an estate, he is aware of the often unheard narratives and perspectives of those from underrepresented groups. He wants to improve newsroom diversity by pushing these unheard voices into the spotlight.

Jethro is particularly interested in investigative features that tackle issues on human rights, environmentalism and systemic corruption. He has experience writing and editing for his university publications and is currently part of The Big Issue’s Breakthrough Freelance Programme.

Leah is an enthusiastic and positive individual who aims to inspire others, her goal is to become a broadcast presenter and researcher.

Having graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a 2:1 in the Masters of Arts English – international relations, this joint degree allowed Leah to voice her political opinions not only emotively but also in a critical manner. Joining the student newspaper known as the Gaudie allowed her to express political notions in an unbiased yet understanding lens. This ambition comes from someone who has come from an care experienced background. Leah hopes to bring diversity by inspiring others who relate to her experience to use their voice and speak passionately on topics they hold close to their heart.

She will then carry on this journalistic passion during her time at Glasgow Caledonian University where she will be partaking her masters degree in MA Multimedia Journalism.

Lisa is an aspiring data journalist and will be studying an NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism with News Associates in Manchester. She grew up in a low socioeconomic household with little aspirational influence.

In time, she went on to build a career as PR Manager for a social enterprise. This reignited the curiosity she had for writing as a child and she made the decision to undertake a career change into journalism in her late-30s.

Lisa hopes to bring diversity to the newsroom by using her lived experience to advocate for others through her future work.

Mohammed Rabnawaz Choudhary is passionate to become an Investigative Journalist. After completing Law studies Rabnawaz is set to amplify his impact with the NCTJ Diploma and NCTJ-accredited MA in Journalism. Rabnawaz is uniquely positioned to bring fresh perspectives to bridge cultural gaps and highlight untold stories that deserve attention.

In Law School Rabnawaz founded the Students Law Society and was elected first President. Rabnawaz has already made waves in the industry by achieving Accreditation from the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Beyond the newsroom, Rabnawaz is an advocate for climate change and was elected Vice President of the South Asian Climate Change Journalist Forum

Paige, from Hertfordshire, will be studying with PA Training London in February. She has been a Deputy Editor, Sports Editor and contributor for multiple online platforms trying to expand her experience and knowledge.

As a lifelong Luton Town fan, Paige’s passion is football and aims to bring diversity as a woman in sport, a space that is everchanging. This funding will allow Paige to combine her passions of sport and writing into her dream career. She appreciates the power of the media and wishes to utilize this to display the true beauty of sport.

Shaheena Uddin is set to study her Multimedia Journalism NCTJ diploma at News Associates. As a Pakistani Muslim woman she often writes about her community and the importance of representation in film and media. In her spare time, she runs the Muslim Journalists Connect network as well as her own podcast, with the aim of encouraging underrepresented voices to enter the field.

With British Muslims making up only 0.4% of the UK journalism industry, she dreams of being able to shape this sector into one that provides a more diverse, proportional representation of the underrepresented groups in society.

Tom will be studying his NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Sports Journalism at News Associates, London. Tom is the host of the Official Exeter City Podcast, having supported the club since his early teens. He’s also commentated for the club from the gantry at St James Park.

Tom comes from a remote and rural part of the UK, North Devon. He went to school at his local state comprehensive, Bideford College where attainment and progress were well below the national average.

In the newsroom, Tom wants to give a voice to underrepresented communities like those in his home county of Devon.

Aniqah has been a working journalist for two years, specialising in business and financial reporting.

She will be completing a fast-track NCTJ course with PA Media. With this training, Aniqah would like to evolve her skills in digital media and make a career in data journalism.

Daisy is training for her NCTJ diploma on the Press Association’s fast-track news journalism course.

After studying Politics at university, Daisy hopes to help the public understand the actions of those in power and to amplify the voices of those who are underrepresented in the media. She has said it is an honour to be a part of the Journalism Diversity Fund.

Upon completing her degree in Marine Biology at Newcastle University, Darcie furthered her studies completing a master’s degree in International Multimedia Journalism. With a passion for investigative writing, she has also undertaken the Lyra McKee Scholarship with the Centre for Investigative Journalism. It’s Darcie’s next goal to excel in undertaking an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma at Darlington College.

Coming from a low socio-economic and single-parent household in the North East of England, Darcie is incredibly proud of her background and aims to further her skills and knowledge to become an investigative journalist representing working-class women in the field.

Elysia aspires towards a career in social affairs journalism, working at the intersection of social policy and storytelling. This interest has seen her explore issues such as disability inclusion, gender inequality, and urban regeneration in national and global outlets. Having grown up in highly diverse medical settings, Elysia is particularly keen to explore the thorny relationship between social inequalities and poor health outcomes.

Elysia received an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge, followed by a postgraduate degree in Medieval Literature and Arabic from the University of Glasgow. She was thrilled to receive both financial and mentoring support from the NCTJ.

Hoda has worked as a journalist in Iran for around ten years. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English literature and has been a literary translator from English to Persian. She has worked as a tech content creator and is interested in learning about AI and its intersection with journalism.

Hoda will join News Associates in Manchester this September to study the NCTJ fast-track course in Multimedia Journalism. Being an Iranian journalist, she has always tried to show her people the world through her writings and translations. Now, her goal is to portray an authentic image of her country and its people to the global audience.

Kate Relton is a freelance journalist, specialising in music and the arts, a passion she shares through her work for a children’s theatre bringing creative arts to those in the most deprived areas of the UK.

As a single parent living in rural North Yorkshire, Kate is keen to give a voice to those who are underrepresented in journalism.

Living with chronic illness, caring for a parent and supporting a child alone, Kate is excited to be offered the chance to bring her unique point of view to the newsroom, studying for an NCTJ Diploma with News Associates.

Laura will be undertaking a Masters in Sports Journalism at St Mary’s University. Her work often explores the intersection of sport and politics, having just completed an undergraduate degree in History and Politics.

Motivated by her own experiences, having been diagnosed with autism and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, she hopes to bring diversity to the newsroom by broadening the traditional scope of sports journalism. Laura believes sports journalism can provide a medium to tackle injustice and will look to achieve this through coverage of disability sport, normalising taboo social topics and bringing better coverage to women’s sport.

Lowri will be studying MA News Journalism in her home city of Cardiff. This NCTJ accredited course at Cardiff University offers her the chance to expand the skillset she began developing at the University of Bristol as the Opinion Columnist for Epigram. She is currently supporting regional student newspapers through her role as the Wales Regional Officer for the Student Publication Association.

She will bring diversity to a newsroom by raising awareness of issues which affect underrepresented people in the media. Her personal experiences will help her to do so with tact and thoughtfulness.

Mia is studying on the News Associates course that is fully funded and awarded by the JDF team. Currently on her Sports Media course, the funding allows her to push boundaries by following her career dreams, as well as breaking barriers in terms of race and gender.

Being part of a class with only four women, and two out of the four being women of colour, Mia challenges stereotypes with her existence and is simultaneously able to commit to the best standard of work. She hopes to succeed in the digital sports media industry as a reporter.

Miles is an aspiring culture journalist from london. He previously interned at FT Weekend Magazine and will be completing his NCTJ fast-track course in Multimedia Journalism at News Associates in September. Miles will be bringing diversity to the newsroom through his working class, mutli-ethnic background.

As well as arts and culture, Miles has a deep interest in political journalism, and is excited to step outside his comfort zone. He would like to see cultural journalism better reflect the diverse voices that comprise the UK. It is thanks to the JDF that he is able to pursue a dream career.

Murthaza Ali-Hassan is an early career journalist from the Black Country. Currently, he has written for the South Asian magazine DESIblitz. Beyond South Asian issues, which Murthaza feels are extremely important, his interests are in local news, politics, tech, arts and culture.

As a British Pakistani from a working class background, Murthaza hopes to tell complex and under-discussed stories with empathy and great humility. This September, he will be studying a masters in News Journalism at Cardiff University. It is an NCTJ accredited degree he believes will provide practical skills and insight otherwise not easily attained in the Black Country.

Olivia Hughes will be joining News Associates in September to start the Multimedia Sports Journalism in Manchester. Although originally completing a Law degree from the University of Nottingham, Olivia found love for sports journalism at a young age when attending Women’s Football matches and fostered this in student media.

Being a Lesbian, Olivia is keenly aware of the struggles faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, especially in media. Olivia hopes to work towards removing bias and to highlight diverse and underrepresented voices in the newsroom.

Rosie will be completing PA’s fast-track NCTJ course, specialising in digital features and longform journalism.

Since finishing her Global Justice masters at the University of Sheffield, Rosie has been working in communications for the non-profit sector. Her writing has been published in outlets including gal-dem and Female Invest.

As a Chinese adoptee raised in a non-diverse area in Essex, Rosie hopes to bring diversity to a newsroom through her perspectives on identity, community and representation. She is excited to become a part of efforts to diversify narratives consumed by our society and determined to raise her voice for marginalised communities

Samuel is a student journalist at Press Association Training. His primary goal is to achieve a NCTJ diploma and pursue a career in sports/entertainment/music journalism. He played football between the ages 6-18 and still has a strong passion for the sport.

His aim is to bring diversity to the newsroom by bringing alternative stories of public interest. Samuel is excited to learn how to perfect his news writing skills and learn tips on advancing forms of journalism, such as video making. His plan is to create a series of documentaries to support an editorial career.

Stephanie has two science degrees and a background in environmental communications, including article writing, video and podcast production, digital marketing, and presenting. She is due to start the NCTJ part-time Diploma in Multimedia Journalism course remotely at News Associates from November. Stephanie hopes that this, combined with her passions for making scientific knowledge accessible, storytelling, and environmental causes, will enable her to launch a career as an environmental journalist.

She is dyslexic and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and will bring diversity to the newsroom through her confidence in advocating for herself and others.

Ayaat moved from the Arab world to a low-income part of rural Scotland as a child, and then to the South of England for university. This cross-cultural, cross-class perspective has informed her writing on degrees of connectedness of Arab and British culture, but has also underscored her work more generally.

While studying for her undergraduate degree in English, she explored the student journalism scene. She worked in different roles for several publications and developed a love for journalistic writing and expression.

She is very excited to begin the fast-track NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism at News Associates in London.

Emily will be beginning the NCTJ fast-track course in Multimedia journalism in Liverpool later this year. Growing up in Liverpool with immigrant parents has given Emily an appreciation for unique perspectives that are often underrepresented in British media. She strongly believes diversity in the newsroom can lead to the unearthing of gems; gaining access to unique stories and perspectives that might otherwise be overlooked.

Having completed her undergraduate degree in English at Liverpool last year, Emily is eager to begin her journalistic career, and is hoping to bring an immigrant, working-class perspective to the newsroom. Her extensive voluntary experience in journalism both during university and after has allowed her to appreciate the importance of inclusive and compassionate journalism. She believes fair and equal representation in the media is foundational to a healthy democracy.

Ena will soon begin studying for her NCTJ fast-track diploma at Glasgow Clyde College. Residing in the Highlands, she’s committed to increasing Scottish representation in newsrooms.

Her passion for journalism roots in her parents’ experience as refugees in the Bosnian War, fuelling her drive to amplify marginalised voices.

As a recent secondary school leaver, she was the school paper’s editor for two years, igniting her interest in politics. Notably, she’s interviewed the first elected Green Party parliamentarian in Britain and the Scottish Conservatives’ leader.

Ena’s published articles, online and in print, span papers including the Northern Scot and the Press and Journal.

Gonca will be studying at News Associates. She is a Turkish journalist, having worked for leading media outlets such as DHA News Agency, Hurriyet Newspaper, and Euronews Turkish previously.

She is excited about contributing to British media, leveraging her diverse background, skills, and experiences to create compelling stories.

Gonca aims to infuse unique perspectives into journalism, contributing stories that resonate across communities.

She said, “I am honored to be awarded the Journalism Diversity Fund. This bursary not only supports my educational journey but also enables me to bring a distinctive viewpoint to the diverse landscape of British journalism. I am looking forward to the next step in my journalism career.”

In February, Leia will be starting the News Associates London-based fast track journalism course.

Her previous work experience with Reach and The Telegraph has helped her to build foundation skills for journalism, but she is particularly looking forward to learning more about broadcast reporting.

Using her personal experience of dyslexia, she hopes to bring diversity to the newsroom by promoting voices which are often underrepresented in the industry. Having studied Criminology and Sociology as her undergraduate degree, she is keen to report on developments in social policy, particularly across education and social care.

Lucy Brinkley will be completing her NCTJ Fast Track course with PA Training in February 2024. She has a background working in policy and public engagement in the charity and public sector, and holds a BA in Politics and Sociology. She recently completed work experience with a local newspaper and is keen to gain further experience in feature writing and multimedia journalism.

Lucy is passionate about diversity in journalism. She believes her experience of coming from a lower socioeconomic background will influence her approach to storytelling in an accessible way that reflects the experiences of people from all backgrounds.

After 18 months working as a Programme Information Editor at Channel 4, Miranda has decided to take the step to study a fast-track multimedia journalism NCTJ at News Associates in Manchester.

Her passions include fighting for injustices (particularly sexism, social class inequality, and racism), raising awareness and finding solutions to the climate crisis, and trying to bring positivity to the world.

Miranda hopes to provide more of a female perspective in a male-dominated industry, as well as bringing diversity to a newsroom due to her socio-economic background, sexual identity and growing up in the North of England.

Owen is a journalist who is about to begin his NCTJ Fast-Track Diploma with PA Media. He has a particular interest in political and economic journalism and has worked with several high-profile newspapers. Interviewing public figures is also something he is interested in, which has led him to interview many cultural and political figures.

Bringing diversity to a newsroom is important to him, particularly when queer voices are so underrepresented in the media. As journalists, our backgrounds shape our perspectives and that is exactly why having people from different backgrounds in a newsroom is important. Our journalism must be diverse.