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Access Coordinator Development Programme
Applications for Access Coordinator Training 2025/26 are now open. Find information on the role, training and how to apply below.
Deadline to apply: 11.59pm on 31st October 2024.
The role of Access Coordinator is becoming essential in the screen industries. Access Coordinators oversee and facilitate access and adjustments for everyone working on the production. They problem solve by working with cast, crew and contributors to find solutions to removing barriers so everyone can do their best work whilst maintaining good physical and mental health.
For a second year, TripleC together with delivery partners DDPTV, Brazen Productions and Access All Areas are running their Access Coordinator training programme.
This programme is funded by the ScreenSkills High-end TV Skills Fund made up of contributions from UK high-end TV productions.
the programme will provide:
- The skills and knowledge needed to succeed in access roles on HETV productions.
- An industry mentor who has the expertise to guide and support you.
- A supported placement as an Access Coordinator on an HETV production.
- Networking and other opportunities to secure further work.
In-person and online sessions will cover:
- The role and duties of an Access Coordinator
- Access, adjustments and inclusion for a wide range of deaf, disabled, autistic and neurodivergent creatives
- Legal obligations, including the Equality Act
- Overview of an accessible and inclusive HETV production
- Funding for access
- Advocacy, people management and conflict resolution
- Mental health and wellbeing
When?
We ask that you ensure you are able to attend all sessions during this period prior to application.
- The programme will run from January 2025 – March 2026.
- There will an initial in-person session in Manchester in January 2025.
- There will be up to 12 online sessions, each lasting 2 hours between January 2025 – April 2025. These will be held on Tuesdays at 10.30am – 12.30pm.
- There will a final in-person session in April 2025 in Manchester.
- Between April 2025 and March 2026, you will complete a placement as an Access Coordinator on a HETV production. There will also be monthly online drop-in sessions where participants can share the learning they have acquired on productions.
- Each session will be delivered by experts working in the industry.
Who can apply?
The programme is open to deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent (DDN) people with:
- A minimum of 3 years’ experience working in any department in television production, especially drama or comedy, or;
- at least 2 on-screen credits.
We have 10 places available.
We recognise the positive value of diversity, promote equality and challenge unfair discrimination. We aim at all times to recruit the person who is most suited and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. This includes people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, nationalities, religions and beliefs.
We will advertise this opportunity via organisations that elevate underrepresented groups. Prioritising applications from people with protected characteristics will form an active part of the selection processes in tandem with ensuring that candidates meet the stated criteria.
Any diversity data provided is only used in the shortlisting process, will not be seen by the interview panel and does not factor in the final selection.
You do not need to provide evidence of being DDN as you can self-identify. We would like to ensure we are representing a range of lived experiences throughout the cohort. Sharing details about your lived experience with us will help us meet this aim. Please do so through the application.
Have any further questions?
We will be holding a webinar 1pm-2pm on 3rd October 2024 to answer any questions you may have about this course or the application process. This webinar is not mandatory for your application to be considered but is an opportunity to get to know a little more about the programme. It will be BSL interpreted and captioned.
Book a place on the webinar
Find the answers to some FAQs
Or you can email your questions to [email protected]
How to apply:
You can apply by doing one of the following:
- emailing your answers to the below questions;
- completing this Google Form;
- answering the questions in this Word document and then emailing the document to us;
- emailing an audio or video file with your answers.
Please email your application and CV to:
[email protected] with ACCESS COORDINATOR as the subject.
Please email any questions you have or if you need to apply by other means to:
[email protected] and we will aim to reply within 3 working days.
To apply for this course please tell us:
- Your name
- Address
- Email address
- Phone number
- Do you identify as deaf?
- Do you identify as disabled?
- Do you identify as neurodivergent?
- What experience do you have in TV or Film Production? (approx. 300 words)
- When you have worked on a production, what barriers to access have you witnessed and/or experienced? (approx. 250 words)
- Why would you like to take part in the programme? (approx. 200 words)
- Will you commit to attending all 12 online training courses, and 2 face to face sessions for the training in January 2025 – March 2026 if successful?
- Are you open to being on a paid on-the-job placement between April 2025 to March 2026, if given an opportunity by a high-end television production?
- We welcome applications from everybody. We particularly welcome applications from people from underrepresented communities to ensure we have a representative and diverse group of Access Coordinators. If you would like to tell us about your lived experience please do so.
View FAQ
What is an Access Coordinator?
Access Coordinators work with production companies to facilitate the access requirements of all cast, crew and/or contributors. They communicate and liaise between departments and individuals to ensure that adjustments are put in place that make a production accessible and to ensure everyone can do their best work.
Access Coordinators can both provide guidance for how to implement best practice around access; and work one-to-one with cast and crew to advocate for them and make sure their access requirements are met.
Access Coordinators ensure that everyone on a production has their access requirements met.
Access Coordinators can both provide guidance for how to implement best practice around access; and work one-to-one with cast and crew to advocate for them and make sure their access requirements are met.
Access Coordinators ensure that everyone on a production has their access requirements met.
What is an access requirement?
An access requirement is a need for something to be put in place to allow everyone to do their best work. For example, this could be a quiet space or wheelchair access. It could equally be providing fans or cooling patches for someone going through the menopause; or ensuring someone who has caring responsibilities has time to speak to the person they provide care for. All access requirements will be specific to the individual. The Access Coordinator will discuss someone’s access requirements with them and make sure they are met by liaising with the relevant departments on a production.
What does a typical day for an Access Coordinator look like?
Every Access Coordinator job is different. The job depends on the what the production company requires and what the individuals you are working with require. As everyone’s access requirements are different, so no two jobs will be the same.
Sometimes it may be important that you are on set frequently, in other cases the work can be done remotely. The job could include:
The job role is ensuring the production is as accessible as possible from the outset, though will be largely dependent on the access requirements of those you are working with – your job will always be to find and communicate accessible solutions within the production and to advocate for access to be considered from the outset.
Access Coordinators are not Personal Assistants (PAs) / Support Workers. Individuals may hire their own PAs to meet their access requirements but this is not the role of the Access Coordinator. Access Coordinators are hired by the production to facilitate the access requirements of all cast, crew and/or contributors. Access Coordinators are also not script consultants. Where script consultancy on particular lived experience is required by the production, Access Coordinators may connect productions to DDN networks or Disability Editorial Advisors / consultants.
- working with the locations department to make sure there is ramp access or suitable walkways;
- working with the transport department to make sure there is wheelchair accessible transport amongst the fleet;
- booking BSL interpreters;
- making sure scripts are printed on yellow paper or call sheets are produced in Easy Read formats;
- advocating for job share positions;
- advising on suitable travel hours, etc.
The job role is ensuring the production is as accessible as possible from the outset, though will be largely dependent on the access requirements of those you are working with – your job will always be to find and communicate accessible solutions within the production and to advocate for access to be considered from the outset.
Access Coordinators are not Personal Assistants (PAs) / Support Workers. Individuals may hire their own PAs to meet their access requirements but this is not the role of the Access Coordinator. Access Coordinators are hired by the production to facilitate the access requirements of all cast, crew and/or contributors. Access Coordinators are also not script consultants. Where script consultancy on particular lived experience is required by the production, Access Coordinators may connect productions to DDN networks or Disability Editorial Advisors / consultants.
How do Access Coordinators find jobs?
There are agents working in the industry who represent Access Coordinators; an agent will look for work for you and agree the fee. Whether you have an agent or not, lots of people find jobs by word of mouth and communication with other Access Coordinators to find out if any production companies are currently crewing up. TripleC and partner organisations DDPTV, Brazen Productions and Access All Areas also gets approached for recommendations for Access Coordinators which will be shared. During the course, you will undertake a placement on an HETV production, funded by ScreenSkills HETV Fund, that will be a useful way to start building relationships. There will also be opportunities throughout the course to network with both other Access Coordinators and industry guests. It will be beneficial for you to connect with networks and register with production lists who advertise these roles.
Are Access Coordinator jobs only available in London?
No. The location will be dependent on where the production is being filmed. Many productions are filmed outside of London in all parts of the UK or even abroad.
What is the pay for being an Access Coordinator?
Again, this varies from job to job and largely depends on the production company’s budget. It is up to the Access Coordinator to set their rate and at their discretion whether they meet the production company’s budget. Many people working in the industry work part-time as an Access Coordinators and have other jobs.
We recommend an “embedded” model where the Access Coordinator works on the project at pre-production, production, and post production stages. This might be on a full time or a part time basis, depending on the production.
In terms of pay, for this “embedded” model, we recommend aligning the role with the role of Assistant Production Coordinator. The Bectu rates for this role are as follows (rates quoted are per 10 hour day):
Band 1 (productions below £850k per hour): Minimum: £210 Suggested: £240
Band 2 (£850,000 to £3m per hour): Minimum: £225 Suggested: £255
Band 3 (£3m to £7m per hour): Minimum: £240 Suggested: £270
Band 4 (over £7m per hour): Minimum: £255 Suggested: £285
We recommend an “embedded” model where the Access Coordinator works on the project at pre-production, production, and post production stages. This might be on a full time or a part time basis, depending on the production.
In terms of pay, for this “embedded” model, we recommend aligning the role with the role of Assistant Production Coordinator. The Bectu rates for this role are as follows (rates quoted are per 10 hour day):
Band 1 (productions below £850k per hour): Minimum: £210 Suggested: £240
Band 2 (£850,000 to £3m per hour): Minimum: £225 Suggested: £255
Band 3 (£3m to £7m per hour): Minimum: £240 Suggested: £270
Band 4 (over £7m per hour): Minimum: £255 Suggested: £285
Are Access Coordinators hired by production companies or by individuals who have access requirements?
Access Coordinators are usually hired on a freelance basis by a production company. Production companies have a legal responsibility to provide adjustments and accessible working conditions for all cast and crew.
Are Access Coordinators mandatory on set?
No, at this current time production companies do not have an obligation to work with Access Coordinators, but with more DDN talent working in the industry and more awareness of life/work balance and mental health pressures, Access Coordinators are becoming more and more necessary. We are hoping that the role of an Access Coordinator will become mainstay in any production team in the future, but currently this is an emerging role and is therefore not currently mandatory.
Do you need a driver’s licence to be an Access Coordinator?
No, but as locations can be far away, access to a car can be useful.
Are Access Coordinators involved from the beginning of the production?
This is, again, dependent on the production. Ideally, Access Coordinators would be involved in pre-production to implement access in the very early stages rather than trying to ‘work around’ existing structures later on, but in reality, this is not always the case. Productions may only hire an Access Coordinator once they have hired a person who has declared themselves to be deaf, disabled or neurodivergent. The course will cover pre-production, production and post-production so the cohort will be prepared for every eventuality.
Does the government provide funding to provide access on productions?
Deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent people can apply to Access to Work, a government funding pot to fund DDN people’s access requirements in the workplace, to supplement access costs. This application needs to come from the individual, but the production company should support them to apply as their employer. As Access Coordinators, you may be asked to support people to make and manage these applications. Access to Work applications can be a lengthy process and not all applications for support are approved. Where applications are rejected, it remains the legal responsibility of a production to make adjustments. As an Access Coordinator, it will be your responsibility to make access recommendations and to find accessible solutions, but you will not be responsible for managing the production’s budget around access.
The broadcasters and streamers who are members of the TV Access Project (TAP) have committed to funding any access costs that Access to Work will not cover on their productions, details of which can be found here: Easy-Read-Summary-of-funding-protocol-v3.pdf (creativediversitynetwork.com)
The broadcasters and streamers who are members of the TV Access Project (TAP) have committed to funding any access costs that Access to Work will not cover on their productions, details of which can be found here: Easy-Read-Summary-of-funding-protocol-v3.pdf (creativediversitynetwork.com)
How do you manage your own access requirements when working as an Access Coordinator?
Once hired as an Access Coordinators, it is important from the initial conversations with production companies to outline your own access requirements for the role. Access Documents/Access Passports can help to communicate these. It is imperative that the workload is in line with your own access requirements and, as this is an emerging role, we get to set the blueprint for how this works, and champion flexible working in line with access requirements. It may also be useful to tap into the network of other Access Coordinators to form a community of people with whom you can have these conversations and be the support and unofficial Access Coordinators for each other.
What is HETV?
HETV stands for High End Television, and is defined as television with a budget of over £1million per hour.
How long is the training?
The training is running from January 2025 to March 2026. From January 2025-April 2025 the training will be delivered through an in-person day at the beginning in Manchester and up to 12 online sessions, each lasting 2 hours. After this time, you will undertake a placement on an HETV production to implement all that you have learnt. There will a final in-person session in April 2025 in Manchester.
What is the cost to take part in the programme?
There is no cost to undertake the training and we will cover travel and accommodation costs to attend the in-person days. You will be paid for the period of time you are on your placement.
How many people are you looking for?
There are 10 places available on the programme.
Is there a certificate for completion?
Yes, ScreenSkills will provide a certificate at the end of the programme.
Where will my placement be?
This programme is funded by the ScreenSkills High-End TV Skills Fund made up of contributions from high-end TV productions made in the UK. Placements will take place on productions who contribute to this fund. The team at ScreenSkills will oversee the process of finding placements and initial discussions with production companies, but you are also free to utilise any HETV contacts you may have to find a placement if you wish. The placements will be dependent on which HETV shows are in production at the time. The selection process is competitive. Productions teams will interview more than one trainee Access Coordinator for a placement.
How important is experience in TV and Film when applying for a place?
We are looking for candidates who have experience working on TV and Film productions to take part in this training. If you have already worked in television and are looking for a role that helps to make the industry more accessible – apply!
What do you mean by TV experience?
We are looking for candidates who have experience working on TV and Film productions to take part in this training. If you have already worked in television and are looking for a role that helps to make the industry more accessible – apply!
I have experience of working in factual/constructed reality TV, can I still apply?
Yes. The course will be targeted towards scripted HETV, however your skills gained in other productions will be transferrable.
What do you need to see in a CV?
Who is running this course?
The course, funded by ScreenSkills HETV fund, is being delivered by TripleC, DDPTV, Brazen Productions and Access All Areas. All of these organisations are committed to improving access for DDN talent in the arts and screen industries and have lived experience of disability. We consult regularly with broadcaster, streamers and industry stakeholders to inform the programme and its suitability for the needs of the industry.
Our programme will be delivered by multiple trainers who have lived experiences of the area they are delivering and who are currently working in the TV industry.
Our programme will be delivered by multiple trainers who have lived experiences of the area they are delivering and who are currently working in the TV industry.
Do you have to be deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent to apply?
Yes. We are recruiting deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent (DDN) applicants for this role. We are looking for people who have lived experience of implementing access requirements. Whilst we recognise the importance of allies, this is a great opportunity to support DDN talent already in the TV industry and to recognise the value of lived experience. You do not need to provide medical evidence and can self-identify as DDN to apply.
What support is available for applicants / participants?
If you have any access requirements for the application, please email your requirements to [email protected] and we will meet them. You will be paired with an experienced mentor throughout the placement who will answer any questions. You will also have the support of the TripleC team throughout. The ScreenSkills team will support you with finding a placement.
How do I apply?
Please go to the applications page on our website for information on how to apply.
Is there anything I should include in my application?
In your application, we would love to see your passion! It would be great to hear about your hunger for making this industry accessible, your advocacy skills and any relevant production and access experience. Please also include details about your experience of working in TV and why you would like to take part in this programme.
We would like to represent as wide array of lived experience as possible within the cohort to ensure there are working Access Coordinators with different lived experience. If you would like to share more details about your own lived experience then please do so.
For more information on the Access Coordinator job description and the skills required, please see here.
We would like to represent as wide array of lived experience as possible within the cohort to ensure there are working Access Coordinators with different lived experience. If you would like to share more details about your own lived experience then please do so.
For more information on the Access Coordinator job description and the skills required, please see here.
What is the deadline to apply?
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 31st October 2024.
Do I need to tell you my access requirements in the application?
You do not necessarily need to disclose your access requirements at this stage. If there is access you would like put in place that would support you in applying then please do let us know by emailing [email protected]. Otherwise, we will only ask you about your access requirements for your interview if we invite you to one; and your access requirements for the course if you are successful.
Do I need to tell you my access requirements in the application?
You do not necessarily need to disclose your access requirements at this stage. If there is access you would like put in place that would support you in applying then please do let us know by emailing [email protected]. Otherwise, we will only ask you about your access requirements for your interview if we invite you to one; and your access requirements for the course if you are successful.
