School for disabled journalists at risk of closure

The future of an academy which provides courses for aspiring disabled journalists is at risk, after the programme's funding ran out.

The Academy for Disabled Journalists (ADJ), based in Chobham, Surrey, is fundraising and has had to postpone its online courses from spring 2025 onwards.

The courses, which have been running for five years, offer reduced fees for disabled students in the UK and abroad, and provide accessible support such as press readers and braille materials.

Founder Grant Logan said that the voices of disabled people in journalism will be lost if the academy cannot find funding.

"We are the only organisation specifically to support disabled people into journalism," he said.

"We are changing people's lives - we've taken students who didn't even think they could be journalists, have given them the opportunity and are now working full time in journalism.

"There's so many opportunities, and so many jobs for disabled people within the media landscape."

The academy has trained more than 100 students since launching in 2020.

It received four years of National Lottery funding but now needs to look for other sources of financial support.

The academy started a campaign to raise £20,000 but also hopes media outlets will help.

Mr Logan set up not-for-profit skills academy Ability Today, formerly Disability Today, in 2017 and started a roving reporters team in 2018.

The organisation partnered with journalist training body NCTJ in 2020 to offer accredited diplomas.

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