BIFA AND SCREENSKILLS ANNOUNCE SUITE OF EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING FOR 2021/22
Programme including Unconscious Bias Training, Anti-Bullying and Harassment and Fair Recruitment and Inclusivity in the Workplace Training generously supported by ScreenSkills
London, August, 2021. BIFA and ScreenSkills have today announced that its ground-breaking advanced-level Unconscious Bias Training programme, developed with and funded by ScreenSkills, will return alongside two new programmes: Anti-Bullying and Harassment Training, and Fair Recruitment and Inclusivity in the Workplace Training. These live training sessions build on ScreenSkills’ already established suite of entry-level e-learning modules and anyone accessing the new sessions will be required to have completed the e-learning modules first*.
This year’s Unconscious Bias Training (UBT) is also adapting to the shifting needs of the industry by being run in three different versions aimed at different facets of the industry. UBT Creative Process is for writers, directors, executives, commissioners and anyone involved in the creative development of content, UBT Physical Production is designed for production crews and UBT for All is an introduction to the key elements of Unconscious Bias Training and suitable for anyone in the industry.
The first session takes place on 18th August and the programme will run until March 2022, supported by the ScreenSkills Film Skills Fund with contributions from UK film productions. The sessions will cost £30+VAT but full and part-bursaries will be available as required to allow people to take part regardless of their circumstances.
Piloted with BIFA voters in 2018, the Unconscious Bias Training programme was designed to help voters recognise and mitigate against potential subliminal biases in their film watching and during the voting process, such as genre, budget, commerciality, reputation or the gender and race of key creatives or lead actors.
Training has since been delivered to all BIFA voters who participate in the voting process and has also been rolled out to other organisations in the film and television industries, including BAFTA jurors. The training is accessible, relatable, informative and helps to build a better, more inclusive industry by supporting industry professionals to improve their leadership, judgement, and decision-making skills.
Training will continue to be held online, using Zoom, roughly once a month and will be limited to a max of 35 participants per session. The training will be facilitated by Challenge Consultancy who have developed and delivered the training on behalf of BIFA for the past three years.
Amy Gustin and Deena Wallace, co-directors of BIFA said:
“We’re delighted to be able to build on this vital training. We’ve consistently received excellent feedback from participants and the new versions of Unconscious Bias Training offer even greater insights into how unconscious bias can be understood and mitigated in the creative and production process. We’re proud to add both Anti-Bullying and Harassment Training and Fair Recruitment and Inclusivity in the Workplace Training to the programme as important steps to support the industry. ScreenSkills’ continued support of this pioneering programme has been essential, and we’re grateful to be able to take this important step for the programme to keep developing our industry’s skills and reputation.”
Gareth Ellis-Unwin, ScreenSkills Head of Film and Animation, said:
“The screen industries are committed to opening up more opportunities to a greater diversity of talent and to creating a better place in which to work. This new suite of training, building on our e-learning and our past collaboration with BIFA, will give everyone the tools to help make this happen.”
To register for one of our sessions click here
*ScreenSkills E-learning modules Tackling harassment and bullying at work and Addressing Unconscious Bias: Basic Awareness in the Workplace have been completed by over 5000 industry professionals. The Fair Recruitment E-learning module is coming soon.
