Four Whizz-Kidz have placements at HarperCollins

HarperCollins has taken on its first work experience placements via its charity partner Whizz-Kidz, with young disabled people working in divisions across the organisation.

The week-long placements saw Rachael Dewhurst work in the communications team, Kayleigh Millar with Harlequin, Bethany Sheppard with rights, and Paige Tabone with The Borough Press. As well as working in their separate divisions, the four also had tours of The Sun and The Times within The News Building, and went both in front of and behind the camera in the News studios.

Tabone, aged 23, said: “I really enjoyed my placement with HarperCollins. Everyone I worked with was absolutely lovely, and it was great to see first-hand the creative process at the heart of the business. I didn’t really know much about the process of publishing, so I was surprised – pleasantly – to see just how much went into it! I’m now seriously considering exploring publishing as a career.”

HarperCollins communications director, Fiona Allen, said: “It was fantastic to have Rachael, Kayleigh, Bethany and Paige working at HarperCollins. Their enthusiasm for books and publishing shone through, we loved having them on the team and I can only hope that they have been inspired to consider publishing as a career.”

Ruth Owen, Whizz-Kidz chief executive, added: “Whizz-Kidz works hard to give young disabled people the confidence to enter the world of work – but we can’t do it without the support of fantastic partners like HarperCollins. We’re so grateful for the opportunity they’ve given to these young people, and we hope the skills they’ve developed on this placement will serve them well as they continue their journey into work.”

HarperCollins is set to take on further work experience placements via Whizz-Kidz at the end of the year, as part of its strategy on diversity and inclusion.

HarperCollins’ relationship with Whizz-Kidz began in June 2015 when the charity was selected as a winner of funds as part of the News Corp Giving campaign, in which staff at HarperCollins and sister companies News UK and Dow Jones voted for the organisations they would like to receive money from a central pot of £100,000.