As part of its Changing the Story initiative launched last year, Hachette UK will be partnering with The Book Trade Charity (BTBS), to offer subsidised accommodation in London to support people, for whom London is otherwise prohibitively expensive, to start their careers in the industry. This offer will be open to successful applicants to the Hachette BAME internship programme, the first of whom will begin their 12-month paid internship in September.
In January, Hachette made a donation to BTBS in memory of Carole Blake who was its President and a huge supporter of the charity. This donation will help fund the complete refurbishment one of the four blocks of The Bookbinders’ Cottages in Barnet recently acquired by the charity. Work is due to start on the properties at the beginning of next month and will be completed in September when Hachette welcomes the first cohort on its new programme of internships, targeted at people from BAME backgrounds. In addition to being paid entry-level salaries, Hachette interns will be offered subsidised accommodation in the flats and other applicants for the subsidised accommodation (which will be offered for a fixed 6 month period) will be considered by Hachette, on a needs basis.
Changing the Story is an ongoing project focusing on diversity and inclusion, chaired by David Shelley, and devised and run by staff at Hachette. In addition to the 12-month internship scheme, other initiatives include Hachette’s outreach programme into schools, its diverse mentoring programme and 8-week paid work experience programme.
David Shelley commented: ‘I am so thrilled that Hachette and BTBS are working in partnership on this project. The cost of accommodation in London can be such a barrier to entry to our industry, and I hope this will help some talented people get a start in publishing who would otherwise not have been able to do so.’
Other publishers which partner with The Book Trade Charity BTBS include Penguin Random House.