Words of Colour Productions and the Irish Writers Centre partnered on UpLift, a pilot international workshop and mentoring initiative for young people of colour with ambitions of leadership in the literature sector across Ireland and the UK.
The successful candidates (aged 18 to 30) were provided with mentoring and workshops from established industry professionals, award-winning writer and publisher Farhana Shaikh (The Asian Writer, Dahlia Publishing) and award-winning poet and director Nick Makoha (The Obsidian Foundation).
In addition, six UK-based and four Irish-based practitioners of colour had access to two workshops led by Makoha and Shaikh.
"I got the push I needed to move forward in my career and believe in my abilities. Particularly after Nick's workshop - I feel I'm more confident and go-getting. I've since got a new job in my field where I can develop my skills more, and it's a fantastic stepping-stone into my long-term career goals."