We believe that there are two critical things you need in order to succeed in the marketing, and advertising industries:
opportunity and training.
The problem is that both of these factors have, historically, only been accessible to a select group of talent who can afford to work long hours at an internship for free.
It’s the classic catch 22—you need experience in order to get a job, but you need a job in order to get experience. And the way most agencies and organizations screen potential candidates makes it difficult for someone with incredible potential—but not as much practical training or formal education—to even get an interview. The results are that our teams have become homogeneous: hiring similar people with similar views from similar places, looking for a good fit versus a good addition.
The very qualities that we need in order to do our best work—diversity of background, experience, perspectives, abilities, and understanding—have fallen to the side.
This imbalance is something that our industries have recognized for a while. But the social conversations and long overdue swell of cultural awareness made us realize that taking small steps to help address it wouldn't be enough.
…and so the RiseUP Marketing Fellowship was born.
Our goals for RiseUP are bold, but achievable:
Diversity
Inspire the marketing and advertising industries to build a more diverse, inclusive culture where different backgrounds and perspectives are valued—and considered essential—to creating the most powerful work
Access
Empower passionate industry newcomers—who previously may not have had an equal opportunity or the access to critical resources—to break-into the field and lay the foundation for successful, lasting careers
Impact
Enable more nonprofit organizations to create positive change in the world through pro bono project support, hands-on collaborations with our fellows and their mentors that lead to impactful, tangible results
In order to reach our goals, we designed the RiseUP Fellowship to be different from many other industry training programs.
Look for talent everywhere.
Many organizations go back to the same hiring sources time after time. But we know that in order to create a more diverse industry, we need to become more diverse in how and where we look for talent. Our RiseUP opportunities are posted on DEI job boards, as well as with our workforce partner.
Embrace remote collaboration.
A lot has changed in the last year, and we recognize that in-office collaboration isn’t always feasible. Our fellows receive a laptop, a 27" monitor, and a generous allowance to create a great home-office setup. We'll provide in-person opportunities when it's safe, but will always maintain flexibility.
No prerequisites required.
We designed RiseUP to give anyone who’s struggling to break into the industry an opportunity to get their foot in the door—regardless of prior experience, education, age, race, gender, community, ethnicity, ability, or geography.
Provide hands on learning.
Each cohort begins by training on some of the industry’s most powerful tools and platforms, with guidance from their mentors. Then they'll transition to probono client projects, honing their skills in a live environment. Check out our Spring 2021 nonprofit client partners here!
Interview without bias.
We review our applicants’ resumes with names redacted, and conduct interviews on the phone—rather than through a video call—where unconscious bias has a higher likelihood of sneaking in.
Create impact at every turn.
RiseUP’s everyday work may be focused on our fellows, but the program is designed to help everyone. Whether you're with an agency, a nonprofit, an individual mentor or a foundation – all of our industries become smarter, stronger, and more diverse along the way.
Provide financial stability.
We don’t believe that career development should require taking on debt, or balancing the demands of a full-time job, to make ends meet. Our Fellows receive a comfortable living stipend, so they can focus their full-time energy on learning and growing.
But we also know that one size doesn’t fit all….
So for 2023, we’re testing out a new model:
RiseUp Scholars
Flexible Training
Instead of a full-time Fellowship, RiseUp Scholars will be able to set their own schedules. Every Scholar will receive comprehensive training courses and certifications for FREE, and will have the flexibility to complete the program on their own time over 6 months.
Diverse Mentorship
Scholars will be paired with 1:1 mentors who’ll bring their unique skills, backgrounds, and connections to support them in their RiseUP journey—and help them break into the career of their dreams.
Extension Opportunity
After completing 6 months of training and mentorship, Scholars will have the chance to be selected for a fully-paid, 80-hour non-profit internship, providing incredible hands-on experience to put their skills into action.
About RiseUP: Behind the scenes
RiseUP is fiscally sponsored project of Social Good Labs, a nonprofit organization (501c3) that helps other purpose-minded initiatives launch and grow.
In 2020, Media Cause joined forces with Social Good Labs to become RiseUP's first Host Agency and a Founding Partner, investing over $100,000 into getting the Fellowship off the ground. Since then, the agency has funded, hosted, and provided nine Fellows (including three in the 2022 cohort) with hands-on training and mentorship, and several members of Media Cause leadership team volunteer their time to help run the program on a daily basis. You can meet them all here.
We know that improving diversity, access, and impact in our industries is critical work—but we can't do it alone. We're looking for more Host Agencies and funders to fight the good fight with us as part of our Fellowship, and mentors to help lead our Scholars program. If you're interested in either, check out our Partnership Opportunities.