A cartoon takeaway box with a happy face, gloves, and shoes stands smiling and flashing a peace sign—ready to serve up smiles like work experience on the job! Small food icons, like pizza and fruit, are scattered around the light background.

A creative partnership for real-world impact

The Takeaway brings together organisations, educators and young people to deliver creative work with real-world impact.

It’s a way to do something meaningful – to support the next generation of creative minds while producing work that genuinely connects with people. We guide every project from start to finish, ensuring strong work, a positive experience and pride in what everyone involved has helped create.

The work is then shared, celebrated and seen. We promote the outcomes through our channels, and many of our partners use the final work in their campaigns and communications.

A cartoon shopping bag with a happy face, wearing gloves and shoes, stands on a red background, making a peace sign with its right hand—ready to brighten up your work experience.

A person with work experience, wearing a blue cap and T-shirt, gestures with open hands, showing a colourful streak painted on their cheek and a tattoo on their forearm, standing indoors against a neutral background.

A smiling woman with work experience operates audio equipment outdoors, wearing headphones as she works in front of a camera. People walk and gather in the background near a historic stone building.

Four smiling people stand in front of a red wall holding award certificates, celebrating their work experience. A cartoon character is displayed on the screen behind them, and they appear happy and proud of their achievements.

Two women sit side by side, smiling and laughing, perhaps sharing stories from their work experience. One wears a patterned dress, the other a white sleeveless top. Bags and stone walls are visible in the background.

Two people look at a camera screen outdoors, sharing a joyful moment. The person in front sports a pink cowboy hat and a rainbow flag painted on their cheek, showcasing how work experience can bring people together in creative ways.

Four people stand smiling indoors; two hold certificates celebrating their work experience. A red screen with a cartoon character glows in the background, whilst a hand claps in the foreground, creating a casual and festive atmosphere.

A smiling person with curly hair and a rainbow-striped shirt holds a camera, leaning against a stone wall at an outdoor event—capturing moments and gaining valuable work experience among people and trees in the background.

Why it matters

Young people today face many challenges. There’s pressure to know what they want to do, the expectation to already have experience and the challenge of standing out.

What they don’t always get is the chance to be trusted. To be taken seriously. To work on something real, with proper support and guidance along the way.

The Takeaway gives them that chance.

It’s not just about creative skills. It’s about confidence, communication and collaboration – the things that matter wherever they go next. The goal is to create a space where they feel trusted, encouraged and able to bring their ideas to life.

Human creativity and empathy are more valuable than ever in a world shaped by automation and AI. This programme helps build those skills in a way that’s practical and exciting.

What an experience The Takeaway has been. I’ve gained proper skills in a real professional setting. It was good for me personally, as I didn’t feel like I had to be better than anyone else. It was so fun and an amazing event to take away with me for the future, as well as now having connections in the industry!

A smiling young person with long hair and rainbow stickers on their cheeks wears white headphones at an outdoor event, possibly sharing stories about their work experience. Other people are visible in the sunny background, some with pride-themed accessories.

Bethan Young Media Academy Cymru student

The Takeaway in action

A smiling person with work experience wears a rainbow-striped shirt and face stickers, holding a camera whilst leaning against a stone wall at an outdoor event surrounded by people and trees.

Pride Cymru

Students from Media Academy Cymru supported Pride Cymru by producing a showreel from the 2023 event in Cardiff. They helped capture the heart of the day and share it with a broader audience, creating professional-standard work that made a real impact.

Two students in school uniforms stand in front of a green wall display about preventing violence in Wales, featuring bilingual text, instructions, and a mounted screen with nature imagery.

Wales Without Violence

Film and media students joined us to document the launch of the Wales Without Violence Framework. They filmed interviews, captured live footage and photography throughout the event, and helped tell the story of the day in a powerful and accessible way.

Three people are sitting round a table with laptops and papers, appearing to work or collaborate in a modern office space. A TV is mounted on the wall in the background.

#NotTheOne

Creative writing students from Cardiff Met helped write a script and produce a short film for South Wales Police. The final video is now used by police forces and schools to spark conversations with young people about the dangers of carrying a knife.

How it works

The Takeaway is a collaboration between organisations, educators and young people. Everyone brings something different. Everyone benefits.

A large banner with rainbow stripes and bilingual text in Welsh and English hangs on the stone wall of a historic castle, celebrating “Strength in unity, strength in pride.” The scene reflects how diverse work experience enriches communities under a clear blue sky.

For organisations

You bring the brief (or we help you create it!). That could be a campaign, a short film, an event, a brand identity or something else entirely. We help develop the idea, build the team and oversee the work from start to finish.

The team works on the brief with guidance from us and regular check-ins to keep everything moving in the right direction. We keep the standards high, while giving room for creativity and growth.

At the end, you get high-quality creative work, made with care and fresh thinking. And you get to be part of something bigger – by helping to build the skills and confidence of the people who need it most.

Large silver coat of arms featuring a dragon and shield with two keys, mounted on a ribbed building facade—a striking symbol of tradition and pride that could inspire those seeking work experience. An inscription in Welsh appears at the bottom; blue sky to the left.

For educators

We partner with schools, colleges, universities and school groups to find students who are ready for something real. The projects are designed to complement their learning and give them insight into how creative work happens in the real world.
We match the young creatives to the client brief – sometimes, they work solo, sometimes as a team. Either way, our team supports them throughout.

When the project is finished, everyone gets a Takeaway certificate. We also highlight standout contributions with our End of Project Awards, recognising the creativity, effort and progress made along the way.

For young creatives

This might feel like a big step. That’s okay. You don’t need to be the loudest person in the room or have loads of experience. You just need to be open to learning and willing to give it a go.

We’ll be with you every step of the way. You’ll get support from our team, guidance from people who’ve worked in the creative industry for years and space to build your confidence at your own pace.

You’ll be working on a real project, but you won’t be thrown in the deep end. We’ll help you refine your ideas, work as part of a team and see the project through from start to finish.

And yes – it’s hard work sometimes. But it’s also fun, exciting and something you’ll feel proud of when it’s done.

You might be surprised by just how much you grow.

A group of eight people stands smiling outdoors at a festival, showing off their colourful, summery outfits and festival wristbands. The scene, framed by trees and blue sky, hints at their shared work experience and fun outside the office.

Want go get involved?

The Takeaway is open! If you’d like to take part or find out more, get in touch! Let’s cook up something special.

Get in touch