Pictured: Bob Clarke, CEO of MAMA Youth Project
Picture Credit: Billy Clarke 

▪ The BAFTA Television Craft Awards 2024 will take place this Sunday, 28 April
▪ Award-winning TV presenter Stacey Dooley to host for the first time 

Monday 22 April, London, 09:00 BST: BAFTA today announces MAMA Youth Project as the recipient of this year's BAFTA Television Craft Special Award; one of the highest honours bestowed by the academy.

MAMA Youth Project was founded by TV veteran Bob Clarke in 2005 to widen the TV industry’s talent pool by helping young people from underrepresented backgrounds access a career in the television and media industries. To-date the organisation has helped over 800 talented young people across the UK access screen arts careers, with a remarkable 90% employment success rate.

MAMA Youth founder Bob Clarke dropped out of school at 17 and stumbled into the world of television without any formal training or education. His resilience, determination, and passion propelled him forward, eventually leading him to establish MAMA Youth Project with the mission of providing others with similar opportunities.

The BAFTA Special Award will be presented to Bob Clarke during the BAFTA Television Craft Awards ceremony on Sunday 28 April. This year’s Craft Awards will return to The Brewery and will welcome award-winning TV presenter Stacey Dooley as host for the first time. The nominations for the previously announced competitive categories can be found here.

Bob Clarke, CEO of MAMA Youth Project, said: "We are deeply honoured to receive this esteemed recognition from BAFTA. This award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team, mentors, partners, and most importantly, the incredible young people who have entrusted us with their dreams. At MYP, we believe in the power of media to change lives, and we remain committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive industry."

Hilary Rosen, BAFTA Television Committee Chair, said: “It is a great privilege to present the BAFTA Special Award to MAMA Youth Project, who work so hard to widen the diversity of talent within the television and media industries, and in so doing, broaden the perspectives and the types of stories we tell on screen. At BAFTA, levelling the playing field for talented creatives and leaving the industry in better health are guiding principles close to our heart. MAMA Youth Project is a phenomenal organisation that has been making our industry a more equitable and better place for nearly twenty years; fostering community and providing career pathways into the screen arts for young people without existing connections. We couldn’t be prouder to celebrate their achievements this Sunday at the BAFTA Television Craft Awards.”

Stacey Dooley, on hosting the BAFTA Television Craft Awards 2024, said: “I am thrilled to be looking after everyone this year, hosting the BAFTA TV Craft Awards! It’s a joy to celebrate such talent, and I will do my best to make sure everyone has a fabulous evening! There are some truly outstanding achievements, it’s important to raise a glass, (and a very fancy, shiny gold mask).”

MAMA Youth Project equips young people with skills, training, industry insights, peer-to-peer networking and mentoring, to help young people succeed in the competitive world of television and media. Their alumni have worked at leading broadcasters and production companies including Banijay, BBC, Disney, Fremantle, Warner Bros TV International, Sky, Gravity Media, ES Broadcast Hire, Buzz 16, Sister, Lime Pictures, as well as at BAFTA as an official partner of the Career Development Bursary initiative, contributing to the richness and diversity of storytelling on screen.

Previous recipients of the BAFTA Television Craft Special Award include: Production Head Alison Barnett; gateway organisation for deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent people in the arts, TripleC; joint founding directors of The Farm Group, Nicky Sargent & Vikki Dunn; script supervisor Emma Thomas; the production team behind Game of Thrones; prop-master Bobby Warans; and casting director Nina Gold.

The BAFTA Television Craft Awards are supported by Official Television Craft Partners Ecotricity and The Partnership Group and Category Sponsors 3 Mills Studios, Hotcam and ScreenSkills High-end Television Fund.

About BAFTA

BAFTA – the British Academy of Film and Television Arts - is a world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of learning events and initiatives – which includes workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes in the UK, USA and Asia – BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For more, visit www.bafta.org. BAFTA is a registered charity (no. 216726).

About MAMA Youth Project

MAMA Youth Project (MYP) is a pioneering charity dedicated to empowering disadvantaged young people with the skills and opportunities needed to succeed in the TV and media industry. Through its innovative training programs, MYP has transformed the lives of hundreds of youth, championing diversity, inclusion, and excellence in storytelling.

*All imagery of Bob Clarke is available to download here

For more information about MAMA Youth Project and its initiatives, visit mamayouth.org.uk or follow @MAMAYouthProject and @MAMAYouth