About

Opportunities ages 13-18 years

DANCE (Disabled & Inclusive)

Corali Youth Dance Company (London, 13–25)
One of the UK’s leading learning-disabled dance companies. Regular youth groups, performance projects, touring opportunities.
Stopgap Youth Company (varies, usually 13–19)
World-renowned inclusive dance company. Youth programmes, summer intensives, and development pathways into professional work.
Candoco Youth Dance Company (14–20)
Inclusive contemporary dance training for disabled and non-disabled dancers. Strong pathway into professional inclusive dance.
Extraordinary Bodies Young Artists (16–30)
Physical theatre + dance; excellent for wheelchair users and physically disabled dancers interested in high-quality performance work.
DanceSyndrome Youth Programme (Teens)
Learning-disabled-led dance organisation with youth leadership and performance opportunities.
Irreverent Dance / Inclusive Youth Projects
Contemporary dance projects centred on disabled dancers, often with paid development pathways as participants get older.
Rambert School Access & Associate Programmes (16+)
Not disability-specific, but offers access support and inclusive audition processes for contemporary dancers.
National Youth Dance Company (16-24 for Disabled) Talented dancers wanting professional-level experience and performance opportunities
National Youth Ballet “All In!” (14–30) – Inclusive ballet classes where no previous ballet experience is required and disabled/non-disabled dancers take part together.
Young Amici (London, 13–25) – Regular inclusive dance/theatre classes open to disabled and non-disabled young people, with creative and performance-focused sessions.
Horizons — YDance (Glasgow, 12–25) – Inclusive youth dance company offering monthly workshops, choreography and performance opportunities.
U.DANCE Youth Dance Festival (11–19) – National inclusive dance platform where individuals or groups can create and submit dance pieces (stage or screen) for regional and national showcases; welcoming all styles.
WeAre Inclusive Youth Dance Company (Leeds area) – Weekly inclusive contemporary/creative dance with opportunities to build skills and perform.
DAZL Youth (Leeds, 7–19) – Weekly training and performance programme that is ethos-inclusive, offering classes across styles with progression pathways.
ID Dance (Leicester) – Talent development project for bodies and minds of all backgrounds, offering technique classes, creative sessions and mentoring.
Step into Dance (London & Essex) – Inclusive school/youth programme run with Royal Academy of Dance — school classes + opportunities to perform at events.
Anjali Dance Company Outreach Workshops – High-quality dance workshops delivered countrywide to mixed groups (disabled/non-disabled) that explore creative movement and performance.
Para Dance UK (Online/Community) – Inclusive dance sessions that welcome all ages and abilities in fun community settings; good for developing love of dance and movement.
Local dance initiatives, including our own worldwide dance academy Kate Stanforth Academy of Arts.

THEATRE (Stage, Devising, Musical Theatre)

Graeae Young Company (16+)
Industry-leading disabled-led theatre company. Devising, rehearsal, performance, access practice.
Face Front – Act the Part / DDM Group (14–18, London)
Regular performance training for disabled young people, including public showcases.
STAGE 21 (Teens, performers with Down syndrome)
Free, high-quality musical theatre workshops working towards professional-level performance.
National Youth Theatre – Inclusive Pathways (14–18)
NYT has explicit access support, relaxed auditions, and ongoing inclusion work for disabled and neurodivergent young people.
Chickenshed Youth Theatre (13–18)
Massively inclusive theatre company; no auditions, lots of performance opportunities.
Half Moon Young People’s Theatre (East London, teens)
Inclusive youth theatre with professional productions and backstage pathways.
Birds of Paradise Young Artists (Scotland, 16+)
Disability-led theatre company offering youth training and performance opportunities.
Access All Areas / All In
While broader than theatre, they offer mentoring, creative labs, and youth-facing development opportunities.
Local Youth Theatres with Access Schemes
Many mainstream youth theatres now run relaxed auditions and inclusive rehearsal processes — worth checking regionally.
Youth Theatre — New Wolsey Theatre (Suffolk)
Weekly youth theatre sessions for ages 7–21 offering creative theatre training, performance opportunities, and workshops with inclusive practice encouraged. They specifically welcome young people from diverse backgrounds, including disabled, neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ participants.
Go Live Theatre – Garek Theatre Camp & Youth Workshops
A performing arts summer camp and youth programmes for ages 13–17 that culminate in creating and performing a piece of theatre — inclusive and designed to boost confidence and creativity.
Mayflower Youth Theatre (Southampton area)
Weekly sessions in musical theatre and drama for ages ~11–18, offering performance experience and subsidised participation so cost is less of a barrier.
The Courtyard Youth Theatre (Hereford)
Offers high-quality theatre training in an inclusive and nurturing setting with chances to perform in showcases and productions.
Peer Productions – Project Purple & Holiday Drama Programmes
Project Purple is a youth theatre programme for ages ~13–18 focused on devised performance, confidence-building and creative theatre making. They also run inclusive holiday drama projects.
TripleC Youth Theatre (Various locations)
A free, accessible youth theatre for ages 8–16 that values creativity, imagination and inclusivity in drama sessions.
Young Amici (London)
Although known primarily for inclusive dance-theatre, Young Amici’s weekly classes (ages 13–25) combine acting, storytelling and creative movement in a supportive environment open to all.
Cotton Shed Theatre Company
Workshops and productions that bring people from diverse backgrounds together — welcoming participants of all abilities and fostering confidence in performance.

ACTING (Screen: TV, Film, Voice)

BFI Film Academy (16–19) Not acting-only, but many courses involve on-screen performance and short film acting.
Oska Bright Film Festival (Youth-friendly)
Films made by or featuring disabled young people. Great for acting experience in shorts.
BBC & Broadcaster Inclusion Schemes (16+)
Shadowing, youth engagement projects, and sometimes on-screen opportunities tied to disability inclusion.
Universal Extras / Inclusive Talent Pools
Representation for disabled performers, including young actors, for TV and film roles.
Youth Short Films & Indie Projects
Often cast disabled young people specifically — great first credits and showreel material.
Voice Acting & Audio Drama Projects
Increasingly accessible entry point for physically disabled or chronically ill performers.
Drama Schools’ Access Workshops (16+)
RADA, Guildhall, etc., run access sessions that often include camera acting.
Local Film Collectives & Youth Media Groups
Many community film projects prioritise inclusive casting and youth voices.
Young Actors Theatre Islington (YATI) – Inclusive acting, screen acting and theatre classes for ages 11–18, with termly training, youth company (performance) and creative outreach.
The Young Actors Group (across Brighton/Hove/Hastings) – Drama and acting classes for ages 8–19; focused on confidence, ensemble work and performance in small group settings.
MX Acting Classes (London, ages ~9–15) – Weekly acting training including on-camera technique, audition skills and character work in a nurturing environment.
Project Theatre School (nationwide classes) – Youth theatre and screen acting classes with no auditions, affordable fees and mixed ability groups.
Torch Youth Theatre – Weekly theatre and acting workshops for ages 7–18, focusing on fun, confidence and voice/stage skills.
Rose Youth Theatre (Kingston & nearby) – Weekly acting and performance classes for school years up to 13, with ensemble work and end-of-term sharing.
Union Youth Theatre (London) – Training with professional actors/directors, performance opportunities and skills in voice, movement and stagecraft.
West Yorkshire Workshop (Bradford) – New community drama workshops inspired by the Television Workshop model offering accessible, affordable training (news reference).
Guildhall Young Artists Programme (London) – Weekend drama and acting sessions for younger teens preparing them for future training (community discussion).
Schools’ Drama & Community Groups – Many local community theatres and amateur dramatics run weekly youth acting sessions — great for inclusive, social acting experience. (general practice)
Foundation Course — YATI – Year-long part-time course in acting, movement, voice, screen acting and audition technique with industry insight.
Television Workshop (Nottingham/Birmingham) – Long-standing young performer training (ages 7–21) with auditions each spring, known for nurturing screen and theatre talent.
National Youth Theatre (NYT) – Offers inclusive creative programmes and training opportunities for young actors, including weekend and youth courses (general industry creatives; widely known inclusive). (industry practice)
Stage & Screen Workshops (various festivals & theatres) – Many major theatres (like RADA Access workshops in the past) run occasional inclusive masterclasses for youth actors.
Acting Intensives & Summer Courses (e.g., West End Young Professional) – Intensive summer training with West End professionals (ages 13–17), great for confidence building and performance skills.
YATI Young Company – Free youth performance programme where participants rehearse and stage full productions with professional directors.
Youth Theatre Performances – Groups like Torch, Union, Rose and Project Theatre culminate in showcases and productions that build real stage experience.
School & Local Festivals – Events like U.DANCE or community arts festivals often include youth theatre performances where actors can participate. (general creative practice)
Theatre Trips & Workshops – Youth theatre groups often organise trips to professional productions and workshops with industry guests, broadening exposure.

FILM & TV — Behind the Camera

BFI Film Academy (ages 16–19)
Hands-on training in directing, producing, camera, editing and sound. Strong access support and a recognised pathway into the industry.
ScreenSkills – Inclusion Hub & Entry-Level Resources
Career guidance, rights, and signposting for inclusive work in TV & film, including production, technical and creative roles.
TripleC x ITV Studios Production Training Videos
Free, accessible online training covering real production roles (casting, costume, production office, script editing).
Sara Putt Trainee Scheme / Pact Indie Diversity Scheme
Industry trainee routes into production, assistant and technical roles. Not disability-exclusive but widely used by disabled creatives.
Oska Bright Film Festival (youth-friendly)
Workshops, labs and networking alongside the festival — includes filmmaking skills both on and off camera.
Inclusive Lens (Beacon Films)
Talks and sessions around inclusive hiring and production practice — good insight into how inclusive film sets work.
Community Film & Media Hubs (e.g. TAPE projects)
Inclusive filmmaking spaces where young people learn crew roles by making real short films.
Youth Media Groups / Film Clubs (local)
Often council- or charity-run; excellent for learning camera, sound, editing and production coordination.

Examples of progression routes

Kate Stanforth – Disabled dancer, teacher, choreographer, and founder of the Kate Stanforth Academy of Dance. Trained initially as a professional dancer before illness; gained teaching qualifications, opened dance academy and started dancing with work growing on reputation and experience
Route: Pre‑professional dance training → vocational dance teaching qualifications → professional work
Sophia Adzoa‑Moore – West End performer and dancer who uses crutches; graduated with a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre from Performance Preparation Academy in Guildford.
Route: A‑levels/college → BA Musical Theatre → professional performance including West End.
Celeste Dandeker – Co‑founder of Candoco Dance Company (disabled and non‑disabled integrated dance). Trained at London Contemporary Dance School. Route: Conservatoire training (Contemporary Dance) → professional dance & company leadership.

Amy Trigg – Award‑winning West End actor; trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, first wheelchair user to graduate from that performance course.
Route: Drama school (Mountview) → touring/rep theatre → West End → TV/film.
Ed Larkin – Actor who played the lead (post‑accident Henry) in The Little Big Things West End musical. Educated through theatre/performance training and cast professionally.
Route: Theatre/performance education → professional stage work.
Gracie McGonigal – Actress in The Little Big Things, trained at BRIT School and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

Access riders

https://weareunlimited.org.uk/resource/creating-your-own-access-rider/

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