Creating truly inclusive content takes far more than simply putting people in front of a camera. And our new Employment Services campaign is the perfect example.
During two epic days of filming and photography, our teams came together across our Marrickville Inclusive Employment Australia office and ADE factory in Ingleburn to create a new suite of promotional assets. These assets? All designed to showcase the many pathways people with disability can take toward meaningful employment.
But behind every polished photo and every carefully crafted video is an enormous amount of planning, collaboration and commitment to doing things the right way.
360 Inclusion
From the very beginning, inclusion was at the heart of the project.
The campaign concept, storyboards and creative direction were carefully developed to ensure the final content reflected authentic experiences, real opportunities and the diverse strengths of people with disability. Every detail – from locations and talent to production partnerships – was considered through an inclusive lens.
One of the most exciting parts of the project was seeing five Afford clients step into the spotlight. This group recently completed a three-day modelling course with us leaving them primed for professional work. Accordingly, this shoot became more than just a campaign. It was instead a genuine opportunity for participants to build confidence, gain professional experience and, most importantly, be paid for their work.
Watching participants move from the classroom into a professional production environment was a powerful reminder of why representation matters and how important it is to create pathways that lead to real opportunities.
Powerful Partnerships
Alongside our client talent, we also partnered with Model MATES – a groundbreaking agency representing only models with disability. Four professional models joined the campaign, bringing energy, professionalism and authenticity to the shoot. These four models gained excellent experience and assets to add to their portfolios plus earned market rates for their efforts.
These partnerships matter. Inclusive representation should never feel like an afterthought. It should be embedded into the process from start to finish. And this is exactly what we do at Afford.
We were also proud to once again collaborate with Bus Stop Films, an organisation we regularly work with on productions such as this. As part of the shoot, a Bus Stop employment candidate, along with their on-set support worker, joined our film crew on set, helping create another valuable opportunity for someone with disability to gain hands-on industry experience, build practical skills and expand future employment opportunities within film and media.
Genuine Opportunities
While audiences will eventually see the finished photographs and videos online, what they may not see is the coordination and care required behind the scenes to bring it all together.
There were production schedules to manage, crews to brief, accessibility considerations to plan for, wardrobe fittings, call sheets, location logistics and dozens of moving parts across both shoot days. There were moments of excitement, nerves, laughter and plenty of teamwork.
Most importantly, there was a shared understanding across everyone involved. That understanding – authentic inclusion is not simply about visibility – it’s about creating environments where people genuinely belong, contribute and are valued.
At Afford, we believe inclusive employment should be reflected not only in the services we provide, but in the way we tell our stories too.
This campaign was more than a content shoot. It was a collaborative effort that created opportunities, elevated lived experience and demonstrated what’s possible when inclusion is built into every stage of the creative process. We couldn’t be more proud.
