About Trill Voices
Real pathways into media.
We’re opening real pathways into media for the people and perspectives too often excluded.
Trill Voices is the nonprofit behind Trill — a training ground, publishing platform, and launchpad for the next generation of journalists and creatives who’ve been told there’s no room for them in the industry. We’re proving otherwise.
Our writers don’t just get published — they get hired. Trill alumni have gone on to newsrooms at CNN, BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, The Telegraph, and beyond.
How we started
In 2015, our founder watched talented young writers hit the same closed doors over and over. They didn’t have industry contacts. They couldn’t afford unpaid internships in London or New York. Many were first-generation, working-class, or navigating disability and immigration on top of school or work — and legacy media wasn’t built with them in mind.
What they did have was curiosity, clarity, and courage — and a deep understanding of the worlds they were writing from.
So Trill began as a small, independent digital magazine: a place where those voices could be edited with care and published on their own terms. Ten years, over 1,000 emerging writers, and thousands of published bylines later, that “little” magazine has grown into a full nonprofit organization with one clear mission — and we’re just getting started.
Our mission isn’t scale;
it’s impact.
Why we exist
The media industry is changing — but access hasn’t caught up. The people best equipped to tell today’s stories are too often shut out before they’ve even begun, kept out by closed networks, unpaid internships, and gatekeeping dressed up as “standards.”
We believe journalism should reflect the diversity of the world it serves. So we built the thing we wished existed: real training, real mentorship, and a real publishing platform — accessible to writers who rarely get all three at once.
Our Mission
To open real pathways into media for the people and perspectives too often excluded.
Our model
We combine three things that, together, open doors most young creatives can’t find on their own.
Writer Internships
Structured placements where emerging journalists learn newsroom-style workflows, get one-on-one editorial feedback, and publish professional-quality bylines — often their first ever.
Editor Pathway
We train early-career editors to lead, not just correct — coaching writers through revisions, upholding editorial standards, and building the confidence to run a newsroom of their own one day.
University & Community Partnerships
We work with universities around the world so students can earn academic credit through remote, flexible placements — and we keep our doors open to self-taught writers, career-changers, and anyone without a traditional path in.
Built for the people media leaves out
Nearly three-quarters of the writers who come to Trill identify with at least one marginalized community — including LGBTQIA+, first-generation, low-income, disabled, and immigrant writers.
More than half have never had a professional publishing opportunity before us.
We don’t see that as a diversity statistic. We see it as the whole point.
What we stand for
We combine three things that, together, open doors most young creatives can’t find on their own.
Access
Where you grew up or who you know shouldn’t decide whether your story gets told.
Care
Editing is mentorship, not gatekeeping. We coach, we don’t just correct.
Integrity
We chase good journalism, not clicks or algorithms.
Creativity
We make room for stories that don’t fit neatly into commercial boxes.
From Trill to BuzzFeed
Curtis’s Breakthrough
As Head Editor of Culture at Trill Voices, Curtis Teegardin gained the editing, publishing, and leadership experience that set him apart in the media industry. Those bylines and skills helped him stand out in his BuzzFeed interviews — and today, he’s a Resident Writer reaching millions of readers worldwide.
Our alumni have gone on to work for ...
Scarlett McCabe-Abel
Breakfast Producer, GB News | TRIC Award Winner | BJTC Accredited TV Journalist
“The best part of working at Trill was the creative freedom it provided. It was my first foray into journalism outside of university, and where I began to find my voice. I remain deeply passionate about human interest stories, so I really enjoyed the opportunity Trill provided to allow me to write on such stories. I would recommend anyone interested in kickstarting their career in media to get involved!”
Mary Hogarth
Senior Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Bournemouth University
“Trill has been a fantastic
placement partner for our multimedia journalism degree. Not only does the team offer students flexible working so they can fit the placement around their studies – critical with today’s cost of living crisis impacting studies – Trill also nurtures talent.”
Ellen Murphy
Community Editor, The Telegraph
“It has been a fantastic opportunity to hone my news writing skills using tools like WordPress. I’d recommend this internship to those looking to increase their writing publication opportunities and gain journalistic experience. It was a big help in getting my foot in the door with The Telegraph.”
Your investment delivers real returns
Every student stipend, every mentoring hour, every article published is powered by the generosity of funders, partners, and donors.
Your contribution directly:
- Funds student stipends, removing financial barriers.
- Expands our publishing platform and reach.
- Builds mentorship networks with media professionals.
- Creates internships and career pathways.