We’re a very small team, but hoping to make a big difference! Our staff team is made up of one full-time member of staff, who oversees the day-to-day running of Journo Resources, as well as a number of part-time and freelance contributors.
As well as always being on the lookout for dedicated people who share our passions to work with, we also love to hear from you. Whether you’re looking for advice, are interested in Journo Resources or just want a chat, we’d love to sit down for a hot chocolate! And, unlike other websites, we really do mean it. Hot chocolate is great.
Jem Collins, Founder, Director & Editor-in-Chief (Full-Time)
Jem Collins is the founding director and Editor-in-Chief of Journo Resources. She launched Journo Resources back in 2016 from her bedroom, after struggling to find the answers to her own questions about working in the industry.
Starting from a totally blank sheet of paper she decided to rethink entry to journalism and the tools you need to progress, drawing up a range of free to access tools she simply couldn’t find elsewhere. Now Journo Resources is home to dozens of unique resources on things like salary data, freelancing, graduate schemes, and more.
In 2018 Jem won the Georgina Henry Award for Digital Innovation at the Press Awards for her work on Journo Resources, and has since been awarded the a Printing Charity Rising Star Award, We Are The City Rising Star In Digital, Sutton Trust Social Mobility Award 2021, and the NCTJ Awards for Excellence Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award 2021. She was also shortlisted for IPSE Young Freelancer of the Year and the National Diversity Awards. In 2022 she was announced a winner at of Deutsche Bank Award for Creative Entrepreneurs, along with £10,000 in prize money.
Alongside Journo Resources, Jem continues to freelance for outlets such as the i Paper, Metro.co.uk and EachOther, and has also given workshops and participated in panels across the country. She also appears on broadcast outlets such as as BBC Radio 5 Live and LBC. She is a long-standing trustee of the Student Publication Association and a co-founder of The Second Source. She is also trying to swim in all the UK’s outdoor pools.
She is always more than happy to have a chat, and checks her inbox for advice requests every week. You can follow her @Jem_Collins or email jem@journoresources.org.uk.
Kayleigh Watson, Deputy Editor (Part-Time)
Kayleigh Watson is the Deputy Editor of Journo Resources. Based in Birmingham, she also works as a freelance writer, editor, social media, and brand consultant who specialises in music, food, and travel.
Having found Journo Resources to be a vital resource since signing up for the newsletter in 2019, Kayleigh brings an audience insight and community perspective to the team. As Deputy Editor, she assists Jem and the team in writing, commissioning, and editing content, supporting the memberships, partnerships, and social media strategies, as well as mentoring junior writers. Kayleigh is keen to hear interesting pitches from early-career journalists and writers from marginalised communities looking for their first clips.
Over the course of her career, Kayleigh has been gal-dem’s regular music columnist, a community correspondent for Time Out, and a new music and features editor at The Line of Best Fit. She has written features, interviews, and copy for the likes of British GQ, Condé Nast Traveller, Clash, Music Week, Sony Australia, Ticketmaster, and Universal Denmark, as well as represented clients on panels including Capital FM’s Big Music Project, M for Montreal, and Focus Wales.
Her passion for pop culture extends far past her writing; she is a frequent gig-goer with a shameless nose for a new restaurant. Cheater’s guide: her big loves are Buffy, 2003-2009 emo, 2007 Britney, Timotheé Chalamet, goats, and that band no one knows about yet.
Get in touch with Kayleigh at kayleigh@journoresources.org.uk.
Hannah Bradfield, Staff Writer (Part-Time)
After joining the Journo Resources team at the end of 2021 as a trainee, Hannah was promoted to staff writer in 2023. She focuses on writing original features at Journo Resources, as well as managing our TikTok and X accounts.
Currently based in Norwich, Hannah also recently completed her NCTJ Diploma with News Associates on their remote, part-time course.
You’ll usually find Hannah trying to beat her parkrun PB, hunting down the nearest baked goods, or sweeping the shelves for any new designer dupes.
Hannah is also a freelance writer and journalist, available for commissions on a variety of lifestyle topics including but not limited to health and fitness, fashion, mental health, sport and education. She has written and created content for BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Stylist, The Telegraph, Happiful Magazine, South West Londoner, The Indiependent, Mancunian Matters, and Runner’s World.
You can follow Hannah on Twitter @hl_bradfield or get in touch with her at hannah@journoresources.org.uk.
Jack Dearlove, Co-Director (Part-Time)
Jack Dearlove joined the Journo Resources team in 2018 and works primarily across design, development, and membership. He also became a co-director in 2023 and, alongside our founder Jem, works on long-term strategy.
Outside of Journo Resources, he works as Digital Engagement Lead at The LEGO Group, and makes Tubemoji, an app which combines emoji with getting around the London Underground.
He previously worked at The Sun, London Evening Standard, Metro.co.uk and BBC local radio.
You can follow him on Twitter @JackDearlove or you can get in touch with him on jack@journoresources.org.uk.
Sundus Abdi, Contributing Writer (Part-Time)
Sundus joined Journo Resources in 2024 as a contributing writer, where she will be supporting the editorial team. She was previously on the 2022 Journo Resources Fellowship and The Guardian’s Positive Action Scheme. Outside of Journo Resources, she works as a Communications Officer for a charity supporting migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum. Sundus is a big lover of cats, film photos, and chai.
Sundus has just begun her freelance writing career and is available for commissions.
You can follow her on Twitter @sundusnabdullah or get in touch with her at sundus@journoresources.org.uk
Karen Edwards, Senior Journalist (Part-Time)
Karen is a freelance editor and writer, specialising in travel, music and lifestyle journalism. She has been writing for national publications for 20 years, and freelancing for over 10 years. She joined the Journo Resources team in mid-2021 as Senior Journalist.
As our senior writer, Karen focuses on practical, advice-led pieces on various sectors across the industry – feel free to get in touch with her if you have suggestions on what we should cover!
Outside of Journo Resources, she writes for print titles such as High Life by British Airways, Breathe, Grazia, JRNY and Wanderlust, alongside digital platforms, including Adventure.com, Guardian Labs, Ignore at The Independent, Time Out and Top 10 Reviews.
Karen began her career writing at teen magazines such as Smash Hits and Bliss, before spending four years at heat during its heydey as Deputy TV & Reviews Editor. While freelancing, she has taken on temporary roles such as Contributing Editor at Sunday Mirror’s Notebook supplement.
Karen is the author of four books, published by Summersdale, including The Responsible Traveller and The Little Book of Activism. Since January 2023, she has been working at Wanderlust Travel Media as Sustainability Editor.
You can follow Karen on Instagram (@KarenNEdwards_writer) and Twitter (@KarenNEdwards) or email her at karenedwardswriter@gmail.com.
Bex Reynolds, Sales Manager (Part-Time)
Bex joined the Journo Resources team in 2020 and looks after sales for our jobs board and newsletter. As well as helping publications and newsrooms find the right people for the job, she also scours the internet for the best undiscovered opportunities for our users.
Outside of Journo Resources she works in film and TV casting, with credits including Wonder Woman, Luther, Eat Locals and Rouge One: A Star Wars Story. She also has an incredibly cute dog and also enjoys vintage things and a lot of coffee.
You can get in touch with her on bex@journoresources.org.uk.
April Lloyd, Admin Assistant (Part-Time)
April joined the Journo Resources team in 2020 as one our initial cohort of fellows, looking at areas surrounding disability in the newsroom. In 2022, she joined us part-time as an admin assistant looking after our lists and resources around opportunities.
April is also a sports producer at Radio Clatterbridge and also writes freelance elsewhere. She is based in Liverpool.
You can follow her on Twitter @April_L_Lloyd and get in touch on april@journoresources.org.uk.
Swirls, Head of Pawsonel (Ad-Hoc)
Swirls first brushed up against the Journo Resources offices in 2019, shortly before the COVID-19 lockdown. He was the only visitor to our house during the pandemic and worked on keeping spirits high. In 2021, he was confirmed a stray by the amazing team at Celia Hammond who treated him for four months for a fox bite and other injuries.
He moved into his new role at Journo Resources in November 2021 and is now our head of pawsonel, making sure staff don’t work too hard, and cleaning desks with his tail. His tongue flops out quite a lot as he had to have all of his teeth removed, but we think he looks all the better for it.
Swirls will take bribes in the form of Dreamies or prawns.
Get Involved
We’re a small team, but we’re always open to amazing new people bringing us new ideas. If you’ve got something you think would work, email us on hello@journoresources.org.uk.