Social media internship · Canada · 2026 · Three cohorts
Your story.
Your platform.
A social media internship for disabled and neurodivergent creators aged 18 to 30. You build real skills, grow your following, and tell your story. Three cohorts in 2026.
Cohort 2 closes July 10
Cohort 3 closes September 4
20 hours of creative work
IG takeover on @access.studio.official
Mentored by Gabi De Leon + Maayan Ziv
All accommodations supported
Built by and for disabled and neurodivergent youth.
The FUTURES Social Media Internship is a skills-building program for disabled and neurodivergent youth aged 18 to 30 across Canada. You get the tools, the mentorship, and the platform to tell your story. And get seen doing it.
You design and lead a 6-week social media campaign rooted in your own experience, create original content across platforms, and walk away with a portfolio, new skills, and a growing audience. No experience required. Ever.
Three cohorts run in 2026. Each cohort has 4 spots. Pick the one that works for you.
Pick the cohort that works for you.
Each cohort has 4 spots. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply early.
Applications open now
Applications open June
Applications open August
Real skills. A real portfolio. Something to show for it.
You are not alone in this. You have real mentors from the first session.
Video editing
Edit and produce Reels, short-form videos, and content for TikTok and YouTube.
Copywriting
Write compelling captions, hooks, and calls to action that connect with real audiences.
Story development
Build a narrative from your lived experience that actually connects.
Audience growth
Grow your following on at least 2 platforms with strategy and mentorship support.
Campaign strategy
Plan and produce a full 6-week content campaign from concept to publication.
Media representation
Learn what authentic disability representation in media actually looks like. Then go make it.
Every intern walks away with something real to show for it.
A portfolio-ready campaign
A complete 6-week campaign you built yourself. Something you can actually show people.
A growing following
Real audience growth on at least 2 platforms, built during the program.
Increased confidence
The skills and the confidence to keep creating after the program ends.
A community
Real connections inside the FUTURES community and the disability media world.
A certificate of completion
Something to add to your portfolio, resume, or LinkedIn. This was real work.
A featured IG takeover
Your content published on @access.studio.official for a real audience to see.
You won’t be doing this alone.
Your mentors are two disability advocates and digital creators who are already doing this work. They know what it takes. And they want to see you succeed.
Disability creator · Toronto, ON
Gabi De Leon, known online as Lil Gabi D, is a Toronto-based content creator, disability advocate, and your Friendly Internet Little Person. Living with dwarfism and a spinal cord injury, she uses her platform of 56K+ followers to show her adventures while navigating a world that is not built for her. Her goal has always been to increase Dwarfism and disability representation in mainstream media to raise awareness and educate others. She brings that same energy to FUTURES. Direct, warm, and completely real.
Founder & CEO, AccessNow · Toronto, ON
Maayan Ziv is a disability activist, photographer, entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of AccessNow, the organisation that runs FUTURES. Living with Muscular Dystrophy, Maayan built AccessNow in 2015 out of her own frustration navigating inaccessible spaces, and turned it into a global movement. She is a City of Toronto Access Award winner, a David C. Onley Leadership in Accessibility Award recipient, named one of 14 influential voices in accessible travel by Condé Nast, and a regular media voice on disability and inclusion. She brings to this program everything she’s built, and a real commitment to the next generation of disabled leaders.
What you’ll make.
Over 20 hours, you produce a full social media campaign rooted in your disability or neurodivergent experience and your time in FUTURES. Your posts will be cross-posted to both your social accounts and @access.studio.official.
A campaign you planned and led yourself, start to finish.
At least 3 Reels as part of your 5+ IG post campaign.
An IG carousel focused on disability or accessibility.
30 to 60 second videos for TikTok or YouTube Shorts.
Your content published on @access.studio.official.
Your original content shared to both your account and @access.studio.official.
Your reel or video may be promoted as a FUTURES ad.
This program is built for you.
We mean it. All access needs are supported throughout the program. There’s no wrong time to ask. Before you apply, after you’re accepted, during the program. Whenever.
We work around your capacity, not the other way around.
ASL interpreters available for all meetings and sessions.
Live and recorded captions for all video content and calls.
Participate from wherever you are, anywhere in Canada.
Email, async, video, or text. You choose.
Tell us what would help. We’ll do our best to make it happen.
Are you eligible?
This program is open to new registrants and current alumni of the FUTURES program. No portfolio, no following, no prior experience. Ever.
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You identify as disabled or neurodivergent (no diagnosis required)
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You are between 18 and 30 years old
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You are based in Canada
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You are a new FUTURES registrant or alumni
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You have a story to tell. No portfolio, following, or experience needed.
Questions we keep getting.
Honest answers to the things people actually want to know before applying.
Is this internship paid?
This internship is unpaid. It is a skills-building and portfolio program, not employment. You will not receive a financial honorarium. What you do receive is real mentorship, a professional-grade portfolio, audience growth on at least 2 platforms, and a featured IG takeover on @access.studio.official.
If you have questions about whether participating might affect your disability benefits, reach out to studio@accessnow.ca before applying. We’ll give you an honest answer.
Do I need a portfolio or social media following to apply?
How many spots are there?
Which cohort should I apply for?
Pick the one that fits your schedule. Here are the three options:
Cohort 1 — Apply by May 22. Program runs May 29 to July 9.
Cohort 2 — Apply by July 10. Program runs July 20 to August 30.
Cohort 3 — Apply by September 4. Program runs September 14 to October 25.
If Cohort 1 fills before you apply, you’ll be considered for the next available cohort. Just let us know in your application which dates work for you.
What if I don’t have a phone or equipment?
What if my capacity changes during the program?
I’m not sure if I identify as disabled or neurodivergent. Can I still apply?
How much time does this actually take?
Can I apply for more than one cohort?
Ready to tell your story?
Three cohorts. 4 spots each. No portfolio, no following, no experience needed. Just apply.
Opens June 2026
Opens August 2026
Questions? Email studio@accessnow.ca · Or DM @access.studio.official