Practice Interview Event: October 2026

How it works and your commitment

Interviews can be difficult and stressful for anyone. For people who stutter, they can be particularly challenging.

Interview processes often favour spoken fluency over substance. People who stutter may also face difficult decisions about whether, when and how to disclose their stutter.

As a result, talented candidates can miss out on roles that suit their abilities, while employers miss out on people with valuable strengths, including resilience, empathy, creativity and listening.

This is where our online Practice Interview events come in.

What are our Practice Interview events?

Supported by leading employers, our Practice Interview events provide interview practice for people who stutter, as well as for those interviewing us.

The programme gives people who stutter an opportunity to practice their interview skills in a supportive, judgement-free environment and learn from people who want them to succeed.

For employers and interviewers, it is an opportunity to learn more about attracting, interviewing and recruiting candidates who stutter.

Who can participate?

You can take part whether you stutter or are an ally who does not stutter.

Interviewees

You can apply as an interviewee if you:

• stutter; and
• are aged 18 or over.

The goal of your practice interview will be based on what you would like to achieve. For example, you may want to practice for:

• your first job;
• a new job;
• a promotion; or
• another type of interview.

Interviewers

You can apply as an interviewer if you:

• are aged 25 or over; and
• have experience of interviewing or recruiting people.

You may be someone who stutters or an ally who does not stutter.

Interviewers may work in recruitment, talent attraction, inclusion, equity, wellbeing or a management role.

When is the event?

The event will run from Monday 12 October to Monday 19 October 2026.

An additional educational briefing will be offered on Sunday 11 October, before the event officially begins (see the mandatory briefing note below).

All sessions will take place online. Times are shown in UK time (GMT+1).

What does the programme include?

The programme combines education, interview practice, personalised feedback and shared learning.

Mandatory

• Educational briefing
• At least one practice interview

Recommended

• Preparation for your interview 
• CV review
• Additional learning session
• Group feedback session

How much time will I need to commit?

Interviewees must commit at least five hours across the week of 12–19 October. This covers preparation, CV review, the mandatory educational briefing, the optional additional learning session, one interview and the optional group feedback session.

Interviewers must commit at least four hours. This covers preparation, CV feedback, the mandatory educational briefing, one interview and the optional group feedback session.

Each additional interview will require approximately two further hours for preparation, the interview and feedback.

How are the interviews arranged?

Most practice interviews will be one-to-one.

We may also offer a small number of panel interviews involving one interviewee and two interviewers.

We will use the information provided in your application to match you with a suitable interviewer or interviewee.

We will then send you the name and contact details of your interviewer or interviewee before the event.

Once you have been matched, you should contact one another to agree:

• the timing of your interview;
• the online platform you will use, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet; 
• any relevant preparation.

Further guidance will be provided nearer the event.

Event schedule

1. Mandatory educational briefing

All participants must attend one of the following 90-minute sessions (all times are UK, GMT+1):

• Sunday 11 October, 12.30–2pm
• Monday 12 October, 12.30–2pm
• Monday 12 October, 5.30–7pm

Participants only need to attend one briefing session. All three sessions will cover the same core content, although the session leaders may vary.

To help ensure the quality and safety of the experience, attendance is mandatory. Anyone who does not attend one of the educational briefing sessions will be withdrawn from the programme.

2. Practice interviews and personalised feedback

Practice interviews will take place between Monday 12 October and Monday 19 October after participants have attended one of the mandatory briefings.

Each interview should last approximately one hour, including time for personalised feedback between the interviewer and interviewee.

Participants will contact their matched interviewer or interviewee to arrange a suitable time and online platform.

3. Optional additional learning session

Wednesday 14 October, 5–6pm

The topic and further details will be confirmed nearer the event.

4. Optional group feedback session

Monday 19 October, 12.30–1.30pm

This session is a wonderful opportunity to share your experiences and learn from other participants, including people from different countries and cultures.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What about different countries and cultures?

Our events attract people from different countries, bringing a valuable diversity of cultures, experiences and attitudes towards stuttering.

You may be paired with someone from a different country or time zone. This can provide additional learning, insight and networking opportunities for everyone involved.

What about different languages?

All group sessions will be held in English. We also expect to offer a small number of interviews in Spanish.

Practice interviews will also be held in English unless the interviewer and interviewee agree otherwise.

How much does it cost to take part?

The event is free for people who stutter and for individual allies taking part independently.

We also welcome applications from employers. To help cover the cost of running the programme, we ask employers for a modest contribution based on the number of places they wish to take up.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss this.

How can I apply?

There are separate application forms for interviewees and interviewers - click the relevant box at the top or bottom of this page. 

When is the closing date for applications?

Applications close at midnight UK time on Sunday 13 September 2026.

Where can I find feedback from previous events?

You can read more about previous events and feedback from participants in our [Practice Interview section].

Whom can I contact?

For further questions, please email events@50millionvoices.org.

All information about the Practice Interview event will be communicated by email.

Donations

We are a small charity/not-for-profit and this event consumes a lot of our resources to organise and run. To help us cover our event costs, please make a donation in recognition of the value you expect to gain from participating. Any amount is welcome; it all adds up to enabling us to offer similar opportunities to more people who stutter in the future.