Actress, director, and producer Elizabeth Banks and the online comedy platform she co-founded, WhoHaHa, are joining forces with YouTube​ ​Space to support and inspire female voices in comedy. Per a press release and announcement video, the Women in Comedy Program will help female creators produce comedy content by providing production​ ​sets,​ ​crew members,​ ​mentorship​, ​and​ workshops and events at nine YouTube Spaces around the world: ​Los​ ​Angeles,​ ​New​ ​York,​ ​Toronto,​ ​Rio,​ ​Paris,​ ​Berlin, London,​ ​Tokyo,​ ​and​ ​Mumbai.

“​Whether​ ​a​ ​girl​ ​wants​ ​to​ ​be​ ​YouTube​ ​viral​ ​video​ ​funny,​ ​standup funny,​ ​improv​ ​funny,​ ​or​ ​disarm-a-bully​ ​funny​ ​ — ​ ​comedy​ ​is​ ​power,” the press release states. And Women in Comedy will allow women develop and use that power through the 12-week program, which will see the creators making female-centric comedy videos for YouTube. Banks and WhoHaha and other industry execs will provide consultation and mentorship for the program participants.

In 2018 WhoHaHa will choose creators across Women in Comedy’s YouTube Spaces to produce digital pilots for YouTube. The selected creators will receive additional resources to kick-start their burgeoning comedy careers.

“At​ ​WhoHaha​ ​we​ ​believe​ ​it’s​ ​not​ ​only​ ​important​ ​but​ ​essential​ ​for​ ​women​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​platform​ ​to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to share​ ​their​ ​voices​ ​and​ ​creativity,” Banks explained.​ “​That’s​ ​why​ ​we’re​ ​excited​ ​to​ ​be​ ​teaming​ ​up​ ​with​ ​YouTube​ ​Space​ ​on​ ​this initiative​ ​that’s​ ​providing​ ​such​ ​a​ ​groundbreaking​ ​opportunity​.”​

“Women​ ​are​ ​underrepresented​ ​in​ ​the​ ​entertainment​ ​industry​ ​and​ ​we​ ​want​ ​to​ ​do​ ​our​ ​part​ ​to​ ​help​ ​put women​ ​front​ ​and​ ​center,” added ​Chris​ ​D’Angelo,​ ​Director​ ​of​ ​Production​ ​and Programming,​ ​YouTube​ ​Space.​ “​This​ ​new​ ​partnership​ ​with​ ​Elizabeth​ ​Banks​ ​and​ ​WhoHaHa​ ​is​ ​our​ ​latest​ ​effort towards​ ​this​ ​goal.​ ​We​ ​are​ ​thrilled​ ​to​ ​be​ ​collaborating​ ​with​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​funniest​ ​in​ ​the​ ​business​ ​to​ ​support the​ ​talented​ ​female​ ​comedians​ ​on​ ​YouTube.”​

“Pitch Perfect 2,” Banks’ feature directorial debut, grossed more than $184 million in the U.S. making it one of the highest grossing woman-directed films ever. Her next directing gig will be the “Charlie’s Angels” reboot, due out June 7, 2019. Banks’ recent screen credits include “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later,” and “Power Rangers.” You can catch her next reprising the role of snarky a cappella commentator Gail in Trish Sie’s “Pitch Perfect 3,” which hits theaters December 22.

Go to WhoHaHa’s​ ​YouTube​ ​channel for information on how to apply to the Women in Comedy Program. Check out Banks’ announcement video below.