We have a brand new course coming up. This week-long programme is designed for anyone wanting to give events planning a go. Our brilliant mentors and facilitators will equip you with the hands-on skills and industry knowledge required to kickstart your events planning journey.
This project is kindly funded by MAES, and lunch and travel is provided.
For the full information on how to get involved in our Run The Show course, check the flyer below.
Find out about our other free creative courses here. If you like the look of them, get in touch with our lovely Engagement Team on projects@reformradio.co.uk to get involved.
Please can you introduce your name, and pronouns, and tell us a bit about what you like getting up to in your free time?
Hi, my name’s Amina (she/they), and I’m on the final day of the DJ course at Reform Radio.
What prompted you to get involved with the DJ Sessions course?
So a lot of my friends are DJs, a lot of my friends became DJs in the past few years as well. I go to a lot of events in Manchester either in the music scene or the writing scene. I love going out and exploring the city. I went to a bit of open decks stuff and I realised I really liked what DJing was.
What do you love most about DJing?
The fact that I can fully just be myself rather than be a certain type of DJ, I can just do whatever I feel comfortable with in the moment. So, the songs I chose were songs I just had on repeat recently and ones that I knew very well. I thought by choosing those ones, I would be very comfortable mixing them, and I’m not going to be sick of hearing them. I really wanted to create a vibe that expressed myself. So all of these songs are songs I really, really love. Every single creative space I’ve been in has encouraged me to solely express my south asian and muslim heritage. But the teaching style here, with Les, Tylah and Femi I did not feel that pressure at all, they did not put that assumption on me.
How would you describe your DJ set in three words?
Girl boss, dancy and slay. Les described it as Mario Kart and I love that.
Do you have any role models in the music scene that inspire your practice?
There is one DJ called Lotus Phaze (Meenakshi). I remember seeing her a few years ago at a Daytimers set, and she was wonderful. A lot of my friends as well, my friend Teni, she goes by Ten3yes.
Let’s throw it back to your first day at Reform versus now, tell me a bit about your first impressions/feelings/emotions in comparison to how you feel now. What has changed?
I was very overwhelmed the first day. I didn’t know whether I was taking it seriously enough, as I was just doing it for a bit of fun and didn’t know if I would even stick with it. On day one, I had a bit of imposter syndrome and thought, “I should just stick to writing, what am I doing?” Today I feel much, much better than I did then. I honestly can’t believe I even thought like that. It’s really easy to be in this space, and I’m very happy about that. Les, Tylah and Femi are so humble and down to earth. Everything felt so personal and intimate, even though there was a big group of us. It’s one of the best teaching styles I’ve ever had.
What will you take from the DJ course moving forwards and what are your plans from here onwards?
Probably the friendships we’ve made in the course. We’ve set up a group chat, so I’m going to encourage everyone to share what they’re up to, even if it’s not DJ-related. The skills that I’ve taken, all the information about DJing and the decks. Also the confidence that I gained here. I will also see keep up to date with Reform Radio and see if there are anymore courses I might be interested in doing. I do a lot of open-mic events, so look into some open-decks events.
If you could DJ at any festival, event, or place in the world, where would it be and why?
Probably a daytimer’s event. That’s where I first experienced proper DJing, so I think going back to that would be a full circle moment.
To find out about our future projects at Reform Radio, sign up to our Projects newsletter here.
We’re celebrating Earth Day this year with a special day of broadcasting in collaboration with Manchester City Council.
From 2pm, Moss Side resident, record label boss, community leader and activist Balraj Samrari will be delivering a heady dose of nature-inspired music and will be speaking to a range of different people from the local area about their greening projects.
These include Hafsa about her Prime Minister endorsed Moss Side Eco Squad project, William White from MCR City Council on the importance of tree planting and Mark from Reflexive Passage on his alleyway greening initiative.
Workin It Wednesdays follows at 4pm, with the normal high energy chat, with special guests including Alex from Feel The Rhythm Pocket Park and Raf and Jade from MSV Housing Group on the projects they’ve been supporting. We’ll also be hearing from Michelle from the incredible Brotherhood Project and Anne from Upping It on her endeavors to clean the alleyways of Moss Side through nature.
You can get involved, as always, through the chat or using #EarthDay26 on socials, and we’ll be posting key info throughout the day, including voting on how the council spends nearly £20 million on projects that are most important to you.
Deadline to apply – 10am Tuesday 5th May, apply here
This is intended as a fun development opportunity for someone already skilled with social media and wanting to build a career in digital marketing. Delia Derbyshire are looking for a collaborative, creative and reliable volunteer to help them maintain their online communities and improve reach, engagement and impact.
Commitment: minimum 3 hours per month, maximum is up to you.
You will ideally be based in North West England, near Manchester though most work will be remote, so you can live anywhere in the UK.
Deadline to apply – 9AM Wednesday 22nd April, apply here
This is a key role with the opportunity to extend contract duration primarily supporting the smooth running of the purchase ledger function and ensuring accurate and timely processing of supplier invoices, as well as support across the wider finance team with transactional processes such as credit card/expense processing, cash book reconciliations and other ad hoc tasks.
Hours: 6-10 hours per week (over one or two shifts)
Working Pattern: Set day, between Monday–Friday
Location: Office-based (non-remote)
Salary: £14.36 – £16.00 per hour (dependent on experience)
Cloudwater Brew Co is a small brewery in Manchester, UK, with a focus on making exciting flavour combinations in modern beer and soda to create relaxing experiences for our customers. We are independently owned and directed by our co-founder Paul Jones and, since the beginning, we have been guided by shared values that define our work.
This 13-month apprenticeship is for someone who’s excited by social media, video content and how digital media actually works behind the scenes.
You’ll support the creation, preparation and delivery of digital media content, from long form recordings and live sessions through to short form social outputs. The role combines creative production with technical media handling, helping ensure content is produced, delivered and monitored reliably across modern platforms.
It’s ideal for someone who enjoys being hands on with content, is curious about the technical side of media, and wants to learn how creative ideas turn into real, published outputs.
No previous experience is required, just enthusiasm, curiosity and a willingness to learn.
Deadline to apply – Wednesday 22nd April, apply here
Arts Council England is looking for a collaborative and inclusive Relationship Manager, Engagement & Communities, to join their North West team at an exciting time for the region.
You will bring experience of engaging communities from a wide range of backgrounds in culture and creativity, particularly those who may be less likely to take part. You will be confident in advising and supporting creative practitioners and organisations, and passionate about broadening engagement through co-creation, co-production and empowering community voice.
Aged 18-30 and want to know more about music journalism in Wales? The upcoming NextGen Community event in Cardiff offers young creatives industry insight to help further careers in music.
Youth Music have partnered with award-winning Welsh music platform Klust to host an evening of panel discussions, live performances and networking at Paradise Garden, Cardiff. Hear from industry professionals on the importance of music press for artists, routes into music journalism and making use of local music scenes as a creative.
Whether you’re an emerging artist or working behind the scenes, our panel of experts will cover all areas of the ever-changing industry of music journalism.
Being a researcher in the TV industry requires you to watch a lot of TV… reckon you could handle it?!
But it’s not all play and no work, you’re watching with a purpose! To be a great researcher you need to be highly observant, able to spot tiny details and use your creative eye to solve problems.
What you might be doing as a Researcher
Conducting thorough research: Assist in gathering information for projects, including fact-checking, sourcing materials, and compiling data for presentations and other production needs.
Supporting senior team members: Provide research assistance for various topics and content areas as directed by senior researchers, producers, or writers.
Organising research materials: Help to organise and manage research findings.
Assist with sourcing media: Help find relevant archival footage, images, audio, or interviews to support the production’s needs.
Collaborating with the team: Work closely with other team members to ensure the research aligns with the project’s goals and creative direction.
Finding contributors: Helping to find and interview contributors who take part in programmes.
Assisting on location: You may be required to help out on a shoot whether in the studio or on location. Travel may be required.
Are you a UK-based content creator with ambition and big ideas?
Do you have a unique format concept that will support British music artists?
AWAL & lemontank are searching for the next generation of UK-based cultural curators and music content formats. We are leading an open call for creators ready to supercharge their content and develop their brand.
Up to 3 creators will be hand-picked to join our 5 month programme and have the opportunity to work with AWAL artists to develop skills, make connections and gain insight into how to grow and develop their content business / passion.
Deadline to apply – 11:59pm Sunday 3rd of May, apply here
As a backstage presenter, you will be working closely with our video production team and another presenter, you will interview nominees, winners, performers, sponsors, and special guests throughout the event.
Deadline to apply – 11:59pm Sunday 3rd May, apply here
As a host at the Youth Music Awards, you will be on stage throughout the evening, keeping guests engaged and the energy in the room high while linking between live performances and award categories.
Deadline to apply – Midday, Thursday 30th April, apply here
Are you passionate about making a difference in your community and shaping the future of Greater Manchester?
Do you want to build your confidence, broaden your civic leadership skills and step into roles where you can influence real change?
This is a hands-on leadership experience designed to build on your insight, skills and confidence to enable you to step into civic and public leadership roles in your community and beyond. It is about discovering or amplifying your voice, building both strategic and peer to peer networks and understanding how systems work so you can influence further.
Leading for Legacy is for diverse people of all genders, from underrepresented and Global Majority backgrounds, living or working in Greater Manchester who are passionate about civic and social leadership.
Deadline to apply – Midday Friday 17th April, apply here.
The Coop Foundation are offering grants of between £50,000-£100,000 to support initiatives across the UK to influence young people aged 14-20 years old to develop green skills and enter into green jobs. The aim of the fund is to influence the behaviour and perceptions of young people from underrepresented backgrounds around green skills and careers.
The Digital and Social Content Lead is a strategic and creative thinker who drives the development of impactful, insight-led digital and social content for clients across sport and gaming. Sitting at the intersection of strategy, creativity and performance, this role ensures all storytelling is grounded in audience insight, aligned to business objectives and executed with creative effectiveness.
We’re looking for a highly creative and platform-native Junior Instagram Channel Manager to join the Social Video team, working across Ladbible.
This role will sit within our team of Channel Managers, directly supporting the LADbible Instagram Channel Manager in delivering daily output. It is a fast-paced, execution-focused position with a strong emphasis on Photoshop and reactive visual storytelling.
We’re looking for a creative, culturally plugged-in Junior TikTok Channel Manager to join the Social Video team, working exclusively across @ladbible on TikTok.
This role will directly support the LADbible TikTok Channel Manager in developing and executing original, repeatable, IP-led formats designed specifically for TikTok. It’s an idea-first, platform-native position focused on format building, cultural reactiveness and confident on-camera presence.
– By volunteering for 8 hours on one day of the festival, you will get free entry to both days of Parklife 2026 with plenty of time to enjoy acts on the day you volunteer. – This is a great way to meet new people and get experience in the event industry. – All applicants need to be 18+ and have valid ID – You will be required to put down a £200 deposit – this will be returned after you have completed your shift the week after the festival.
The Radio Course funded by MAES this February was a blast! We had a group full of creatives combining their ideas to make their radio show: Tea Time. This show consisted of live and recorded original material on all the participants’ interests, from comedy, to good news and music. A big shoutout to Autumn, Les and Tylah, who expertly ran this course. Read below to find out how Maya and Adam found their two weeks here with us.
Listen back to Tea Time now ^
Please can you introduce your name, and pronouns, and describe yourself in three words?
M: I’m Maya, she/her. I’d say bubbly, vibrant and colourful.
A: and I am Andy, he/him. Creative, determined and confident.
Did either of you have much experience in radio or presenting before, and what has been your favourite thing about it?
M: I was on the podcasting course in October, which was such a lovely time as well. I didn’t have any knowledge of it before, I just always wanted to be on the radio, but it didn’t feel that attainable when I was younger.
A: I’ve done radio before, but not as a presenter. I was a guest being interviewed for my stand up comedy.
What prompted you guys to get involved in the Radio Course?
M: It was a step towards my dream, and also, I’m trying to look after my inner child. I heard about the course and thought, when I see it on Instagram, I’m applying.
A: I’ve never done a radio course before, but I’ve always wanted to do one. I’ve done other courses like journalism, content creation, theatre and podcasting, but just never radio. I wanted to try something new.
You guys have been working on your own show, can you tell us a bit more about what we can expect from it and what it’s been inspired by?
M: So, I am super nostalgic. I like to obviously live in the present, but sometimes looking back into the past and seeing how things inspired you and shaped who you’ve become, and your taste, your morals and your values through music can be heavily impacted. So I wanted to explore that a little bit. Obviously, it was only a short period of time, so there’s only so much that I can say on it, but I would’ve asked a million more questions if I could.
A: Well, for me, I just wanted to do poetry. I just kept it simple and basic and didn’t go over the top with it. I enjoyed putting it all together: the editing and cutting and adding the music and the sound effects. That’s something I really enjoyed doing.
Let’s throw it back to your first day at Reform versus now, tell me a bit about your first impressions/feelings/emotions in comparison to how you feel now. What has changed?
M: When I did the podcasting course in October, I was quite nervous to come in, but I knew it would be fun. But I quickly came to learn how friendly everyone is. No question is a silly question. Coming into this course, I knew what I was getting, but it was even better because I felt like I was welcomed back with open arms.
A: For me, fun came into it, a lot of fun. I also enjoyed meeting the people, the staff and everyone in my group. I like meeting new people and making new friends.
If you could have any guest on your own radio show, who would it be and why?
M: I think it would have to be Antony Bourdain. I’d love to pick his brain. I feel like he is such a soft soul, so gentle. He had this full understanding of people and wanted to explore more about people. I’ve not had the chance to travel too much so I’d want to ask him about his experiences. Ask him what did you see, what shocked you. I feel like even though I keep watching Antony Bourdain stuff, i’ve not seen enough.
A: For me, I would love to interview Robin Williams. If it was someone who was alive, it’d probably be David Attenborough.
What will you take from the Radio Course moving forward & what are your plans from here onwards?
M: Well, I’m focusing quite a lot on getting my portfolio together. I really do want to see if I can get into radio presenting at some point. Also, I’m a poet, and I’ve given myself the challenge to perform at least once a month.
A: I’ll take all the memories away with me. In terms of the future, I do want to come back here again. I like to do other creative things and hopefully I can get some paid work in the creative industries.
To find out about our future projects at Reform Radio, sign up to our Projects newsletter here.
