Interested in podcasting? Why not take a deeper dive into the world of podcasting and join Tameside Futures this May.
Tameside Futures is a 6-week programme providing bespoke support to young people 16-25 who are looking for work. Kindly funded by the Prince’s Trustand Tameside Council.
The programme includes an exciting 2-week Podcasting Bootcamp – You will learn how to develop and script a podcast, create relevant and interesting content and learn the ins and outs of audio production, social media and creative writing. You will also get the experience of producing and presenting in a live radio show, airing on Reform Radio at the end of Bootcamp.
The next four weeks to follow offer 1-1 support with wellbeing, CV writing, applications, interview prep, work placements and other flexible support to fit around you.
See the flyer below for more details.
If you are an employer and currently looking for new talent…
We are looking for organisations who are seeking to recruit new talent or who frequently work with freelancers/contractors, and those that can offer placements and interviews for our young people.
Employers must commit to between 1-5 days for young people to get hands-on experience in their organisation and meet their teams.
The ambition of the Sustainable Futures Fund is not only to support young people at a time of great need but to enable Greater Manchester to come out of the pandemic looking confidently into the future – aligning with a clear plan for growing industries providing sustainable, good quality, ‘future-focused’ jobs in the region – The Prince’s Trust
Please contact mike@reformradio.co.uk if you are interested or would like more information.
Starting off with a two-week Bootcamp, at the end of this duration, 12 artists will be selected to progress onto the 12-month mentorship programme. Take a look at our Bootcamp video from 2020 to get an idea of what it’s all about.
With opportunities to collaborate with artists, receive mentoring from professional artists such as Jenna G, Werkaand Anna Mcluckie – and work on your sound engineering skills – come and show us what you’re made of.
Jenna G has been with us from the very beginning. An incredible talent in the Manchester music scene, who in more recent years hosted our International Women’s Day panel. DJ and producer Werka has been on the likes of BBC Radio 6’s The People’s Party, hosted by Afrodeutsche, produced by our team at Reform Radio. As for Anna Mcluckie, she’s a singer and Harpist from Manchester who has facilitated Soundcamp since it started.
Take a look at our event that was held at Night & Day Cafe back in 2019, showcasing all the amazing work from the Soundcamp programme.
Last year, we hosted a virtual stage for the We Out Here Festival, inviting the 12 Soundcamp finalists into the space to perform. With artists ranging from Joe Roche, Inka, Lashimbaand more! Catch Inka’s Soundcamp showcase down below or click here to see all of the artist’s performances.
With Soundcamp comes endless opportunities and possibilities for your future as an artist. Don’t hesitate and apply now.
See the flyer below for more details or email projects@reformradio.co.uk to get involved.
Come and feel heard and understood at the Life Lounge, a well-being workshop guided by Reform’s very own well-being manager Dan Owens-Cooper.
Taking place every fortnight on a Tuesday, the two hour slot from 6PM – 8PM is designed to help support you, helping you navigate the many thoughts, feelings and experiences that life throws at us.
Catch a glimpse of Dan Owens-Cooper on our Instagram down below, offering advice on how to approach trying something new, as part of his new monthly show Bewell-being in collaboration with #BeWell.
The first Radio Course of 2022 took place this month, returning back and better than ever before. This two-week programme funded by MAES helps young people pursue a career in digital broadcasting.
Welcoming participants into the studios, the group delved into what it means to be in a working Radio Production environment. Thanks to the amazing facilitators Alex, Jacob and Naomi, a wonderfully organic energy developed in the group as those involved learnt the ropes of digital media.
Cameron, one participant who has dabbled in digital broadcasting before, adds his thoughts on the group.
“We’ve been really lucky with the group, everyone’s really creative & people have their own sets of skills. It’s all just come together really organically and we’ve all just got on from day one”
During week one of the project, the group really got to know one another, through various games and team building exercises. One individual, Ewan, comments on how he felt coming into the project.
“It can be quite awkward coming into something like this and nobody really wants to share or open up, but this felt really easy, playing a lot of games has been a really important part as it gets everyone out of their shells a little bit”
With the end goal of working collaboratively towards a live radio show that would air on Reform, the group explored both Presenter and Producer roles, establishing who was the next (add famous UK presenters name) amongst them. They experimented with script writing, public speaking and acquired skills in music software, preparing for the big week ahead.
During week two, the facilitators invited a variety of guest speakers and industry professionals into the space to get the participants geared up on the hottest radio knowledge. With sessions dedicated to Social Media and Podcasting, as well as DJ sessions, the group learnt all the different segments that make up a radio show.
With scripting way undergo, Ewan comments on the relaxed atmosphere enabling them to come ‘to very natural progression about what we want to do with the show’. After some thought, the collective decision was made to write a show dedicated to all the senses, naming themselvesSenses of Self. With participants having a variety of different skillsets and broadcasting backgrounds, segments such as comedy sketches, a game show, meditation and many more pieces of incredible original content were developed.
Young people such as Cameron, who had previous presenting experience, speaks on the process.
“I’ve done some presenting for silly comedy podcasts. It was a long time ago, so I’m still kind of starting afresh with it. It’s been really nice to learn how to put together a show and kind of get the ideas for it. It’s been a really useful process”
Whilst, Sophie-Mia, another individual with previous radio experience who did the radio for Manchester Metropolitan University, discusses her role in the show.
“Our radio show is based on senses, so at the very very end of the hour I’m going to do some mindfulness to bring it back round and centre for everybody, and make them aware of where they are, so we are going to end on quite a calm note”
Not only did the participants get savvy with the scripting, but one young person, Lewis, designed a trio of artwork, spotlighting the different segments they had come up with. To view the talented artwork that was designed for the show, please scroll down below.
Artwork by Lewis
Artwork by Lewis
Artwork by Lewis
To listen to the full show click down below.
If you would like to get involved or find out more about any of our projects, please drop us an email to projects@reformradio.co.uk.
Our latest podcasting project, delivered in partnership with the Prince’s Trustand Tameside council, kickstarted in Tameside last week at the 4C Community Centre.
To start things off the young people were invited into the space for a two week podcasting bootcamp. During these two weeks, participants were introduced to scripting, editing and producing a podcast with a view to scripting their own interview based recording. This time running, they were joined by two different employers for all their interviewing desires; Visual Architects who are an events decor company and 0730 Media, a videography and photography company run by husband and wife power duo.
One half of the group went to the Visual Architects warehouse, where they work on building set designs and event decor. After a well rounded tour, the young people were asked if they wanted to turn on a pretty savvy piece of kit: a giant robot (we’re just as intrigued as you are). The other group came down to Reform to record an exclusive interview of one half of the 0730 Media team, Simon.
After an enjoyable two weeks, close bonds and friendships were made within the group, and people went home feeling like they had made friends for life. Not only were friendships developed between the participants, but with the facilitators too. Our lovely, fully trained facilitators were noticed by young person Luke as ‘very friendly and funny’.
Another young person, Sam, speaks on their experience with Tameside Futures: “The experience has been great because I’ve overcome my anxiety and it’s built up my confidence as well, so for that I just want to say thank you because I’ve been pushed and that’s what I needed”.
Another individual, Alex, comments on his personal growth during the project: “I have learnt that I can be confident if I put my mind to it”.
“Over the past two weeks we’ve been sharing our thoughts and feelings on the topic of Media and Technology. We developed podcasting and scripting skills and had the opportunity to visit and talk to creative companies within Tameside. This was an inspiring experience that gave us insight into how art and media companies operate”
To hear the full show that aired on Friday the 18th of March, click down below.
But, the fun doesn’t stop there. The following four weeks are dedicated to helping the individuals involved find their next employment steps, by sharing job opportunities that arise and helping them into full time employment.
We are so excited to announce the launch of our first ever morning show, The Get Up, which will broadcast from Monday 28th of March 2022.
Live from 10 – 12pm every weekday morning, ‘The Get Up’, hosted by Yelena Lashimba, offers a daily dose of positivity, designed to gently ease you into the day with an uplifting mix of music and chat. There will also be healthy points of discussion from across the community, with audiences invited to get involved in the conversation via Reform Radio’s online chat box. Director Sam Oliveira, spoke of his excitement for the upcoming launch.
“This will be the first time in over eight years of broadcasting that we’ve had a daily morning show on Reform Radio. Our ambition is to make this a touch point for our community to interact with the station and learn more about the wider activity of the organisation. Yelena’s energy and passion makes her the perfect person to do this and we can’t wait for her to start”
Host Yelena Lashimba is a musician from Manchester, who first got involved with Reform Radio via our artist development programme Soundcamp. This has led to Yelena performing at a host of festivals, including the Soundcamp Showcase for Reform Radio’s virtual stage at We Out Here Festival and Manchester International Festival. Her original song ‘Toxic’ was released on Reform’s sister record label Rhythm Lab Records.
One of our main goals has always been to help young people on their journey to success and helping them into the industry they aspire to work in. Young artists and budding presenters such as Yelena, seized this great opportunity, commenting on her ambitions for the show;
“I am really excited to create a positive, fun and friendly space for people to engage with all kinds of discussion points as well as to just listen to good music. I am also looking forward to hearing other people’s opinions and opening my perspective up to the room”
Not only will the show provide daily food-for-thought, it will have a special focus on spotlighting up-and-coming talent from across the UK by working with the likes of national charity Youth Music. Other features will include In The Shadows, which explores behind the scenes roles in the music industry and routes into them.
Packed full of guest mixes, interviews and special guests, you can listen to the show every weekday morning via our website and interact directly with Yelena via the chat box. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Our next online Work Club will be landing on Thursday 14th April from 3:30PM – 5:30Pm.
Work Club runs on the last Thursday of every month with a full session based on opportunities for the future. It includes a number of speakers who discuss various opportunities available, as well as 1-1s and pastoral sessions.
International Women’s Day is dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements whilst also taking action for equality and calling out harmful biases. Amplifying and spotlighting is at the very forefront of this day.
For this International Women’s Day we held a roundtable discussion focusing on the topic of Women’s Safety. We invited cis, trans women and non-binary people to share their experiences on topics such as domestic violence, street safety, language that contributes to violence against women and what we can do to improve women’s safety. This roundtable was made possible by Heritage Fund.
Hosted by Jenna G, the discussion featured multiple guest speakers who shared their experiences or delved into performances inspired by the roundtable topic. London based International Slam Champion Y.A, and our very own Artist in Resident Melissa Dean delivered their original spoken word material, exploring themes such as trauma, depression and finding self-love. Also expect an appearance from founders of SLEEC, a survivor-run organisation that changes systems, supports survivors and dismantles the roots of male violence.
Aside from this discussion, we have so many amazing shows by our residents and special guests contributing to this momentous day. First up we invited Nu-R&B Neo Soul artist Mali Hayes for a one hour takeover. Since making their debut back in 2016, Mali Hayes has snatched recognition as one of Clash Magazines Artists Set To Rise, and is set to support the Ego Ella May this March at Manchester’s YES. Live on Reform airwaves from 2PM.
Mali Hayes
Next up we have Sunday Night W/ Dani & Lauren, diving into guitar based music made by the queens of Punk, Blues, Soul and Rock from the 1950’s up until present day.
Finally we have the queen of dance DJ Paulette inviting Raw Silk for their monthly show. The Raw Silk duo have been hosting events, radio shows and DJing together since they met one sweet summer in Melbourne. Grace and Steph have provided the vibes and tunes to many dance floors both internationally and locally. Glastonbury Festival, AVA, you name it.
Tune in this Saturday 12th March from 7PM-9PM to catch this exclusive guest mix.
Start your March off the right way by joining Reform for our Online Work Club session. This one will take place on Thursday 10th March from 3:30PM – 5:30Pm and is packed full of opportunities.
Work Club runs on the last Thursday of every month with a full session based on opportunities for the future. It includes a number of speakers who discuss various opportunities available, as well as 1-1s and pastoral sessions.
We are excited to introduce our brand new project FutureYou, a programme designed to help guide and support young people on their career journeys.
Thinking about your future can be daunting, so we have teamed up with Ingeus UK and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to create FutureYou to help plan your career and get you into the education, training or employment that is right for you. This project was kindly made possible by the European Social Fund.
The programme offers 1-1 mentoring sessions, well-being & CV writing support, with work placements and career planning opportunities for those ages 18-24 and not currently in education or employment.
Our friendly team of mentors will guide you every step of the way and provide you with the support you need to move forward and find your next career step. By working with Manchester based organisations and employers, we will break down barriers together and help you find great opportunities in your local area.
For more details of what FutureYou can help with, see the flyer down below.
If you are interested in this project, drop us an email at projects@reformradio.co.uk.
DJ Sessions, a project kindly funded by MAES, started with a bang on Monday the 14th of February (a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, don’t you think?). Led by DJ, producer and record label managerJoe Roche, this six week programme focuses on how to DJ, self promote and source what opportunities are out there, presenting individuals with a chance to play out in Manchester.
With only one week to get savvy with the decks, the participants entered the space at Reform Radio keen to learn and become the DJ that deep down, they always have been.
On day one the participants came into the space and were introduced to the nuts and bolts of deejay land. We are talking USBs, headphones, the do’s and the don’ts and the best softwares for organising your music. But it’s not all about equipment and the technical stuff. Although this is a huge proportion of becoming a DJ, discovering your personal style and image that you want to show the world is equally as important in becoming a full-fledged artist.
Now let’s get one thing straight. In order to be a DJ, one must become one. To immerse themselves into the disc-jockey world & phenomenon, the young people invented their DJ names and put forth their new alias; to cement, commit & complete their transition into their shiny new DJ personality.
Creative juices were certainly flowing in the studio, with names ranging from DJ Zambezi, KayBee, Los Lopez, The Blessed Les Dennis and Red Hicks to name a few. One of the participants named Monique chose the DJ name MIQUE, a shortened adaptation of her full name.
Another individual called Jesús chose the name MXANNA (pronounced mx-anna); the MX being a presentation that’s genderqueer and XANA being the name of a mythological creature or Spanish nymph from the forests in Northern Spain.
Jesús in the zone, getting their playlist ready for Friday.
With their DJ names finessed and the decks ready to be spun, participants were posed with the question: What do you want to get out of the week?
Manchester-born Kim, who is part of ‘Double Trouble’ with her sister who MCs and is a regular on MCR based radio station All FM, is used to mixing vinyl. As a selector, Kim started spinning tunes in the vinyl days but decided that if they are going to get booked out again, they need to learn how to mix on CDJs.
A lovely moment captured of Kim, otherwise known as KayBee, performing at the showcase.
Ben, who is also from Manchester and studied Music Technology at college, saw DJ Sessions as a ‘great opportunity to blow off the cobwebs and get back into DJing’.
The rest of the week was jam packed with hands-on learning, activities and break out rooms to get the group feeling confident with the decks ahead of the last session of the week. During which, participants were tasked with coming up with a playlist of their choice, to mix and perform in the space to promoters and venues across Manchester.
Lauren from Newcastle had previous experience mixing during her student years and upon finding an old USB filled with Liquid Drum & Bass, decided to get back into it because she ‘loves the music and club scene’. Lauren also commented on how the DJ industry is somewhat ‘relentless’, but participating in DJ Sessions is a great opportunity to bridge that gap.
As the group dynamic began to skill-up and individuals started to think about what songs they would like to choose to impress the promoters, all kinds of genres started bursting out of the studios.
Another participant with previous experience, Ben, who normally plays Jungle, decided to slow things down and go with ‘middle of the road House music’ for his playlist of choice. Whilst other participants such as Jesús were pumping Industrial Techno before switching it up and playing Last Dance by Donna Summer, which really got the vibes rolling between the group and the Reform team.
Ben, otherwise known as Sweaty B (left) and Jesús, otherwise known as MXANNA (right) performing at the showcase.
Although each person has their own unique style and preferred genre of choice, they were encouraged to think out of the box and pick a style of music that would be most enjoyed at bars and venues across Manchester. With popular genres ranging from RnB, Hip Hop, House, Reggeaton, Disco and Indie music to name a few, the young people got their thinking hats on.
Some of the favoured genres chosen throughout the group were RnB, Hip Hop and House, with individuals such as Monique thinking that ‘employers will prefer RnB because of the types of venues’.
Although there was lots of physical learning, the nitty gritty of professionalism and etiquette were brought to the table during the week, with industry talks and inside knowledge of how to approach agencies and promoters.
On the big day of the showcase, the group came to the space in the morning and got their mixing fingers ready to play for the promoters.
The energy in the studio during this session was truly impeccable, with an atmosphere of support and individuals hyping each other up. Unfortunately due to Storm Eunice, some of the promoters were unable to come into the space. However, in true we-live-in-the-digital-age style, Zoom came to save the day and both promoters and friends of the group took to the screens to enjoy the show. One of the participants, Magic, took on the hosting duties and provided the vibes for the day.
Lauren otherwise known as Finlay Roth (left) and Magic (right) hosting & performing at the showcase.
Meduulla otherwise known as DJ Meduulla (left) and Yelena otherwise known as Lashimba (right) getting their boogie on.
Gabriel otherwise known as Red Hicks getting his groove on.
A resounding success, the group rounded things up feeling proud of themselves, with one person commenting that they felt like a ‘star’ for the day. In the following weeks, the individuals will be meeting every Wednesday evening to shadow Reform’s DJs and take their DJ careers to the next level by gaining fundamental experience in the studios and working collaboratively with industry professionals.
If you are keen to get your hands on decks or have any questions about this or our other projects, drop us an email at projects@reformradio.co.uk
Soundcamp is a 12 week programme that gives up and coming artists the opportunity to develop their performance and music business skills, delivered in partnership with Youth Music. The Soundcamp Spotlight series is a feature that aims to shine the light on Soundcamp artists and share their story with our audience.
Next up, we have PERiiSU stepping up to the platform…
Could you please introduce yourself.
I go by the name PERiiSU, and I’m an artist/producer from Manchester.
When did your musical journey start? Who are your influences?
My musical journey started from a young age. I would say around the age of eight. The first ‘instrument’ I had was a fork & knife, I would bang on the table tops creating a beat. Then that moved onto a few years later, where I got Hip – Hop Ejay 6, FL Studio to now Logic Pro (which I have been using ever since).
I have a wide range of influences – Tyler The Creator, Frank Ocean, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, J Dilla, Quincy Jones. Those are the ones I can only think of at the top of my head, but my list is endless.
How would you describe your production and DJing style?
My production is a concoction of what I like to listen to, which is a bit of everything. But for a detailed description, I produce gritty, electronic sounds, with smooth soulful melodic elements. This can include a big hefty grimy bassline (inspired by my UK & Jamaican heritage), alongside American Soul, 90s R&B vocal melodies and East Coast Hip-Hop.
You were part of the Soundcamp cohort back in 2018, what were some of your highlights?
I have a couple of highlights from Soundcamp. The main one was performing at Night & Day Cafe. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing a positive reaction from the crowd when you showcase your music. Another highlight for me was creating and coming up with my logo design, which Glen Cutwerk digitally brought to life. I have stamped that as a milestone in my music journey, because it turned out beautiful.
You then got involved with our Co-Lab Theory project in 2020 where you collaborated on a track with Swing Ting. Why did you decide to get involved? Did the project meet your expectations?
I decided to get involved, because I thought this was the perfect opportunity to not only work by creating music with an established Mancunian artist, but to also get advice for how to go about being an artist. The project exceeded my expectations because we got coverage on media blogs such as Mixmag, Hyponik & Fact Magazine. I’m also still in contact with Balraj, so Reform made the right decision matching me with Swing Ting lol, thanks Reform!
Could you tell us a bit about your track ‘Business & Culture’ which was born out of this project.
For ‘Business & Culture’, it came so naturally when I collaborated with Swing Ting. I don’t exactly remember whether it was the drum pattern or the melody we started with, but everything just jelled perfectly together once completed. We produced it at the Swing Ting studio, so being in their own space made it even more special.
What are you hoping your next steps will be?
My next step is to release my first major album. It’s been over 2 years in the making, but I’m telling you it’s definitely worth the wait. You can’t rush greatness, especially when it comes from the heart. So be on the lookout for that when it comes out.
Anything upcoming that you would like to shout out?
I’ll be releasing a few singles soon. However, before that, I’ve got something huge launching soon which I’m soo excited about. I won’t mention it for now as it’s a secret, but just know it will definitely benefit my music career and give me the freedom to express myself to the fullest.
Are there any local artists/musicians/collectives that you would like to shout out?
To be totally honest, I can’t really think of any right now other than Balraj. I would like to give a massive shout out to Balraj from Swing Ting. He’s been in contact with me since we first met & is still checking up on what I’ve got going on so far, and also been a major support. So big up Balraj!
And finally…What was your favourite album of 2021?
I would say it’s got to be the goat Tyler The Creator ‘Call Me If You Get Lost’.
We know you are all dying to hear how out latest podcasting course Manchester Futures went down… sit tight and let us tell you the ins and outs of podcasting town.
Our latest workshop, delivered in partnership with The Prince’s Trust, kicked off in the end of January with a two week Podcasting Bootcamp, during which participants were immersed into the mind-blowing world of digital broadcasting.
To our utter delights, Manchester Futures was able to run in person and participants came into our space at Bonded Warehouse.
After learning the foundations of how to script, record and edit a full podcast, participants were introduced to three different employers from Manchester.
The group of young people had the pleasure of working with some pretty incredible businesses this time running, with two site visits during the first week.
One group visited Rope Ladder Fiction in Swinton, the new film set for the Waterloo Road TV series, who were thrilled by the opportunity to see the behind the scenes action of how a TV series functions. One participant of this group says ‘It really brought on how real it actually is, once you experience it, it seems so much more achievable’. Two people from each department were interviewed, such as the art, story writing, production managers and story alchemists – a great success.
Another group visited one of the Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) locations, the Sugden Centre which is located next to the University of Manchester. The GLL manages a huge proportion of leisure centres across the UK, amounting in a whopping 270 facilities. As a charitable social enterprise and not-for-profit business, they also fund over 3,000 athletes via a sports foundation programme and work closely with their partner Cancer Research.
For the sporty crowd amongst the group, this one was very appealing and one participant says ‘It was quite fun because they booked a hall for us, so we got to play a bit of badminton’.
After the badminton rodeo, the group interviewed the manager of the Sugden Centre and then retreated back to Reform for lunch (chocolate penguins were on the cards, you see).
The final group interviewed the founder of Mozzington, a non-profit design agency – ‘all about creating opportunities for people of all backgrounds to thrive and contribute to society’ (we couldn’t have put it better ourselves).
Upon speaking to the Manchester Futures cohort, it became apparent that there was a common denominator encapsulating the room. As a group, most of the individuals involved were hoping to gain more experience and reward themselves with another gold star to pop on their CV (tick).
Let’s be honest, the past two years have been challenging and getting your foot in the door as a young creative has never felt more tough. So, to see a great turnout for Manchester Futures just proves the need for such projects.
One participant says that the workshop has shifted their path and perspective, as they have ‘always been creative’ but ‘always had a 9-5’ in order to support their creative venture, in this case – acting. But, in light of these comments, the participant adds that the workshop has given them the confidence to ‘shift into a new direction and work in a place where I can grow’. This is the energy we love to see in 2022!
Similarly, another young person on the course, who has career aspirations of being a film director, explains how the past few weeks have helped them. ‘As one of the youngest here, I am quite fresh and new to all of this. I felt that I didn’t have the creative knowledge to go into the creative field, because people want degrees and I didn’t have that’.
The pressure of going to University is monumental, overwhelming and more importantly, not for everyone. Degrees are not the be all and end all, there are plenty of other ways to kickstart your career. During the following four weeks of Manchester Futures, 1-1 support such as wellbeing, CV writing, applications, interview prep and work placements are offered to help and support our participants in their journeys.
As an ongoing six-week project, participants had all set themselves personal goals for the experience. One comments, that they hope by the end of this to start a path onto their ‘dream career’ and begin doing what they have wanted to do their ‘entire life’ (make money AND enjoy it… yes, please).
After conducting the interviews, the participants worked in groups to edit them together to be aired on a live show that took place on Friday the 11th on February at 1PM.
Naming themselves ‘Expression Collective‘, the group describes their podcasting bootcamp:
‘Over the space of two weeks we have learnt how to make podcasts and had the opportunity to talk to employers in a variety of fields and gain an in depth understanding about their field of work. As well as this, we really wanted to gauge how us and those around us express themselves.’
Listen back to the show down below to hear what they put together over the duration of the podcasting bootcamp.
If you would like to gain more experience, meet industry professionals and push yourself out of your comfort zone then listen out for our next project and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or queries via projects@reformradio.co.uk
Our exciting Podcasting Course in Tameside is back. If you want to take a deeper dive into the world of podcasting, then this project is for you.
Tameside Futures is a 6 week programme – providing bespoke support to young people 16-25 who are looking for work.
The programme includes an exciting 2 week Podcasting Bootcamp – You will learn how to develop and script a podcast, creating relevant and interesting content, learn the ins and outs of audio production, social media and creative writing. You will also get experience of producing and presenting in a live radio show.
The next 4 weeks are bespoke and offer opportunities to access workshops and 1-1 support in: wellbeing, CV writing, applications, interview prep, work placements and other flexible support to fit around you.
See the flyer above for contacts to get involved.
If you’re an employer and currently looking for new talent …
We are looking for organisations who are seeking to recruit new talent or who frequently work with freelancers/contractors, and those that can offer placements and interviews for our young people.
Employers must commit to between 1-5 days for young people to get hands on experience in their organisation and meet their teams.
The ambition of the Sustainable Futures Fund is not only to support young people at a time of great need, but to enable Greater Manchester to come out of the pandemic looking confidently into the future – aligning with a clear plan for growing industries providing sustainable, good quality, ‘future-focused’ jobs in the region. – The Prince’s Trust
Please contact mike@reformradio.co.uk if you are interested or would like more information.
Demo Tapes is the protest music project inspired by the North West sound archives. Using these archives of sound to make protest music, a group of young people make music that touches on many significant historical social movements that are prevalent not only in the NW region, but globally.
Previously, you could have heard Demo Tapes shows on Reform’s airwaves back in 2021, taking us behind the scenes of their journey from their first workshop to their final gig. Within which, musicians from More Music, Collective Encounters and Brighter Sound wrote original music responding to archives of sound they listened too.
This year, young musicians from the Demo Tapes project join us again during LGBTQIA+ History Month for another show, ‘Rewind With More Music’. Continuing to work with More Music in Morecambe and unlock the sound heritage of Manchester, they found an incredible archived audio of Luchia Fitzgerald, one of the founding members of the Gay Liberation Front in Manchester.
A prodigy to the LGBTQIA+ community in Manchester, Fitzgerald’s hard work has not gone unnoticed. In 2020, she won the Lifetime Achievement Awards with Pride of Manchester and has been continually recognised for her activist work in the city.
Inviting Luchia into the studio, Demo Tapes discussed her life as an LGBTQIA+ activist and campaigner. The conversation spanned the establishment of the Gay Liberation Front, the obstacles that were and are in the way of the LGBTQIA+ community fighting for their rights, how activism has changed from the 1970s to now and much more.
Using the sound archive of Fitzgerald’s voice, they made a song entitled ‘You’ve got the magic’ which they have been performing both live and online since its creation.
Joining Reform’s Resident Aisha Williamsin Demo Tapes is Ashley Murphy, the workforce development and music leader from More Music, who are also joined by some of the young people that took part.
Listen back to the show down below to hear all about Demo Tapes, More Music‘s workshops and how an Irish female activist fought for women’s and LGBTQIA+ people’s rights in Manchester.
This project has been supported by the The National Lottery Heritage Fund and co-ordinated by the British Library, with special thanks to More Music, Hope Streets & Manchester Libraries archives.
We are running another instalment of Creative Leadership project and it’s open for anyone aged 19-30, who is currently unemployed and located in the Greater Manchester area.
The workshop will consist of 4 sessions in which you will be able to learn about facilitation, funding, taxes and what it takes to be a freelancer.
If you’ve ever thought about setting up your own business, it’s important to understand your audience, self-employment and taxes. Facilitating workshops and delivering socially engaged projects in your community will require you to know how to write funding bids, work with partners, plan sessions and evaluate their success.
If you are interested in this project, drop us an email at projects@reformradio.co.uk.
Returning this year on Thursday 3rd March is Reform’s very wholesome project, First 1000 Days – Storytelling Sessions.
This project is a series of workshops that explore storytelling, creative writing, the importance of characters and narrative and result in the group creating their own bespoke story for their babies. This is then recorded and turned into an audio book, which can be used to support literacy at home, language development and wellbeing.
Through accessing this project, all families are signed up to Manchester Imagination Library, receiving a free book each month until their child is 2 years old. There is also wrap around support provided and access to Speech and Language, Outreach Teams and Employability support through all partners involved.
This project is in partnership with Manchester Imagination Library and Sure Start, and is supported by Manchester City Counciland Manchester Health and Care Commissioning.
See the flyer below for more information on how to get involved.
Today is Blue Monday. A day that on average many find very mentally challenging. From the weather remaining dark and gloomy, to financial strain from the holiday period, many factors can flood in during this month, making this time of the year even more challenging than usual for some.
If you are struggling mentally and would like to talk to someone, please visit our Emergency Contacts page. There are multiple amazing organisations that offer their services 24/7.
To help uplift you during this difficult time, participants from our well-being focused project Positive Frequencies, have created a show exploring what it means to be true to ourselves (the good, the bad …and the beautiful!). The participants will take you on a journey through song, poetry and spoken word showcasing their talents.
The show will air today (Monday 17th January) at 1PM on reformradio.co.uk.
Supported byManchester Adult Education Service, Positive Frequencies is a week of personal development, creative writing and self-expression. The workshop will wrap up with a roundtable discussion. We provide a space for Participants to develop positive self-expression and a toolbox of wellbeing skills to help take and sustain their positive next steps.
The lead facilitator of this week-long well-being course, Dan Owens-Cooper, has also created a video on staying connected. Dan is Reform’s Mental Health and Well-being manager who has had countless 1-1s with our residents and present and past participants. Check out the video below.
Boombox FM is a radio play created through lockdow by young people in Greater Manchester.
The project was funded by ESF and the storyline is inspired by real life experiences throughout lockdown with elements dramatised wonderfully by the young people for the enjoyment of our listeners. This show also includes music created by the participants as well as spoken word and stories written whilst meeting weekly online
Kickstart 2022 with Reform’s very own online Work Club. The first work club of the year will be running from 3:30PM – 5:30 PM on Thursday 27th January.
Work Club takes place on a Thursday each month, and is based on opportunities for the future. It includes a number of speakers who discuss various opportunities available, as well as 1-1s and pastoral sessions.
