Our podcasting course Manchester Futures just wrapped up. If you’re unfamiliar with MF, it’s a 6-week course that provides bespoke support to young people aged 16-25 looking for work, kindly made possible by The Prince’s Trust.
With the goal of working towards a live radio show the group immersed themselves into the digital world and got to business.
This time, employers joining us were Fuzzy Duck, Brighter Sounds and The British Red Cross. Let’s tell you a little bit about each of them.
Fuzzy Duck is a company that works across the realms of design, film, animation and other means of creativity to craft much-loved stories. The kind of stories that one doesn’t forget or the kind that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling. They’ve worked with BBC Bitesize, CBBC’s Blue Peter, the Science Museum in London and the National Trust to name a few.
Brighter Sounds is a creative music charity which helps music creators, leaders and industry professionals through creative projects, residencies, training and events. Over the years, they have connected those working with them with established artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Bugzy Malone and Everything Everything.
And, last but not least, the British Red Cross is a humanitarian charity aiming to help those in crisis, in the UK and the rest of the world. Currently, they are offering advice, support and schemes to help those affected in Ukraine, as well as offering advice on Climate Change and what we can do as individuals to prevent further monstrosities.
Participants such as Kate, who aspires to make their own podcast post workshop on philosophy and cinematography, chose to explore the British Red Cross as they wanted to learn “insight into the humanitarian industry”. Bartender Gabriel Hackman agreed that it was “really informative”, adding that he chose Red Cross because he was “intrigued by the panel about climate change” that the charity discussed.
Others like part-time fundraiser George Edwards went with Fuzzy Duck out of a keen interest in the film production industry. During his time at University, George received training in Radio commercials and would love to make his own radio show exploring plays, due to his “love of theatre”.
Although no previous broadcasting experience is required to join the course, individuals such as Amina had dabbled in a podcasting course funded by the Prince’s Trust in the past. During Manchester Futures, she built up her confidence and said: “I would actually love to make my own podcast about personal development or confidence building”.
As with all of our workshops, we strive to create and maintain an environment of ease, where anyone can join and be their authentic selves with no judgement. It’s great to see when that pays off and people involved such as Amina leave feeling confident and ready to boss their next move.
To hear more from the group behind Manchester Futures, you can tune into the radio show they scripted and produced themselves called ‘Shut Up and Listen’. During the show, they chat about neurodiversity, potatoes and game shows.
Listen now.
If you’re interested in applying for the next workshop, please drop an email to projects@reformradio.co.uk to find out more.
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 stories with our audience.
Next up it’s Alex Pascalidis…
Please could you introduce yourself?
My name is Alex Pascalidis, soon to be under the alias bathhat. I am a folk artist, a poet and on the odd occasion, I put some noises together whilst DJing.
When did your musical journey start?
My serious musical journey started a little later on. I went to uni to do music production but started making music the summer before. I am still a bit shocked that I got in at all. I could always sing and loved doing that but I always thought music was gatekept, as in, because I didn’t have any formal training I wasn’t able to do it. I had the same thing growing up with dance, I didn’t learn formally but from films and again, any possibility I thought I had about doing something with it faded quite quickly when I thought there were traditional barriers in front of me.
I make quite specifically folk music now. I have a loose definition of what folk music is, but for me, it is guitar and singing. Adrianne Lenker is a big inspiration of mine, along with Grouper so that may give an idea of what I’m talking about. I’m interested in the delicate and beautiful along with the abstract. I am still trying to figure out how to make a sonic identity but for now, I am just trying to sing well, consistently and write good songs.
You were part of Soundcamp 2018. Do you have any highlights or experiences you would like to share?
The main highlight of the Soundcamp experience apart from meeting some amazing talent and being mentored by some extraordinary artists (and when I say extraordinary I mean legends in the music industry), was gaining creative confidence in my artistry, and I really mean artistry. What has me exploring a lot of different mediums to this day is the ignition that the project gave me.
Has your career progressed or changed since participating in Soundcamp?
I think that the establishment of a poetic voice since Soundcamp has welcomed a splitting of energy. Both poetry and music are equally important in my life now. I never knew I would be this into writing, reading and exploring the subconscious through the written word. I think from a music perspective I was once so interested in having a high volume of projects being released and not really caring what came of them. Now I care a lot more about what comes of them and whether or not the project is the best thing I can do at that moment. I think that taking your time and trusting in whatever it is you think you can do is for the best.
How and when did your facilitation journey start with Reform? How did the opportunity to manage Soundcamp 2022 come about?
Facilitation came after Soundcamp. At the time I was getting more and more into educating myself and realising the power or excitement that came from that. I was feeling quite cheated by the education system, convincing me that learning is boring. I wanted to go about sharing something with other people, teaching and passing on some of my knowledge, that seemed cool.
I think there was some funding from Soundcamp that basically paid us to run a single 2 hour session and for that first one I taught creativity. Since then I made it clear that I wanted to facilitate with the directors and then did another one-off creativity session and built up from there. I have now been working between Reform Radio and Sonder Radio for the past year, facilitating and creating various creative skills workshops.
There is the opportunity here to be romantic about how the opportunity to manage Soundcamp 2022 came about but it would be a hard spin. I think the real story is I didn’t have a project coming up and was figuring out a way to talk to the directors about maybe filling in on one or two of the days at Soundcamp Bootcamp. As I was going to send the message, I received one asking if I wanted to do just that and then I was offered the role. I didn’t really know what project managing would entail but I said yes very quickly and I’m glad I did.
How does it feel to have come full circle and now be the one guiding people who were once in your shoes?
There are two edges to it. I think on the one hand I love it, it is inspiring to see so much talent in the room and be at the beginning of a lot of seriously good musician’s careers. On the other hand, I think it puts into perspective a little how I have come full circle but I am still relatively in the same place with my music. There is always the imposter syndrome writhing away in the back of my mind. But, if I can add anything on top of my experience to what the facilitators are saying, I will, and everything I say I believe, it is just whether I myself have my own proof of it working for me.
What advice would you give somebody thinking of applying for Soundcamp next year?
Give it a shot and see what happens. If you get chosen that’s cool, if you don’t that’s also cool. You don’t need it to become the thing you are supposed to be, it can help take yourself seriously and it can help with learning specific things about the industry but there are many famous musicians who didn’t go through Soundcamp who are successful. The boot camp is such a hotbed of creativity and talent, that even if you attend that and make some connections you will be winning. The amount of music I have heard of being made as a result of the boot camp is actually ridiculous, so many conversations come up about the collaboration that’s happened since with lots of different people. It’s beautiful. That, for me, is the reason you go to Soundcamp.
The process helped me so much and I know that it helps all those that get through it. The first bit of creative confidence I got with my music was Werkha listening to my music on the first day of attending and taking an interest in what I had done. That was the spark. Go to the boot camp and just allow yourself to create. What happens after that is out of your control but as long as you are creating you will be good.
Anything upcoming that you would like to shout out?
I have a music project coming out soon! Hopefully, it will be done and out within the next few months. It is a folk project. No name yet but it will be the debut project from my new alias bathhat. The project is just me and some guitar and it is the first project that I feel I will like in 3 years so that’s a positive.
In Tameside, we are running a 6-week programme providing bespoke support to young people aged 16-25 looking for work. If you like what you hear but want a feel for what’s to come, join our taster day on July 25th from 12:30 – 2:30 PM.
Meet employers and get experience, all while being supported by our lovely team of facilitators. Preparing for interviews or writing applications can be super tough. That’s why we created Radio Course to help you! Our team will guide you in the application process for jobs and prepare you for interviews.
See the flyer below for more details.
If you would like to get involved in this project, please drop us an email at projects@reformradio.co.uk.
If you are aged 19-30 and based near Manchester city centre, head down to Reform on August 18th between 12:30 – 2:30 PM for our second taster day. These sessions will run in the space at Reform and kick off from August 22nd – Sept 2nd.
This project will see you learn the ins and outs of what it means to be part of a Radio Production team. Throughout the two weeks, you will alternate between presenter and producer roles, developing skills in music software, script writing and public speaking, as well as other digital and media skills.
See the flyer below for more details.
If you would like to get involved in this project, please drop us an email at projects@reformradio.co.uk.
Are you between the ages of 16-30 and have been in the care system? Every Wednesday we run drop-in sessions for people looking to get into the creative industries of radio, podcasting, music or writing.
The weekly sessions are onlinefrom 6:30 – 8 PM and each week we will be delving into the realms of radio and broadcasting, editing and podcasting, as well as how to use different types of music software.
Broaden your writing skills each week by learning about creative writing outlets such as songwriting and scriptwriting.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, why not join next Wednesday’s session!?
Taking place on a Thursday once a month, this session is based on opportunities for the future. The next online session will take place on Thursday 14th July– from 15:30 – 17:30.
The session includes 1-1s, both CV and cover letter support, and invites several speakers who discuss various opportunities available.
As one of our newest workshops, this 6-week programme provides bespoke support to young people 16-25 who are looking for work.
The programme kickstarts with a 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 at the end of the two weeks.
The next 4 weeks to follow 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 flyers below 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 projects@reformradio.co.uk if you are interested or would like more information.
The first Music Course of 2022 just wrapped up. For those unfamiliar, it’s a two-week radio and music production course, with opportunities to make your own radio show or delve into songwriting and creative writing. This workshop is kindly made possible by the lovely people at Manchester Adult EducationService.
Encouraging creativity and a safe space to do so is at the heart of what our workshops are all about. With the realms of radio and music being explored, we set out to find out what creative ventures the group had set for post-music-course life.
Manchester-born Andy came to the project with a distinctive area of interest and expertise: the Vikings. During the project, he worked on a soundscape inspired by the Vikings, recording his own vocals and a speech from Ragnar Lodbrok, a King and hero amongst the Vikings to create a piece of music. In the future, Andy hopes to make his own Viking-based talk show called ‘Ask Ragnar’ where he could act as “an agony aunt to people phoning in, covering mental health and the struggles of living in the modern world”.
This highly innovative idea is just one of the many brilliant things to surface over the weeks. Similarly, Ukrainian Solomiia who had worked as a “music producer in Kyiv in 2019”, says she would love to start her own show exploring the area of “mental health of musicians”. Other participants such as Okubay Haile, a music maker, would love to create their own show covering the “gospel community”. We would love to see this one in action!
The workshop saw spirits run high and those involved such as Andy, Solomiia and Okubay, take the front seat and immerse themselves in singing, writing and producing.
Listen back to the radio show they scripted, edited and produced during the workshop down below to find out more about Music Course and what they accomplished.
Our workshops run all year long and are open to all. To find out about our next one, please drop an email to projects@reformradio.co.uk – see you at the next one!
Our two-week podcasting course Tameside Futures just came to an end, a workshop which is kindly made possible by Prince’s Trust and Tameside Council.
Based at 4C Community Centre in Ashton, kicking off with a two-week Podcasting Bootcamp, followed by additional weeks dedicated to CV/Interview skills, Well-being and extra creative sessions that help young people in Tameside connect with employers in the local area.
Over the two weeks we had a visit from Mozzington Digital Design company and Splinter Scenery, a theatrical set building company that has worked with the likes of “The Play That Goes Wrong’ and RuPaul’s Drag Race Werk the World tour. The participants interviewed and made podcasts on these businesses that they planned, scripted, recorded and edited themselves. Alongside this, the individuals debated the topics of music, horror films and even ghost stories, having a go at soundscaping ghost stories.
Find out what went down during the project down below.
To get involved with the next one please contact projects@reformradio.co.uk
DJ Sessions project just came to an end, bringing together the budding stars and DJs of Manchester. If you’re not familiar with DJ Sessions, it’s a week-long practical workshop followed by two weeks of employment and well-being support, kindly funded by MAES.
Orchestrated by Joe Roche, a Manchester-based DJ, Producer and Record label owner, alongside the legendary Maule , the duo set out to teach the young people of Manchester how to tackle the decks.
Meet Mia, a Ukrainian musician and aspiring DJ who joined the project in the hope of gaining new skills: “my father was a musician, so I’ve loved music since my childhood. I wanted to join DJ sessions as it’s a great opportunity and I’m interested in music, I like to be able to do everything, so I think DJing is cool in that retrospect”.
Mia’s style is pretty eclectic and she likes playing genres such as Old School Hip Hop and R&B, as well as modern R&B, Hip Hop and Disco, commenting that she likes “a lot of kinds of music”. When asked what her goals for the week were, she said: “I would like to continue DJing after the course finishes and really improve on myself, and maybe get a job where I can DJ”.
Luckily for Mia and the rest of the group, our facilitators had invited a host of promoters to watch the showcase at the end of the week and offer them opportunities to play out in Manchester. The participants carefully selected a tracklist to WOW the audience of promoters and Reform turned into a club for the day, with beats echoing through the studio and beyond. We can’t wait for the next instalment of DJ Sessions in June!
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 2022 started this month, kicking off with a two week Bootcamp which just wrapped up. Filling the space with the best up and coming musical talents across Manchester. For those of you that are not familiar with Soundcamp, it’s a 12-week training and artist development programme that we started back in 2018, funded by the lovely Youth Music and in partnership with Thirty Pound Gentleman.
Joining Soundcamp once again, facilitators and artists Jenna G, Werkha and Anna Mcluckie kicked off the project and got the ball rolling, offering their industry knowledge and mentorship to those involved. At the end of the Bootcamp, twelve artists were selected to progress onto the 12-month mentorship programme, granting the opportunity to take their craft to the next level.
If you don’t know our fabulous facilitators, let’s get you acquainted. Jenna Gis a vocalist and MC who has worked with the likes of Danni Minogue, Aleesha Dixon and Chase & Status. Werkhais a DJ and producer, who has recently dropped an album, ‘All Werk Is Play’. Last but not least, Anna McLuckie is a singer, songwriter and harpist based in Manchester, who you can catch playing at the Deaf Institute at the end of the month.
Participants such as Manchester-based Atha, who is an aspiring events host and musician, touched on how it has been working with industry professionals, commenting that the facilitators have been “caring, giving us the space to ask them questions which is comforting and beneficial”. Freelance actor, open mic organiser and poet Boshra adds that the environment created by the facilitators was “welcoming, which is important and they genuinely want to help”, whilst guitarist Fabio explains how each artist seemed to be “well-rooted in the industry”.
As always, we strive to maintain an aura of inclusivity, encouraging those involved to be their authentic selves. Beatrix Dexter a self-proclaimed ‘authentic, innovative and daring’ artist and participant says how the experience of working with the likes of Jenna, Werkha and Anna was insightful and ‘every day was enlightening and very focus driven’.
As a music course and artist development programme, collaboration is thoroughly encouraged throughout. One of the collaborative tasks during the Bootcamp was to create a piece on either nature or identity, spurring creations of beautiful spoken word pieces, whilst other activities included musical creations. During the second week, one group wrote a dreamy three-part harmony on one side of the room and on the other side of the room, there was some high energy rapping going on, proving just how eclectic each person’s style is.
It was great to see those involved appearing comfortable, honest, supporting one another, and having a bit of a laugh. People shared their work, from poetry to lyricism, creating blends of genres. One group, including Fabio, created a track fusing Folk, EDM and gritty Rap, surprising themselves with an original song that worked incredibly well. This narrative led the rest of Soundcamp’s journey, with Atha commenting that she’s ‘met at least five different musicians, five different instrumentalists and five producers, so it’s like a network of people with different skills and it’s amazing’.
With creative energy flourishing within the group, we set out to find out who was inspiring the group.
WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION?
BOSHRA, ACTOR & POET. ‘Myself. As humans, we go through so much in our lives and I feel like our stories, our past, our struggles and our successes are inspirational in themselves. We as humans inspire ourselves constantly and being creative in this industry is difficult. You have to fail, learn, fail, learn and be okay with rejections, whilst keeping on going and finding alternative ways to bloom, expand and develop.’
FABIO, GUITARIST. ‘I try not to have idols because I don’t believe in having them, but I do have people I look up to who trigger parts of my brain and make me feel inspired. Casey Edwards and Mic Gordon, who are more on the gaming side of things with soundtracks, are incredibly inspirational to me. The experimental side of their gaming works is great, especially as someone who likes electronic and distorted sounds.’
JOY, MODEL & SINGER. ‘My Mother. She gave me life but she also taught me life. My mother came to the UK from Africa and made a life for us, she worked so hard for me and my siblings and that’s something I admire so much.’
IF YOU COULD COLLABORATE WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE?
SOPHIE, JAZZ MUSICIAN. ‘If I could collaborate with anyone living, it would be the legend, Beverly Knight. She is an incredible vocalist and hands down an amazing person. I take lots of my writing inspiration from her. And of course, Ella Fitzgerald. A Jazz legend who means so much to so many people and her legacy lives on. I like to think I take a leaf out of her book every single day.’
FABIO, GUITARIST. ‘While they were alive, Prince or Jimi Hendrix. That would have been pretty cool.’
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE FROM SOUNDCAMP? DID YOU SET YOURSELF ANY PERSONAL GOALS FOR THE BOOTCAMP?
BEATRIX DEXTER, MUSICIAN. ‘To make more connections, network with people and improve my confidence. I wanted to learn more about the industry and what next steps I should take as an artist. ‘
JOY, MODEL & SINGER. ‘A voice for myself. I wanted to get a bit more confident in the talent that I have. Now I feel I’m in the right headspace, I just needed to meet the right people and be in the right space.’
SOPHIE, JAZZ MUSICIAN & MINDFULNESS TEACHER. ‘I joined Soundcamp to collaborate with local people and make connections.’
There was a great variety of performances at the showcase and an incredibly supportive environment was encouraged throughout. What began with nervous energy, soon transformed into laughter and self-confidence. First up was Toby with a very pure and heartfelt spoken-word piece, resulting in a crowd of applause and wooing. Toby fist-pumped the air and faces of joy populated the room, setting the scene for the performances to follow. Soundcamp 2018 alumni IORA played a number of tunes. Their music is electronic-based, so it was great to hear it played differently live. Flavours of Drum N’ Bass with vocals on top, acoustic Indie with spoken word and swing influenced pieces with a jazzy soulful feel.
As the Bootcamp came to an end, friendships had been made and wonderful artistry created, with those involved leaving on a high.
To find out more about our upcoming projects, please drop us a line at projects@reformradio.co.uk – come get involved, meet people and get creative!
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.
Taking the reins for this instalment is Anamelia…
Please could you introduce yourself?
Hey yo, my name is Anamelia aka Ana*meh*lia aka Anamelly aka The Polecunian.
When did your musical journey start?
I was very very young when I first started singing and performing, I’m talking 3/4 years of age. My first ever award diploma for singing and performing dates back to when I was 3 years old.
How would you best describe your production and mixing style?
Production I would say is quite holistic. I much prefer producing in a way where I’m directing someone who’s waaaaay more skilled than me on the sound production side of things and engineering things. I’m quite techy, but making beats isn’t really my preferred way of working as I’m very easily distracted. I can’t seem to sit in front of a computer screen for too long. I’m more of throw ideas in the air type of person and compose and produce through directing sound producers.
You were part of the Soundcamp cohort back in 2019, what were someof your highlights?
Definitely performing at Night & Day, probably having Jenna G as my mentor too, & mostly the confidence I have gained in my own art. Seeing again how different every single artist was and how there were almost no right or wrong answers with music or art. Just fully immersing myself in that particular moment. Soundcamp was probably the first time I had a chance to finish some of my beats and I actually showed them to a room full of people.
Last year, you were recognised by VICE in an article titled: ‘The UK Is Overlooking Its Homegrown Polish Rappers.’ You speak about being a Polish rapper in the UK and the challenges you have faced. What are some of these challenges? How do you think the UK could change, or progress, to support artists like yourself.
I think Polish people, we’re still very much a minority group and I guess we’re still portrayed in our stereotypes. TV shows and programmes very much put us in these boxes where actors are builders or cleaners but there are sooooo many successful business owners or creatives in this country. There’s a whole underground Hip Hop scene of Poles in Manchester, I presume there’s probably one in London, too. I know there’s one in Edinburgh, Peterborough and Brum. This just makes me wonder why these artists never reach the mainstream, or access developmental projects or funding. This is a big topic to break down, I have done some research, but with a lot of this I might be wrong as from my observation so far, I have a feeling there might be people out there who don’t even want to identify as Polish artists (for various reasons) and hence why I haven’t found them – but this is definitely ongoing research that I’m actually looking into as part of my masters right now.
BUT, as per myself, I have a lot of support around me and I think people need to stop being dismissive of how much of expertise I have, and perhaps consciously give someone like myself – a foreign woman – a chance to speak up, showcase music and recognise my ideas and projects as worthy, by giving me help in areas that I might be struggling with. I guess we’re new to this country, or at least I can speak for myself.
This industry is EXTREMELY competitive, I’d even say that it is one of the hardest industries in the world and it is always easier and smoother when you know the right people. I think as a Polish community, we’re still building our contacts database within the British society. I’m not here to play victim, these are just my observations. I’m here to develop and build my community up, if they’re unaware of these projects around the city, I shout about them, I help people with marketing. I basically try to utilise my skills and knowledge to help people, and that’s why I’m a mentor at a University I guess.
You took part in HERchester in 2021 – what made you decide to get involved?
I wanted to develop my rap skills, I always rapped or used melodic rap techniques but never called myself a rapper. That was definitely a moment for me when something flipped and I realised that I’m a full rounded artist, which means – if I wanna do a rap track, I can do that as that’s my art and that’s my expression for that particular moment & I would very much encourage everyone to try that mindset – just be free and don’t allow ‘society’ or the industry to put you in boxes.
What are you hoping your next steps will be?
I’m constantly working on things but I guess it is fair for me to announce that I have started a business, in partnership with someone. We’re doing events, we have a bookings system/agency thing going on & we actually have a recording studio/band rehearsal space out for hire in town. It’s been pretty much word of mouth at the moment. But this is definitely another example of how a bit of funding from the Arts Council has now gone a loooooong way for me. They gave me a couple of grand during Covid to build a home studio, and with my mate, we built acoustic panels from scratch – ordered wood, and specific absorbent material, not gonna go into all the ingredients, but I’m quite proactive and resourceful – knowing that I didn’t have enough budget to buy panels, we purchased the materials and did them ourselves. We measured the whole room to get specific acoustics to know how many panels we needed and in what measurement to get the right sound with advice from some sound engineering pros. I mean, I don’t actually like math but we fully pulled it off. I mention this to give an example of how a bit of funding can go a long way for an artist like myself or other upcoming/emerging artists
Obviously, I’m constantly making music. I’ve just been to Spain last month to film, and Poland last weekend to perform. I’m doing okay. I’m in London every few weeks working on something too, but generally, I’m performing in the Northern Quarter every week, so that’s where Manchester can catch me. As per new music, I pretty much have featured releases every month. Solo stuff is currently in the works.
Anything upcoming that you would like to shout out?
Come see me perform – at Wilson’s Social 8 -11pm every Thursday. We’re also gonna be starting themed dance events like Salsa, Disco or Funk and Soul night with a full band on a Friday, so keep a lookout for these on my socials & hopefully see you there 🙂
What was the last event you went to?
Probably the ones I play, as I perform 2/3 times a week I have very little free time in the evenings but boy, I do have a need to go to see someone soon! H.E.R is coming to Manchester so I’m hoping to get tickets and Tyler the Creator is playing at Parklife so I’m gonna try to hustle some tickets too.
Are there any local artists/musicians/collectives that you would like to shout out?
Yes! My Polish peeps – PPZ and the Slum Dog Crew. My favourite people Guacamaya Latin band who I’ve had the pleasure of working with recently.
And finally… What’s one thing that’s happened recently that’s made you smile?
I have moved into my own flat, as in, this is the first time in my life where I’m living entirely on my own and I’m LOOOOVING it!
Another Manchester Futures course just came to an end. For the past two week participants were invited into the space for a two-week podcasting Bootcamp, culminating in a live show on our airwaves.
If you’re not familiar with Manchester Futures, it’s a 6-week course that provides bespoke support to young people 16-25 who are looking for work that is delivered in partnership with The Prince’s Trust.
The digital creatives of Manchester came together to learn about scripting, producing, recording and editing, as well as immersing themselves in a working radio environment.
This time around we were joined by three very exciting employers: Escape to Freight Island, NQ Legacy and SharpFutures. Let’s tell you a little bit about them.
NQ Legacy is a non-profit global talent management and full-service entertainment organisation that helps to support young people in the creative industries such as music, film and TV. Some of their current talents include artists such as Aitch and Akemi Fox, brands such as Warner Music and Universal, and more.
SharpFutures are a social enterprise, supporting the young people of Manchester into full-time employment in the creative and digital sectors. They offer a variety of courses, apprenticeships and work placements that help advance your digital skills and get those opportunities you deserve. Some of the clients they have worked with include the BBC, ITV, Sky and Channel 4.
If you’re based in Manchester, you probably recognise the name Escape to Freight Island. It is an industrial food, drink and entertainment venue, constructed out of an old freight depot, described as the “beating heart” of Manchester. As both an indoor and outdoor venue, much of the entertainment they do is designed around the seasons. With festivals, DJ sets, comedy shows, firework displays and more, there’s always something going on.
Having had the opportunity to interview many acclaimed businesses, the young people involved felt that this experience had evolved their personal and creative skills, with those involved adding that the live show had been the highlight of the project.
On Friday the 6th of May, CreativiTea With Sugar went live on the airwaves, an amalgamation of all their hard work and talents. If you didn’t get a chance to tune in, you can listen back down below.
If you would like to find out more about upcoming projects or get involved with the next Manchester Futures, please drop us an email at projects@reformradio.co.uk and join the community.
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.
