on in Cardiff RADIO PLATTFORM Meet the young talent ruling the airwaves

Sarah’s having a laugh, whilst doing her best to destroy the patriarchy

Radio Platff orm is Wales Millennium Centre’s youth-led radio station and training programme which has trained more than 100 young people aged 14 – 25 since its launch in 2016. The fi rst Radio Platform studio is at the Centre, but in summer last year the team opened a second studio in Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taff , in a newly redesigned space, allowing more young people from across Wales to create their own unique sound, use their voice and broadcast live with daily shows. Through an accredited six-week media training scheme in partnership with Promo Cymru, the young people are trained in everything they need to know about presenting and producing a radio programme, as well as other important life and career skills.

The original Radio Platff orm studio in Wales Millennium Centre is still used for accredited training, taster sessions and workshops, too. It also functions as a mobile

unit, enabling the Radio Platfform team to deliver outreach sessions in both Welsh and English at schools, community groups and festivals. Between them, the two Radio Platform stations, who currently have around 40 volunteers delivering radio shows to 2,000 listeners worldwide including Poland, the US and Australia. Here we meet just a few of who have worked with Radio Platfform, including the founder Jason Camilleri.

JASON CAMILLERI “I always had a passion for radio and used to present my own show on BBC Radio Wales. When Hannah, a colleague of mine, first floated the idea of a radio station it sparked a lot of ideas for me around voice and expression for young people. It was an exciting prospect, and given my background it was a natural project for me to lead on.

“It is massively rewarding to see the passion, drive, and intelligence that the young people have brought to Radio Plattform. They steer the direction of the station, and have ownership of the project. The breadth of radio shows on offer really showcases the interests of our young people and makes for fascinating and insightful listening.

“Launching the new station last October and starting the young people in their job roles – it was a great moment to see how far the station had come – from the original 10

Molly is now station co-ordinator

Jason helped create Radio Platfform

day project to now where we have two brand new studios, and a group of dedicated young people employed to run the station.

“My hope for the future is that Radio Platfform can fulfil its potential and become an entity within itself, and a landmark in youth engagement and expression.

SARAH MCCREADIE “I’ve made some lovely friends from being at Radio Platfform. I’ve had so much fun making the radio shows. It’s also given me some brilliant opportunities professionally as a creative. In creating just one radio show you can learn so much – about timing, argument structure, how to interview someone...all sorts. “I went to the wonderful Homeless World Cup and interviewed Michael Sheen who helped organise it, which was pretty sick. My stand-out moments though come from just doing our show Girls Girls Girls with one of my best friends Heather – just having a laugh, playing class music, and doing our best to destroy the patriarchy.”

Iaon’s confi dence and skill set has improved since joining Radio Platfform

24 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk Ezra’s work with the radio station has taken him all around the UK

EZRA “As a result of Radio Platff orm I have been to cities and towns around the UK I had never visited before, and I have learned all sorts of skills from using the tech to teaching other young people. I have earned employment and won a Creative and Cultural Skills Award. My stand out moment is winning national ‘Intern of the Year’. I hope to continue to progress in radio and hopefully earn further employment in the future.”

IOAN MORRIS “The main reason I fi rst got involved with Radio Platff orm was because it was something new that could help me learn new skills, how to multi-task and also problem solve. But also it was about helping me improve my confi dence. I want to improve myself for everyday life and also for career choices I make.

“I think it’s important to have something like this because there are many young people that are hanging around with the wrong group of people, and this radio station can help show that there are so many other opportunities. It also gives young people the chance to have a voice – to say what they think.”

MOLLY PALMER “Radio Platff orm has changed my life completely. I fully immersed myself into the experience and took every opportunity I got off ered. I have hosted, DJ’d, started my own shows, been to festivals including Boomtown, travelled the UK running radio workshops, and through these experiences, I have met my best friends.

“I also gained an unconditional place in university to study something I would never have considered had it not been for radio. As of December, I was lucky enough to get a job here and I am now the station co-ordinator which I am loving. It’s very rewarding to off er young people the same opportunities that I was off ered. It’s all a bit mad but I love it.”