2017-01-14T17:21:19+00:00

Elaina Boateng shared her own career journey as she co-hosted an evening to inspire young people from Hackney looking for their big breaks in the world of work.

‘This BBC outreach project taught me the importance of diverse recruitment’

BBC Outreach’s event is one of the most rewarding and entertaining I have been a part of since I began my career at the BBC, three years ago.

I have always been ionate about helping young people reach their full potential. As a graduate of Mama Youth Project, a charity that helps BAME 18s-25s get into the media industry, I have seen the impact the charity has had on my career, by installing self-belief in me, so this is something I am determined to onto my generation of BAME professionals.

The project gave young volunteers from Hackney CVS the opportunity to plan their own employability event to be held in New Broadcasting House, and with the help of BBC staff volunteers as facilitators.

We met up with the young people to plan what elements they wanted to include in the event, who the key speakers for them would be, and how to best meet their expectations.

Monthly meetings made for a great event which involved food, performances, workshops in CV and personal branding, plus keynote speakers Radio 1Xtra DJ Charlie Sloth and entrepreneur Florence Adepoju.

I had the privilege of co-hosting this in the 4th floor collaboration zone, which was transformed into a vibrant careers event with over 40 young people there. My co-host, Sade Okusi. one of the talent scouts from Hackney CVS, helped me lead it with confidence and high energy. After expressing how nervous she was before the event began, it was rewarding to see her flourish as it went on.

As the first event I have ever co- hosted; I was certainly stretched and challenged to keep it lively, engaging for a diverse audience and more importantly, on time. Additionally, running the ‘my brand’ workshop for the young people helped us all see how useful the device of a newspaper front page was a practical means to outline our skills. We all left with our own ‘newspaper headline’ to sell ourselves – BBC people as well as the guests.

Since the event, I am still in touch with some of the young people and I hope to be able to contribute to more of their personal events and enterprises in the future.

As a production coordinator by day, I help to recruit work experience, runners and production management assistants. Working with the young people of this BBC Outreach project has taught me the importance of diverse recruitment, to help create television content that represents our diverse country.

BBC Outreach & Corporate Responsibility brings the BBC closer to its audiences - particularly those audiences we have identified as harder to reach - with face-to-face activity, community and staff volunteering.

2016-12-02T09:49:42+00:00

Anthony Williams drew on his determination and dream of working in the media to coach and inspire young adults from Hackney to realise their own ambitions. He helped plan and run an event with young adults to take a fresh look at their employability.

‘They could relate to my perseverance not to give up on my dreams to work in the media’

I have a ion to reach out to our younger diverse audiences within my role. The BBC Outreach event with Hackney CVS - called ‘BBC Link Up’ - was designed for young adults to understand the different job roles within the BBC and for them to meet some staff and find out how they gained their roles.

I was a facilitator, helping young people with CV coaching, telling them about my journey, and acting out a hiring role in a mock job interview.

The most challenging parts of this project were to create something that would be informative as well as entertaining, and bringing together the visions inside and outside the BBC for it.

I volunteered to meet up for some evenings with Hackney CVS to rehearse with the team. The scenario of a mock interview at the BBC changed as we developed it – even changing on the day of the event. Using my improvisation skills, I was able to develop a fun yet informative role play for our audience to observe and on.

Anthony, second right, at the BBC Link Up with Hackney CVS

It involved creating an interview with a ‘candidate’, based upon his good-versus-bad body language and engagement during interviews. Our young people observed and gave their thoughts on his different styles. I learned more about young people during the CV Clinic, and I believe I provided them with vital coaching in order for them to create a compelling CV.

I was also able to grasp what their feelings are towards major broadcasters such as the BBC. Some said they never thought they could work for the BBC as it seemed so corporate. This was challenged during the event through discussions and through meeting new BBC colleagues such as apprentices, and by having Charlie Sloth from BBC 1Xtra talking about his story.

A mass selfie moment with Charlie Sloth

The most rewarding moment for me was to share with nearly 50 people my inspirational story of how I managed to obtain my role at the BBC after many unsuccessful attempts. I must say that some audience were very emotional about this, as they could relate to my perseverance to not give up on my dreams to work within the media industry.

I believe I have learnt a lot about young people and I hope to this on to BBC Comedy with regard to developing shows that appeal to our younger audiences, and which could potentially start with BBC Three as our online channel.

BBC Outreach & Corporate Responsibility brings the BBC closer to its audiences - particularly those audiences we have identified as harder to reach - with face-to-face activity, community and staff volunteering.

2016-11-16T21:14:20+00:00

Hermeet Chadha took part in a BBC Outreach workshop with young adults in preparation for radio debates on BBC Radio 1Xtra exploring the Black British experience.

‘There is nothing like face to face interaction with the audience’

I'm a producer at BBC Radio 1Xtra. I currently work on the MistaJam Show which is the gateway specialist show for new music. My job mostly involves listening to music and suggesting tracks to be played on the show. I also have to book guests and organise the whole programme and come up with ideas for features, mixes and specials.

1Xtra is an urban music station which essentially means it's a station rooted in black music and black culture. We aim to appeal to a diverse audience and therefore it's important to be in touch with this audience as much as possible.

Meeting people from diverse backgrounds helps us as programme makers to understand both the culture and the music our audience responds to so we can adequately reflect these on air.

The BBC is running a major season in November 2016, Black and British, exploring the Black British experience and its impact on Britain as a whole. As part of the season 1Xtra will be broadcasting a radio debate about what it means to be Black and British.

I’m looking after this debate with my colleagues, so decided to ask John Offord, BBC Outreach Manager, to help us arrange a workshop with some of the young people he works with, to test out some questions that we proposing for a forthcoming series of radio debates on 1Xtra.

Hermeet, left, working on radio debate ideas with some of Hackney CVS

John brought together a group of around 12 young adults from Hackney CVS. Hackney CVS s hundreds of people to run successful community organisations by giving them access to the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to respond to the needs of local people.

During the workshop we talked about what they're interested in, who they'd like to hear from on this topic, and the issues that they're debating with their friends. We tested the questions we had already identified for the debates and asked whether they would tune in/click to listen?

Questions such as: "how important is US influence on Black culture in the UK and how does the UK set itself apart?" We were not only able to pose our questions and get open and honest from the youngsters, but they also made suggestions which had not occurred to us previously.

Some of these suggestions have influenced how our debate is going to pan out. It's great to see examples like this, where audience insight helps us shape content for broadcast. It is in effect, true Outreach.

As a thank you, we invited them all back to see the live debate show being broadcast on 16th November, hosted by Ace and Bridgitte Tetteh, and featuring a with Murkage Dave, Judi Love and Charmaine Hayden, and live performance.

Whilst we pride ourselves at being at the forefront of youth culture here at 1Xtra it’s not always possible to know what issues and concerns are affecting people half your age, so this exercise was invaluable and practical. I would certainly work with the BBC Outreach team again and I would encourage other of production to do so too. There is nothing like face to face interaction with the audience. It’s something we need to do more of.

BBC Outreach & Corporate Responsibility brings the BBC closer to its audiences - particularly those audiences we have identified as harder to reach - with face-to-face activity, community and staff volunteering.

2016-10-11T15:28:26+00:00

Yasmin Ojo helps at Radio 1 and 1Xtra Pitch and Tour events with young students interested in media. These allow groups of students to see the Radio1 and 1Xtra offices and studios, learn about how technical equipment works and pitch a content idea to producers. It also gives them an insight to the kind of job roles available at the BBC.

'It has improved my confidence and I have an insight into what other young people want from the BBC'

I was a sixth form student in my first year, studying four A-levels. While the courses were of interest to me and very stimulating, I felt like I needed to do something else. I was struggling with how difficult it was to transition from GCSE to A-level. No one really prepares you for that. So I decided to look into apprenticeships, as I fancied a go at some practical work experience that would benefit my chances in my career.

Young people visiting the Live Lounge during Pitch and Tour with Yasmin, centre front.

I was always interested in journalism and loved to write, so when I came across the BBC Local Radio apprenticeship a light bulb went off in my head. I thought the course sounded perfect for me so I decided to apply. I ended up being chosen for the London position and I couldn’t believe that I was working for the BBC. I am now still working for Radio London as a Broadcast Assistant - helping set up radio content.

I decided to volunteer to help at BBC Outreach’s Radio 1 and 1xtra Pitch and Tour days, after receiving a notification about the opportunity from the coordinator of my apprenticeship. These days consist of showing a group of students around the Radio 1 and 1xtra offices and studios and listening to them pitch an idea for a programme that they were given in advance. I was able to connect with the students as I had been in their position not too long ago.

I was quite shy at first as I thought: why would these young people want to ask me anything? I have a lot less experience than the producers I was working with. But I was able to tell them how I got into the industry and gave them tips on how to stand out when applying for apprenticeships and work experience. One student was so inspired by my story that she approached me separately to ask more questions about applying for apprenticeships with the BBC.

My main goal of volunteering was to inspire other young people and show them that it’s possible to get a job within the BBC – and I feel like I achieved that. It has improved my confidence and I have been given an insight into what other young people want from the BBC. I can now take that back to my role at Radio London and help inspire some fresh ideas to our programmes.

Working with the BBC Outreach team was a great experience, as they encouraged me to tell the students about my own story and involved me like I was a member of the team. Volunteering really shows how ionate you are about a subject and shows that you care about making a difference to others. But it’s also enjoyable and pushes you to develop as an individual.

BBC Outreach & Corporate Responsibility brings the BBC closer to its audiences - particularly those audiences we have identified as harder to reach - with face-to-face activity, community and staff volunteering.

2016-06-14T17:54:34+00:00

Ahmed Hussain did a Hot Shoes placement with the BBC Outreach Face2Face project in Bradford. He helped young people aged 18-24 put together a short film exploring the media as a career.

'I felt challenged, had fun, and I was inspired by the young people!'

My usual day job is on the eighth floor of New Broadcasting House, in London. Whether I’m producing on my regular show on BBC Asian Network, or producing a show at Radio 1 or 1Xtra, it’s a place I am very familiar and comfortable with.

I know the studios like the back of my hand and enjoy working with the staff & DJs across the various networks. This was part of the reason why I chose to work with BBC Outreach – to get me out of that comfort zone, experience a new challenge in areas I wasn’t familiar with but knew I could put my skills to good use.

In my spare time, I regularly teach young people -¬ many of whom are not in education or training – how to get involved in media and more practically within Radio and TV. Hence the similar interests with people who don’t believe the BBC is for them or feel that there are jobs they cannot do. The truth is, they are more than skilled enough to work here.

Face2Face Bradford was a legacy project set-up in the Leeds and Bradford area after 1Xtra had visited for 1Xtra Live in 2015. It was an intensive (but amazing!) week where 15 young people aged 18-24 years were given the chance to chat and meet people from the BBC and other media outlets.

From the start, I had to grasp how BBC Outreach works and spent a few days in Bristol with Jo Sunderland and Shana Rose - who made it super easy! To sit on a board and interview young people who wanted to gain work experience at the BBC also opened my eyes to the other side of interviewing and how someone could bring something extra to the BBC if they got the opportunity.

In Face2Face, our students found out how careers work at the BBC, visited the BBC Salford offices and, of course, worked on a film of their own exploring whether the media was for them. This was hands-on experience for them.

They managed to turn around a film all within three days! As someone whose job is in radio, working on filming and editing visuals (something I love but get very little time to do) was stimulating and I picked up a lot of new skills. The end product of my group’s project was a parody film exploring the given subject - was the media for them. I felt challenged, had fun, every day was different and I myself felt inspired by the young people!

For both Bristol and Bradford I ran an interviewing skills workshop. It’s something I really enjoy doing and also seeing the reactions of those attending. It’s moments like this that you realise that because of our day-to-day jobs we get so ingrained with how smoothly everything runs and everyone knows how it works, that actually the majority of people out there find this a fascinating thing and once broken down – it involves a lot of skills and patience.

I’ve come back to work more excited to work with visual content, confident to ask to sit on boards and run more open days or similar workshops for my departments. It’s exciting to speak to people who see working at the BBC as an aspiration and really just reiterates how great my job is.

BBC Outreach & Corporate Responsibility brings the BBC closer to its audiences - particularly those audiences we have identified as harder to reach - with face-to-face activity, community and staff volunteering.