 Skills for Community Radio: Training for Station Volunteers
Training for volunteers was informal when
Radio Regen first launched its two Access
Radio stations. However it quickly became obvious, that every new recruit needed basic
training and that this could be delivered at the
stations themselves and if they were making
radio anyway, why not given them a certificate
for it? This was the birth of Radio Regen's
unique Skills for Community Radio scheme.
"Since we're a new sector in the industry,
we can create a qualification that suits us
instead of having one imposed on us from
outside," Radio Regen Director Phil Korbel says.
All new volunteers must now take part in
three days of "core training" workshops before
they can broadcast. After additional practical
experience in radio production they will gain an
entry-level qualification, the Skills for Community
Radio certificate. Although it's currently just
used at WFM and ALL FM, it has the potential to
be rolled out nationally.
The course is about making sure people
have the skills to run their own shows. The aim is for the volunteers to
gain knowledge and understanding of what
community radio is and be able to develop
concepts for programmes, research ideas for
content and prepare running orders and cue
sheets. They also receive an introduction to
technical aspects like desk driving as well as
being made aware of diversity and equal
opportunities issues.
After the course, the skills course volunteers continue to
receive further training and support as needed.
Radio Regen employs several additional
learning support workers to give one-to-one
help to tackle barriers to learning. They can
assist with computer or language skills and
offer extra help for those with dyslexia,
physical disabilities or literacy problems.
If people have some difficulty reading and
writing, it shouldn't stop them participating as
this is a radio-production course.
If volunteers want to take their radio training further, they can continue on to Radio Regen's 10-week Radio Production Skills.
Click here for information on the latest Radio Regen Course Dates.
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