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.