BEHIND THE SCENES: MANCHESTER FUTURES (APRIL)

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.