Young voices go for gold in Olympic podcast supported by housing partners  

A group of ambitious young people from Salford have been taking to the airwaves thanks to a helping hand from housing partners across Greater Manchester. 

As part of the Salford Media Club, the budding podcasters have been stepping behind the microphone to create a behind-the-scenes Olympic podcast in partnership with The Reporter’s Academy, based at MediaCity. 

The initiative to help local young people to learn creative media skills received funding support from Salix Homes, Onward Homes, Great Places, and Clarion Housing. 

The six-episode series, titled After the Flame, takes listeners behind the scenes of the world’s most famous sporting event, the Olympics. From athlete interviews to untold stories of life during the games, the podcast offers a deep insight into what it takes to be at the top of your game. 

Over 12 weeks, the Salford Media Club, made up of 16–24-year-old’s living in Salford, learned all the elements of podcast production, from planning episodes and interviewing high-profile guests, to recording, editing, and publishing. Not only did the participants develop professional media skills, but they found confidence in their voices and discovered new career pathways in an industry that is often seen as out of reach. 

The Reporter’s Academy’s mission is to boost the confidence and employability of young people by providing them with training that allows them to develop new skills and prepare for successful futures. Their programmes blend real-world learning with expert mentoring, giving young people the tools and platform to tell powerful stories.  

Salix Homes’ Social Inclusion Manager, Jackie Crook, says: “It was brilliant to see how the young people involved in the project had grown in confidence and positivity about their futures, and to see them feeling so at home in the Media City environment; a place that they may have previously perceived as out of reach. It’s a truly fantastic project, which we’re very proud to support, helping young people to learn new skills and unlock their potential. “Through this project, the young podcasters didn’t just create content; they created a potential future for themselves.” 

To find out more, visit the Reporter’s Academy website.  

Want to listen to After the Flame? Stream on Spotify now.