At Great Places, we are committed to fostering community resilience and empowering our residents. Our recent collaboration with ALL FM on the Docherty Project is a testament to this commitment. This initiative has not only provided valuable skills to our residents but also boosted their confidence and mental well-being.
The ALL FM Project at Docherty
ALL FM, a local radio station based in Levenshulme, has been running a successful radio training programme for several years. This programme focuses on developing skills, improving confidence, and positively affecting participants’ mental health. In the 23/24 Community Resilience Fund, ALL FM was awarded £5000 to continue delivering this programme, targeting Great Places customers in the Levenshulme, Longsight, and Gorton areas.
Despite initial challenges in participant numbers, ALL FM adapted by offering off-site training. Our employability coach, Gill Rimmer, suggested the Docherty Project as an ideal location. Shelby, our Housing & Wellbeing Manager, coordinated the involvement of five residents, two of whom went on to present their own show.
Training and progress
The main aim of this project was to train the service users of the Docherty Project in radio production and enable them to produce and present a live radio show on ALL FM. The training began at Docherty House, where participants were introduced to the equipment and the training plan. Despite some initial absences, a core group emerged, showing great enthusiasm and teamwork.
As the training progressed, it was moved to the ALL FM studio, providing participants with a professional environment that further enhanced their skills. One participant, Mike (not his real name), shared his experience:
“I love the fact that you guys made it so easy, step by step, and you were there for us every step of the way. The training started at Docherty and then moved to ALL FM. My plans are now to improve my broadcasting skills and bring more interesting topics to the forefront. It’s boosted my confidence and mental health.”
The Live Show: Manc Bees
The culmination of the training was the live broadcast of the show “Manc Bees” on December 2, 2024. The participants, now confident in their skills, presented a terrific show, handling the mic, driving the desk, and using Myriad software with ease. Also, during the broadcast, they shared their experiences of homelessness and offered advise on the different support that people experiencing homelessness can access to around Manchester. Jane, a radio trainer, praised their efforts:
“Manc Bees was a triumph! Come and do a weekly show!”
If you want to listen to the full show visit: https://www.mixcloud.com/allfm969/its-manc-bees-with-brad-and-mark-live-mon-2nd-december-2024/
Future plans
The success of this project is evident in the confidence and skills developed by the participants. Two of them have expressed a desire to continue with their own show, and we are excited to support them in this endeavour. Shelby, our Housing & Wellbeing Manager, reflected on the project’s impact:
“It’s been a brilliant project – it’s helped to develop the participants’ confidence, listening, and communication skills. They thoroughly enjoyed the project and were very grateful for the opportunity to present their own radio show. We would love to do another round of it in the future.”
At Great Places, we are proud to have been a part of this transformative journey and look forward to more such collaborations that empower our communities.
