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Olympics News Desk The BBC has launched "Find your place”, a scheme which aims to allow 500 young people develop journalistic skills and benefit from a training course in the media industry by 2013. The scheme aims to ensure social and diversity legacy through three different programmes for people between 18 and 25 years old. News coverage, radio and video edition, web design and interviewing techniques are some of the themes where participants will be trained.
The BBC launched the new training project in an event hosted by Roger Mosey, BBC Director London 2012. Under the banner “Find your place”, the radio and television channel will develop three different programmes.
One of them is “London Apprentices”, which aims to train up to 30 young people. According to Caroline Prendergast, Skills & HR Director for BBC London 2012 and the scheme’s originator, the project is an “opportunity for individuals to gain skills and experience to allow them to become work ready and in some cases pursues a career in media”.
The BBC will also offer 250 work experience placements from one to four weeks especially for residents of the six London Olympic Boroughs in different BBC departments including News, Sports, Documentaries, People, Vision and Children’s.
In addition, participants will also learn how to become a journalist through the programme “Community Reporters”. The chosen aspirants will have the chance of covering local stories and producing broadcast content with regional BBC newsrooms across the UK.
The project is not only an opportunity to get experience but also to make useful contacts. This is the case for Luck, a 20-year-old young who participated in the last edition. “I started in presentation for a programme for children. I was working in summer and I made some contacts to get some extra work at the weekends. That was very useful to get more experience. Thanks to the apprentice, now I work in Endemol. It was absolutely amazing”, he told The London Daily News.
Then, the scheme is also an opportunity to find a job after it. This year, the aim is that at least 50 per cent of the participants will gain employment. According to Ms. Prendergast, to date “70 per cent of our apprentices have secured either casual, fixed term or continuing contracts in the BBC or other media employers”. Chantelle Jones, who joined the BBC Olympic team, also comments the importance of the initiative to make her way. “Work experience is definitely the thing to do. You never know where is going to take you. Now I’m a BBC employee”, she stated.
Other participants also praise the initiative, such as Kassanda Ilunga, who describes his experience as useful and enriching. “I would recommend it. If you get a chance, just grab it and apply for it”, he said. Caleb Kings, who got a work experience placement at the administration basis, considers that “it’s a fantastic place to get experience of the media. You get a real idea of how things work”.
“Find your place” is also an example of social integration, as people from different nationalities will be able to join it. “The only requirement is being over 18 years old and having enough enthusiasm”, Ms. Prendergast told The London Daily News. Mr. Mosey, points out the same direction: “It’s just about enthusiasm and communicative skills. The aim is sharing the commitment of young people for the Olympics and issues in London and giving them new opportunities and new chances”.
Reporting by Paula Planelles Manzanaro
Caroline Prendergast and Roger Mosey (in the middle) with previous participants of the project
Photo: Guy Levy
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