About this Kane FM story
In 2020 the government introduced a new scheme called ‘The Kickstart Scheme’. In summary, the Kickstart Scheme is a short-term, unique opportunity that offers valuable work experience to young people.
I became aware of Kane FM back in September 2020, as I was researching local businesses that were looking for part-time employees or volunteers. I was a recent graduate and the pandemic meant it was particularly difficult to find work, so I was keen to get some experience under my belt somehow.
Once I had submitted my enquiry regarding a volunteer position, Jenniann (Community Participation Director) informed me that Kane FM were planning to hire a couple of Kickstart apprentices and that I’d be a great fit. Kane FM had recently created the ‘Citizen Kane’ team, a team made up of young volunteers who focused on creating content that involved the local community, environmental issues, music and more.
I began to attend the Citizen Kane meetings, getting to know the team and working on some projects as a volunteer. In April 2021, I officially became an ‘Editorial Assistant’ as part of the Kickstart scheme. Working around 25 hours a week, my role mainly involved redesigning the Kane FM website, interviewing local businesses/charities, writing up articles and positive news bulletins and managing the social media channels.
I really enjoyed having the opportunity to approach local businesses/charities and promoting what they do to hopefully encourage the local community to support them. It also meant I could put the skills I had learnt at university into practice, by writing up articles and creating eye-catching imagery.
Being on the Kickstart scheme also meant I was able to push myself and learn new skills. Kane were happy for me to redesign the website which felt like a big responsibility. Although I had designed my own website in the past, being able to do it for somebody else felt like the next step and it definitely came with its challenges. Despite this, I had to do a lot of problem solving and communicating with the rest of the team to create something that is more functional than the previous site.
Another new skill I learnt whilst on the scheme was voice recording. I was writing up positive news bulletins to go out on air, when Jenniann suggested that I record some in the studio. This isn’t something I had considered but gave it a go and really enjoyed it. Despite needing some practice, it’s something I can now add to my skillset.
Thanks to doing a Kickstart apprenticeship and acquiring new skills, I was able to secure a job as a Social media and digital content officer for a national charity. Thank you to Kane FM for giving me this opportunity.
Article by Lucy Hooper