BBC School Report Sports Reporter scheme

Margaret Burgin, the Senior Manager for BBC School Report, discusses why she is looking forward to launching the BBC School Report Sports Reporter scheme.

Working with young people all started for me in local radio at BBC Radio Sheffield where we hosted a “radio station” for the Sheffield Children’s Festival which featured young people who produced and presented their own news and programmes. 

When BBC News decided to pilot the schools project which became BBC School Report, they invited me to an ideas day with other BBC staff with experience of working with schools, a really exciting day with like-minded colleagues.

I worked on School Report in the early days and then went off to other jobs so it was great to return last year and help to shape the project for a new generation of young people.

I passionately believe that we need to listen to the voices of our younger audiences so that we have an audience in the future, and I have always been impressed by the fresh ideas and sheer energy that young people bring to the news agenda.

BBC School Report is now in its 12th year. We work with about 1,000 secondary schools across the UK and this year we are including 16 – 18 year olds for the first time which means that sixth forms can take part too.

We are also inviting Youth centres and alternative provision to get involved so that we can feature stories from a really wide range of young people. 

Launching the scheme

Opening up School Report to this older age group means that we get a lot of questions about careers with many young people hoping to find out more about what it’s like to work in the creative and media industries.

The BBC have a brilliant range of work experience, apprenticeships and trainee schemes but these are for people aged 18 and over and so out of range for most of our audience. We’ve had a lot of conversations in the office about providing more opportunities for under 18’s. 

We’ve been working hard to come up with model that could offer real work experience for a younger age group and I am really pleased to be able to do this with our School Report Sports Reporter scheme. 

The scheme, inspired by the BBC Kick Off Trainee Sports Reporter scheme, is working with BBC colleagues in our Nations and Regions to offer placements across the UK. 

Young people aged 16-18 are invited to pitch an original sport story to BBC editors. Those with the best story ideas will get the opportunity to make their story at a nearby BBC station with the help of a local mentor. 

The beauty of the scheme is that it benefits everyone. There are new, fresh and original stories for our local audiences, our staff work with young people and find out more about them and their lives, and a group of talented young people get a real experience of what it’s like to be a sports journalist at the BBC. 

I have spent a lot of time in schools listening to the great ideas that young people have and I can’t wait to read the applications. The best bit will be watching, listening to and reading all the finished stories and featuring them on School Report News Day in March 2018. 

What is also exciting is that this is not the only opportunity for young people this year at the BBC. Radio 5 Live are opening their doors for 11 - 15 year olds in their BBC Radio 5 Live’s Young Commentator of the Year Competition. 

What this means is that 11 - 18 year olds, from all over the UK, have an opportunity to share their stories on the BBC. 

How to apply

Applications for the BBC School Report Sports Reporter scheme launch 3 October via the BBC Careers Work Experience website. 

You can follow the reporter’s journey via the BBC School Report Sports Reporter page.

Margaret Burgin is Senior Manager for BBC School Report

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