“Working in BBC Engineering it can sometimes be easy to forget there is an audience ultimately at the end of our services. My role in the BBC is to assure the technology services provided by the Atos Technology Framework Contract.
Each day is widely different but very much focussed on the underpinning technology which provides our output and supports a variety of people working across the BBC to produce our content and keep the BBC working.
When an opportunity came up to volunteer at an audience Outreach event it seemed a perfect way for me to spend some time with the people who are our consuming the content we help to provide.
The BBC Experience is a purpose built pop-up stand that is touring the country and engaging with audiences across the different regions. The stand showcases the wide breadth of content that the BBC offers, and allows audiences to interact directly with our content in an engaging way.
Activities that visitors can take part in include reading the news and presenting the weather, making a radio drama, and commentating on a sports match.
Claire with Funella and Elmo
My first role of the day was as ‘minder’ to Elmo and Funella from the CBeebies show The Furchester Hotel.
I helped the characters into costume, and ensured they didn’t walk into anything (due to reduced visibility!)
I soon found that this was one of the prime places to interact with our audiences, tell them about the BBC Experience event and hear some feedback about the BBC and its services.
It was good to hear people saying their children loved The Furchester Hotel.
I felt proud to be representing the BBC and my highlight of the day was when one of our audience members told me that the BBC Experience had turned her day around, following several unfortunate events that morning, and she was now much happier.
In the afternoon I moved into the Experience tent mainly in the Strictly Come Dancing Area and The CBeebies and Children’s zone.
Throughout the day there was also the opportunity to speak to other people from the BBC, their roles and their reasons for volunteering. The variety of people and roles I didn’t know about (many based in the same location as me!) showed me there was a whole world of BBC out there to be explored.
Not only that, but I was able to explain about my role, what it entailed and what types of issues Service Assurance and BBC Engineering in general can assist people with.
I’ll be signing up for opportunities like this in the future and getting myself out into the BBC as much as possible.
It's a two-way experience with lots to be gained for both the volunteers and the people we are reaching out to.
*BBC Outreach & Corporate Responsibility brings the BBC closer to its audiences - particularly those audiences we have identified as harder to reach - with face-to-face activity, community support and staff volunteering.
