Being a voice that young people aspire to

BBC Asian Network, Trainee Assistant Producer, Amrit Matharu, is on an internship through the charity Creative Access which supports BAME graduates with paid work placements in the media.

I wanted to volunteer because I thought it would be a fantastic experience to work with other people and have the chance to learn more about our audiences.

Working on the BBC 1Xtra Outreach Programme was a chance to work with students in Bradford ahead of 1Xtra’s concert, 1Xtra Live. The idea was to engage with a harder to reach audience from working class or BAME backgrounds. It was a chance to learn about their interests and how we can reflect that in the programmes we make at the BBC, as well as give young people a chance to find out more about careers in the media – something I was never exposed to before I began working in this industry!

I’ve been in to schools and worked with young people before, so it really put my interaction skills to the test. It takes confidence to talk in front of a large group of people let alone a bunch of disengaged kids, who don't really want to be at school on a Saturday morning. However, I LOVED being a voice that young people aspired to.

They were so interested to learn of my background and how I chased my dream to work in the media. I’d really enjoy continuing to do more work like this as I think it’s really important for young people to be inspired and know where to get advice from. I always knew that this is a career I wanted. Coming from an Asian background from a village in Northampton and having no clue about working in media, I thought this was impossible. I worked hard and created my own lane in the hope that I’d get discovered. I believe that everything happens for a reason and thankfully, somewhere along the lines, I got lucky. I hope I can take it to the next level and be someone that young people can recognise as a role model.

Working with other people felt really inclusive of being a part of the bigger BBC! It was great to share your own skills with team members and take advice that they have to offer. It’s always a great chance to network and connect with other departments.

Having spoken to the young people, it was fascinating to learn how they prefer to listen to radio and consume their music. We all know that social media has taken over, but it was interesting to know which platforms are most engaging and how we can continue to provide that. I took this feedback back to our department as it will help us to think about the way in which we reach out to a younger audience.

I think that working with young people and having to talk about my career goals, has made me realise how much I’ve always wanted this and how hard I must continue to work. I’m still on an internship with the BBC, so it feels like I have a long way to go, but having one foot in the door is definitely just the start! Here’s to a journey of adventures I never want to end…

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.