When head teacher Sean Dickinson asked BBC South for advice on building a radio studio at Park Community School, he ended up with more than he hoped for. His pupils now have a fully-equipped television studio into the bargain, fitted by BBC engineers. The Media On The Park project is helping achieve Sean's dream of stimulating children and improving their self-confidence and team-working.  | | The project has helped pupils develop self-confidence and team-work. |
Since the openning of the media suite, the pupils have been developing into directors, camera crew and broadcasters, with the help of two resident BBC producers. Sean originally contacted BBC South's TV editor, Lee Desty, asking if he could bring a few pupils to look round the Southampton studios. Eve Turner, head of BBC South, heard about his request for radio advice and told him: "You're not asking for enough." She said: "I visited the school and ended up promising them the world - then went about trying to deliver." She had strong reasons for wanting to establish a link with the community. "Leigh Park is one of the largest housing estates in Europe, with 27,000 residents, and is the most deprived area of SE England outside London", she said.  | | The studio was equipped by BBC engineers |
"Its often in the news, but for all the wrong reasons. They have had negative views of the media, but now the views are changing." Most of the funding has come from the European Union, not the licence fee. The two resident producers were funded to work with 14 schools as well as the wider community, under a special scheme to broaden staff skills. Senior managers in the corporation have since decided the project was breaking important new ground for the BBC, and the project is now funded until Easter 2005. Pupils and community members have seen their radio and TV material broadcast on BBC Radio Solent and on TV's South Today. | 
