YPIP Talent Report - Southside Online

From the outside, 52 Lambeth Road doesn’t look like anything special. Once you step through the front door, though, it’s a different story – the energy hits you immediately. Young people are coming and going and there’s a definite sense of purpose in the air.  Just inside the entrance, a glass window in the wall reveals the heart of the Southside project – a compact but fully functional recording studio which broadcasts a packed programme of radio shows produced by young people. A group of lads are working on their show as we pass: one intent on adjusting sound levels on the desk, the other two giggling over their script.

Project worker Pete Brierley gives me the guided tour. In the next room, volunteer expert Dom is giving Jack a lesson in video editing. Jack is completely engrossed, and we sneak out again quietly leaving them to it. As we head upstairs to the chill out room, Pete explains that the money donated by Talent has been used to allow the young people to expand into film making – and I’m about to meet the producers and directors of the first Southside documentary!

Victoria, Sophie and Shakila are a bit shy initially, but they soon open up when I ask them to tell me about their film. “We wanted to make a film about attitudes to young people, because we think it’s a really important subject. There’s so much negative stuff about us in the media, and we wanted to show that’s not all there is to young people. There’s lots of positive stuff too.”  They are passionate about this issue, and the rough cut of their short film proves to be hugely watchable and very thought provoking. But then Southside has some seasoned journalists amongst its young people - they’ve recently interviewed MPs Simon Hughes and Boris Johnson. I ask what they thought of Boris as a candidate for London mayor.
“To be honest, I think he was just telling us what he thought we wanted to hear. I don’t know if he realised we aren’t old enough to vote yet!”. They clearly weren’t won over by the infamous Johnson charm! What about interviewing Ken Livingstone?  “We’ve tried, but he hasn’t got back to us. But Boris did promise that if he won he would come back…”

Southside started as a summer holiday project– the idea of one of the young people. Pete admits that at first he thought it might be too ambitious. Four years on, it clearly works – and what makes it so exciting is the key role the young people play in shaping it. From 16 year old Shakila, who has taken on the role of writing funding applications, to 19 year old Alex, who acts as sound engineer for many of the shows, there’s a real sense of teamwork both on and off the air – and they are all very proud of their radio station. Alex wants to know who I work for, what am I going to write? He looks a bit suspicious of my notebook. “Im going to write about how brilliant Southside is.” I reply. He rewards me with a big smile, and now reassured there is no sinister agenda behind my note taking, there’s no stopping him on the subject of the positive stuff young people are doing in this area. I leave feeling energised, privileged to have met such an inspiring group of young people – and I’ll definitely be listening online in the future!

Southside online is an initiative of church.co.uk and the Oasis Trust. Visit the Southside website to learn more about the project and listen to a selection of their shows online.