Radio Platfform is marking a decade of helping young people into broadcasting and creative industry careers across Wales.
The youth led station and training hub was founded in 2016 at the Wales Millennium Centre, making its first broadcast during the Festival of Voice, now known as Llais.
Since then, it has grown into a national platform offering practical media training for people aged 11 to 25.
Run entirely by young people, the station gives contributors experience in presenting, live production, audio editing, marketing, social media and digital storytelling. Former members have since moved into roles across the UK media industry.
Alumni include Molly Palmer and Dylan Clarke at BBC Wales, Katie Hill at Overcoat Media, and Agathe Dijoud at The Audio Academy.
One of the station’s recent success stories is Bablu Shikdar, who is preparing to become the first Welsh presenter to host on BBC Asian Network Represents this June.
Bablu said: “Radio Platfform gave me my first real opportunity to step into broadcasting and build confidence in my own voice.”
The station has also expanded beyond Cardiff with a sister studio in Porth and a partnership with FOCUS Wales. Last year, it received Silver for Community Station of the Year at the ARIAs.
Jason Camilleri, Senior Manager at Platfform and one of the organisation’s founders, said: “When we launched Radio Platfform in 2016, the ambition was to create a space where young people could tell their own stories, develop creative skills and feel ownership over something meaningful.
“Ten years on, seeing so many young people progress into careers in broadcasting, music, production and the wider creative industries is incredibly rewarding.”
As part of its anniversary year, Radio Platfform will be hosting a 10th anniversary event on Saturday 30th May, and throughout the year it will be reuniting former presenters and producers across a series of special broadcasts and industry conversations reflecting on the future of youth-led media and talent development in Wales.
