Be Heard! - Community Radio in Victoria
The Victorian Government is committed to providing young Victorians with more opportunities to have their voices heard on community radio stations across the state.
What is Community Radio?
Community radio has been around since the 1970s, providing an alternative to commercial or government-funded radio stations.
Community radio stations are often established to address a need within a particular community. They are strictly non-profit organisations.
Community radio stations provide a voice for communities that would otherwise not have the issues relevant to their own homes and lives discussed on air. They also provide training opportunities so that people can learn what is involved in all aspects of radio production.
To find a community radio station near you, you can use the station-seeker tool on the CBOnline Find a Station page (new window).
Be Heard! - Community Radio Grants for Rural & Regional Victoria
To encourage young people's participation in community radio in rural and regional areas, the Victorian Government is assisting with funding to provide:
- Workshops in community radio production
- Linking people to their local stations
- Funding to allow station facilities to be upgraded
Community radio lets young people develop skills and career pathways in radio broadcasting. It also promotes local events and opportunities, and showcases the talent and achievements of people in your community.
The Victorian Government has committed $200,000 over four years for rural and regional community radio stations to increase the participation of young people, particularly in production and broadcasting.
2012/2013 Be Heard! Grant recipients
On 6 December 2012 Minister for Youth Affairs Ryan Smith congratulated nine rural and regional community radio stations who will receive a $5000 grant as part of the 2nd round of funding for the Be Heard! program.
“Community radio plays an important role in rural and regional areas and provides an opportunity to create music, art and enterprise,? Mr Smith said. “Nine community radio stations in rural and regional Victoria will each receive a $5,000 Be Heard! grant to provide training and mentoring for young people aged 12 to 25."
Grant recipients were:
Yarra Valley FM (Woori Yallock)
As an adjunct to our Schools In on-air programme, Schools In SkillzUP will deliver 1 day per week of radio training for students in the Yarra Valley region - teaching skills in radio production and presentation. Young people will then be given the opportunity to showcase their skills on-air, while also sharing with the local community themselves, their interests, concerns, and opinions.
Radio Port Phillip - RPP FM (Mornington)
Radio Port Phillip will work with a range of local media outlets, education institutions and community groups to provide programming and training opportunities for young people within the Mornington Peninsula shire. Opportunities will include live to air broadcasts, on-air musical performances, as well as regular programs hosted by youth presenters.
OCR FM (Colac)
Voices of our Youth will promote and deliver 2 days of radio training for young people in the South Western district of Victoria. Workshops include; intensive radio training and preparation, producing and airing a program/interview or community interest subject to share their views, and passion with the OCRFM community.
Goldfields FM 99.1 (Maryborough)
Goldfields FM will work with local employment agencies, secondary schools and adult education organisations to provide more young people from the Central Goldfields Shire the opportunity to be trained and mentored in all facets of radio production and broadcasting.
Castlemaine District Radio (Castlemaine)
Castlemaine District Radio will train young people in radio presentation, voice production, computer use, operation of studio and portable equipment. Anticipated outcomes from the program include an increase in skill knowledge, confidence and self esteem.
Alpine Radio (Mount Beauty)
Alpine Radio will work with local secondary schools to engage students in a training program, covering aspects surrounding community radio, techincal production and live to air broadcasting.
South East Radio Association (Cranbourne)
South East Radio Association will facilitate a series of off-air broadcast training workshops for young people and local students. Participants will then have the opportunity to produce their own radio show or work with established youth based shows during school breaks and other weekly opportunities.
Radio EMFM - Echuca Moama Broadcasting Service (Echuca)
Radio EMFM will run a specialised training workshops for young people in the region to learn radio and broadcasting skills. Areas to be covered include radio presentation skills, technical operation skills and media and broadcast law. The project will provide a vital way for young people in the area to have a voice and suppot the stations commitment youth programming.
3WAY FM - Community Radio Endeavour (Warrnambool)
3WAY FM will train young people in radio production and broadcasting to enable them to present programs, provide recorded interviews from local events and generally engage positively with the community.
Apply for Funding
In September 2012, Minister Smith announced a new partnership with SYN Media to support rural and regional community radio stations to participate in the Be Heard! program. Over the next three years SYN Media will:
- Run six grant information workshops/forums in regional Victoria on best practice youth participation in community radio
- Provide support and advice for up to 30 rural and regional community radio stations to develop project proposals and complete an application for a $5,000 Be Heard! grant
- Develop and distribute resources on practical strategies to engage and support young people in broadcasting radio programs
To discuss your project proposals and submit an application for a Be Heard! grant please contact SYN Media on (03) 9925 4693 or training@syn.org.au.
You can download a copy of the Be Heard Application Form here: Be Heard! Application form (.doc, 61KB)
Further advice on completing an application for a Be Heard! grant is contained in the the Information for Applicants document (.doc, 127KB).
General enquiries about the Be Heard! program can be directed to Greg Box at the Office for Youth on greg.box@dhs.vic.gov.au.
2010/2011 Be Heard! Grant Recipients
In January 2012 Minister for Youth Affairs Ryan Smith congratulated the first 10 rural and regional community radio stations to receive a $5,000 grant as part of the Be Heard! program.
Grant recipients were:
- 3BBR FM - 3BBR FM Youth Initiative (Baw Baw)\
- 3MDR Mountain District Radio - Electric Productions Radio (Cardinia)
- Apple FM - Youth MATTERS on Apple FM (Moorabool)
- Central Highlands Broadcasting Incorporated - Combined Schools Radio Education (Macedon Ranges)
- Gippsland FM - Youth Development Through Community Radio (Latrobe)
- Mitchell Community Radio - The Blue Room (Mitchell)
- OSCAR 3HCR FM - (Ultra Voice) Youth Radio (East Gippsland)
- The Pulse - Coming In From The CALD (Greater Geelong)
- UGFM - Radio Murrindindi - The Jam Sessions (Murrindindi)
- Voice FM - KOTA (Ballarat)
SYN
In addition to the Be Heard! program, SYN Inc. will also receive funding of $200,000 over four years.
SYN Inc. is a youth-run media organisation that provides training and peer mentoring to young people who have an interest in radio and television production. The funding will also enable SYN to deliver capacity-building initiatives for the young volunteers who perform management and operational roles at the station.
It is estimated that more than 8000 young people have been directly involved in SYN, many of whom have gone on to work in the creative and media industries.
The Victorian Government is pleased to provide funding to SYN FM to allow them to continue working with and training young people in media production.
For more abut SYN Inc., check out www.syn.org.au (new window)
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