How Youth Work Organisations Can Benefit From Video Podcasting

How Can Video Podcasting Help Youth Work Organisations?

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In today's digital age, storytelling has become a powerful tool for engagement, education and empowerment. For organisations working with young people, integrating a video podcast program that captures and documents real life stories can inspire new levels of creativity, enhance communication skills and create alignment with organisational values, among both service users and employees.

A video podcast series provides a platform for young people to find, articulate and share their voices and ideas. To add a deeper level of engagement throughout the process, the program can culminate in a dynamic and exciting launch event, hosted by beneficiaries of your care provision. Experience shows us this has a transformational effect on everyone involved.

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“No tribal chief or elder has ever handed out statistical reports, charts, graphs, or lists to explain where the group is headed or what it must do.”

Management consultant and author Peg Neuhauser emphasises the intrinsic value and power of storytelling in leading and inspiring people.

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This article explores the processes involved and benefits you can expect, by creating a cohesive narrative that reinforces the purpose of your organisation and its unique values.

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Designing & Developing Your Video Podcasting Program

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Conceptualisation & Planning

• Involving Young People: Start by bringing together a group of service users to brainstorm not just ideas and themes for your podcast, but what they would like to learn, the skills they would like to develop and the people they'd like to learn from. This approach will increase the chances your content will resonate with your target audience, as they will be directly involved in the creation of it.
• Setting Goals: Define clear objectives for your podcast. Whether the aim is to entertain, educate or inspire, having focused goals will guide the content and format.
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Pre-Production

• Role Rotation: Assign different pre-production roles such as research, scriptwriting, storyboarding and planning. Rotating these roles gives young people insights into the different stages of production, offering opportunities to change their perspective related to a task or area of responsibility.
• Mentorship: Pair young participants with experienced mentors who can provide guidance. Mentors could be staff members, tutors, industry professionals or individuals with an inspiring back story.
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Production

• Technical Training: Offer training on using video and audio equipment, including camera operation, lighting, sound recording and editing software.
• Role Rotation: Continue role rotation during production, allowing participants to experience different aspects of the process, from hosting,  interviewing, script supervision and directing.
• Mentorship and Support: Ensure mentors are available to encourage participants to ask questions and provide feedback throughout the process as well as offer technical support.
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Post-Production

• Editing: Train participants in video and audio editing, how and where to add motion graphics, emphasising how to create a polished final product.
• Feedback and Review: Organise review sessions where participants can give and receive constructive feedback, fostering continuous improvement.

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Video Podcast Launch Event

• Develop a promotional strategy for launch event: Participants can be guided through the process of launching and hosting a celebratory event, featuring live screenings, Q&A sessions with the creators, special guest attendees and guest speakers.
• Post Event Follow Up: Young people can be encouraged to collect feedback from attendees, share highlights from the event on social media and begin planning for future podcast episodes and events.
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Distribution & Marketing

• Social Media Strategy: Teach participants how to promote the podcast using social media. Encourage young people to design a website/landing page, create promotional content and press releases that will engage your desired audience.
• Analytics: Introduce basic analytics tools to track the podcast’s performance, helping participants understand the impact of their work and identify opportunities for future content.
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Diverse Voices & Authentic Storytellers - That Represent and Promote Your Organisation

A successful video podcast should feature a wide range of voices to provide various perspectives and insights. Here are some individuals who could be featured:

• Founders and Exec Team: Share the inspiration for establishing or joining the organisation, challenges they've overcome as well as their vision for the future
• Mentors and Mentees: Highlight the mentor-mentee relationships and specific skills being developed‍
• Staff Member: Encourage employees totpersonal stories that relate to your organisational values, or give an insight into the organisation’s daily operations and its impact‍
• Volunteers: Explore their experiences and motivation for becoming involved‍
• Parents and Guardians: Document their perspectives on how your organisation (and the podcast) benefited their children‍
• Beneficiaries: Feature young people who have directly benefited from your programs or support provision ‍
• Stakeholders and Investors: Provide perspectives on the broader impact and sustainability of your organisation‍
• Grant Providers: Show appreciation to those who funded your programs by inviting them onto the podcast. Discuss the importance of funding in enabling previous and future initiatives‍
• Community Members: Offer insights into your organisations influence on the local community
• Representatives of Partner Organisations: Highlight collaborations and success stories, as well as future partnerships you'd like to initiate

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Draw up a list the organisations you'd like to work with, or seek support from in the future. Use this as an opportunity to build new relationships and invite them to be interviewed.

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Benefits of Storytelling Through Video Podcasting

Elevate and Leverage Purpose
‍Millennial and older workers deeply value purpose in their work. According to Gallup, a 10% improvement in employees' connection with their organisation's mission can lead to a decrease in turnover and an increase in profitability. Storytelling helps articulate an organisation’s mission, vision, and values, integrating them into daily activities and guiding employees toward shared goals.

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Guide United, Cohesive Action
‍Cultural anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson noted, "The human species thinks in metaphors and learns through stories." Storytelling ensures clear communication across different organisational functions, preventing silos and fostering empathy. Storytelling can accurately convey data and specialised knowledge, enabling informed decision-making.

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Create Meaningful Relationships
‍Research shows that employees value friendships at work. Storytelling can help build these relationships, increasing empathy, trust and enhanced team cohesion and productivity. When team members relate to and connect with each other's stories, they collaborate more effectively as they work towards common goals.

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Our Programs Can Be Customised To Your Goals & Objectives
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1. 'Promotional Podcast' - this program involves the creation of content to promote your organisation, whether a school, charity or youth led initiative- produced by your young people, assisted by our award winning podcast production team.
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2. 'Values In Action' - 'organisational values' can include confidence, resilience, ambition, empathy, respect and team spirit. This program brings these values to life, in video podcasts focused on inspirational individuals who embody specific characteristics.
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3. 'Career Pathways' - participants learn about different careers getting insights and inspiration from accomplished people from people who have achieved varying levels of success, having followed their chosen career path.
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4. 'Expression Through The Arts' - this program involves young people capturing the stories behind people who express their talent in different ways, such as poets, bakers, writers, musicians, painters, sculptors etc.
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5. 'Community Building' - designed to awaken potential to make a meaningful contribution to the local community, this program helps young people become more confident, proactive & empathetic, leading to positive personal and social outcomes.
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6. 'Future Leaders' - by identifying, filming & interviewing inspirational people who become leaders in their community or in business, participants will gain a unique insight into the skills & characteristics necessary to become a successful leader, while developing practical leadership skills.
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7. 'Narrative Battles' - young people learn how conflict is inherent in different forms of storytelling, such as filmmaking & other forms of media. Participants draw out stories of people who have overcome adversity, exploring their role in resolving conflict, as they learn from their experiences.

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Learn how launching a video podcast can help achieve your communication, fundraising, recruitment and marketing objectives.

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Conclusion

By harnessing the power of storytelling through video podcasting, youth work organisations can engage young people in a meaningful process that builds skills, confidence, and community engagement. Involving them in each stage of production, featuring diverse voices creates compelling content that resonates with audiences and supports your organisation’s mission.

The benefits extend beyond immediate skills, fostering a culture of empowerment, community engagement, and long-term sustainability.

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