As part of Vision Australia Radio’s month long Radiothon, the doors were thrown open at the Kooyong studios to welcome students from the skills building program RadioVoice.
The RadioVoice program is open to people with a disability and teaches the fundamentals of radio including microphone technique, interview skills and writing for radio.
Participant Shayne Marks (28) who lives with Asperger’s syndrome loved having a tour of the Vision Australia Radio studio.
“It was great to see hear about how Vision Australia Radio work from staff and volunteers and getting to check out the studios was awesome.
“Being able to experience a real life running radio station has really helped me learn what it would be like to work in the industry,” Shayne said.
Caption: Shayne Marks, Chris Pyke, Ryan Jennings, Brittney Craig, Jessica Vella and John Paul Melhem checking out on of Vision Australia Radio’s studios.
RadioVoice Director Daz Smith said Vision Australia Radio was the ideal studio for the participants to visit.
“We knew it would be a welcoming and inclusive environment because the station understands disability,” Daz said.
“The students saw first-hand how a radio station operates but most importantly they could see that having a disability isn’t a barrier to having a future in radio.”
As well as spending time in a practice session behind the microphone and operating the panel, the students gained insight into how Vision Australia Radio’s dedicated reading service works, learned who the target audience is (people with a print disability) and the range of programs and podcasts produced.
The highlight for most of the students was hearing from host of Talking Vision Sam Colley. Sam talked about his journey into a radio career as someone living with low vision.
“My advice to the students is to accept any opportunity that comes your way and if someone offers help, take it,” Sam said.
Vision Australia Radio manager Conrad Browne said the station is thrilled to be able to offer the students the experience of visiting a working studio.
“One of our goals as a radio station is provide access to information and opening our doors to the students is a natural extension of this access,” Conrad said.
“We’re also very proud to show how we highlight the diversity of the radio industry with a significant number of Vision Australia Radio staff and volunteers being blind or living with low vision.”
About Vision Australia Radio
The Vision Australia Radio Network incorporates ten community radio stations across Victoria, southern New South Wales, Adelaide and Perth and five digital radio services.
On offer are a range of interesting and informative programs that feature readings from the latest newspapers, magazines and books.
Also available is exclusive specialist content including programs on new technology, current affairs, book and film reviews, health and wellbeing, the arts, finance, travel and more