“Radio Is a Blank Canvas for Youth Work”: Communication, Creative Agency, Compassion and Empathy

Abstract

Youth radio projects are firmly rooted in young people’s cultural and everyday experiences. Aligning with the open access, dialogic and participatory nature of youth work, youth radio programmes represent an ‘asset-based’ endeavour, which builds on young people’s cultural funds of knowledge. This article draws on data from two youth radio projects: Bolt FM, based in North East Glasgow, Scotland, and YMCA Digital, based in Nottingham, England. Youth workers and young people were interviewed about the affordances of radio as an outlet for creativity in their lives. In combination with youth work practice, radio as an art form can enable young people to tell stories, offer alternative narratives and more authentic modes of cultural production. Exploring creativity, this study theorises this mode of youth arts practice through Paul Willis’ Common Culture (1990). In the case of youth radio projects communication, creative agency, compassion and empathy manifested. These findings strengthen existing research which highlights the value of youth work and radio programmes for young people.