By James Bonthron
Welcome back to Creative Catalogue, where I speak to fellow young creatives and the companies who employ them.
I work for Co-relate which, in partnership with Elinor Seath in Ramsgate and the Margate Creative Land Trust, is enabling young people to gain creative work experience through Creative Catalyst Thanet. In fact, since 2024, the programme has paid £26,924 to young people on work placements, provided 16 work placements for young people and delivered 2,350 hours of employment support.
Along the harbour in Ramsgate, inside one of the arches, are Arco Barco and Ramsgate Radio, run by artistic director Filipe Gomes.
Creative Catalyst Thanet has enabled several placements at Ramsgate Radio. I spoke to Lily Stentaford, who has recently started a paid project after completing an unpaid placement.
The 19-year-old was referred to Co-relate by the job centre. While she was interested in art and being creative, she wasn’t entirely sure what to do as a career.
She said: “I was bored at home and watching TV. I didn’t know what I wanted to do but then radio was suggested, which is really cool. I’m happy it’s taken me here.”
Lily explained to me that higher education wasn’t something she wanted to pursue, so Creative Catalyst, where she could learn on the job, seemed like a great opportunity.
Lily said: “Education wasn’t always my strong point. Creative Catalyst is a more hands-on experience. I’ve been given so much freedom with my projects, like managing my own timetable.”
She’s gained a lot of experience and she says that she’s given a lot of control over her own work.
Lily said: “We drive the project, Ramsgate Radio just opens the door.”
Lily has been asked to contribute to their Being series, which explores different people’s stories, including the care system, artists and war. People’s personal accounts are accompanied by a bespoke soundtrack.
She is currently working on a two part spoken-word project about the foster care system. She covers the changes associated with care, what it’s like being in care and the support and accommodation available after leaving care. She’s been speaking with care leavers and foster carers, as well as Oasis (a charity supporting domestic abuse survivors) and Become (a charity dedicated to helping those with experience of care).
As someone who’s been in care herself, she’s found it very rewarding. It’s been hard work, but worth it for Lily.
She explained: “It’s rewarding being able to say I’ve done this, it’s something with my name on. I hope it’ll get to lawmakers and could bring something better in the future for other people.”
She has also produced a programme for International Women’s Day about trailblazing women in rock, pop and rap.
She’s also received a lot of training. Part of this has included learning how to mix and upload music, as well as how to contact source and question interviewees in a way that makes them feel comfortable.
Despite the rise of artificial intelligence, and streaming being more popular than ever, Lily believes that there’s still a place for radio.
She said: “Some people still like the human touch. You can’t hear the passion from a robotic DJ.”
Filipe Gomes is lead for both Ramsgate Radio and Arco Barco. Much of his career has been about helping people to get into work.
He joked: “I’ve been working with young people longer than Lily has been alive!”
As such, he is empathetic to their struggles.
He said: “I went into youth service at 19 and young people have a harder time than other people realise. I’ve always felt that they get a raw deal.”
Of course, not every person is easy to work with. Even so, Filipe perseveres.
He explained: “The secret for me is that when you meet them, it’s a blank slate. We start again.
“Working with young people in particular doesn’t even cross my mind, it’s always been what I’ve done. It blows me away that people think about it!”
He says that helping people into work is also rewarding for a business.
He said: “When you enable a person with no experience, it’s very inspiring to see progress happening. Seeing that journey can only have a positive impact.”
It’s all about giving back – and those that get a break give back too, he says.
But it’s not always easy.
He said: “There are challenges. When you’re working with people with no experience, you have to be really secure in your work to justify it as you have to spend time training them.
“Placement students need money to live. If you don’t get money, it’s hard to incentivise. I have to work for free to train someone – if it’s bad for me, how hard is it for someone not being paid?”
So, how has Lily found it?
“Working on this project has made me realise how passionate I am about getting the truth out there,” she says. “Now I think journalism and radio are the two paths I want to follow. Just because I’ve seen how good it is.”
Filipe added: “I just wish more people could do it.”
im getting the word = grants