My Podium Podcast Launches: Empowering Voices of the Under-25s
At a time when authentic youth perspectives are more essential than ever, a groundbreaking new podcast series titled “My Podium” is making waves. Curated and created by creatives under 25, this audio experience blends raw emotion, social insight, and artistic storytelling โ all shaped by the lived experiences and vivid imaginations of young people across the UK and Ireland.
Backed by the award-winning platform Podium.me, which has long empowered budding journalists and storytellers globally, My Podium is not just a podcast โ itโs a movement. And itโs launching today, April 15, 2025, marking five years since the world first came to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
๐ง Podcast with a Pulse: Why My Podium Is Different
The podcast taps into real emotions, real voices, and real stories โ but itโs not your usual conversation-based show. This series innovatively blends:
๐ญ Fictional dramas
๐๏ธ Interviews
๐ง Documentaries
๐ฌ Audio storytelling with a cinematic edge
Each episode offers a unique, youth-centered lens on topics like careers, education, politics, mental health, digital trends, and post-pandemic realities.
๐ฆ Five Years Later: Reflecting on the Pandemic Through Fiction
As a symbolic launch, My Podium features five original audio dramas that take listeners on an emotional rollercoaster through pandemic-era Britain and Ireland. With settings in Dublin, Derbyshire, Oxford, Folkestone, and Glasgow, these stories are full of tension, humour, unexpected warmth โ and more than a few surprises.
The writing and performances are 100% driven by emerging talent, offering a gripping and human take on the shared trauma and absurdity of lockdown life.
๐ญ Featured Dramas: Unique Stories of Isolation, Connection, and Resilience
1. The Biscuit Tin
๐ Written by Ciara Jayne Stagg | Dublin, Ireland In this sharp, touching story, a mother and daughter wait by a coffin during lockdown, wondering whether mourners will attend โ or if football and pints will take priority. Balancing dark humour with emotional depth, this piece explores grief, social rituals, and the quirks of Irish hospitality.
2. Open
๐ By Emily Reader | Folkestone, Kent A chance meeting between an elderly woman and a young stranger on her birthday evolves into a tender tale of intergenerational connection. With stunning location-based audio and subtle dialogue, this story lingers long after the final line.
3. Saving Mel Spencer
๐ By Simon Marshall | Derbyshire, England Set on a dairy farm, this comedic yet poignant piece explores a coupleโs whimsical imaginations running wild during lockdown โ featuring everything from dramatic cow conversations to imagined reunions with long-lost friends.
4. Home Brew
๐ By Katie Sayer | Oxford, England Lockdown walks near a sewage plant arenโt exactly the stuff of fairy tales, but when romance and routine collide, whatโs left to talk about? This BAFTA-nominated writer delivers a comedy-drama laced with awkward love and earthy wit.
5. Doug the Dog
๐ By Susan Aitken | Glasgow, Scotland This high-energy Scottish drama blends family chaos, hospital drama, and the unifying charm of a dog named Doug. With rich accents and riotous pacing, this piece captures the soul of Glasgow during a crisis โ with humour and heart.
๐ ๏ธ Behind the Scenes: Workshops, Mentorship & Real Opportunities
The production of these dramas was made possible through creative workshops funded by 21st Century Fox, curated by industry mentor Cordelia Galloway. These labs gave young people a chance to:
Learn scriptwriting fundamentals
Collaborate with professional sound engineers
Work on real-world podcast production
Develop stories from pitch to post-production
๐ Want to Join the Movement?
Aspiring podcasters, writers, and audio producers under 25 can submit pitches directly to Podium via Instagram (@podiumdotme). Whether itโs a quirky drama, an investigative piece, or a personal story that deserves to be heard โ My Podium offers the platform, tools, and training to help it shine.
๐ The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters Now
๐ค Giving a Mic to the Future
In an era of saturated digital media, few platforms truly center youth voices โ especially ones that go beyond surface-level opinions. My Podium changes the game by:
Empowering young creators to lead editorial decisions
Providing technical and storytelling mentorship
Offering a platform where global youth issues are explored, not glossed over
๐ฏ What Topics Can Listeners Expect?
Beyond the launch dramas, upcoming episodes will include:
Gen Zโs take on politics and activism
Career anxiety and the job market
University life post-pandemic
Mental health and social media
Climate change through youth narratives
Audio explorations of identity, culture, and community
๐ฑ Where to Listen & How to Get Involved
My Podium is available on all major streaming platforms including:
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
And wherever else you get your podcasts
๐ง Follow @podiumdotme on Instagram for exclusive content, creator interviews, behind-the-scenes clips, and calls for submissions.
๐ Youth Media Trends: Why Podcasts Are Dominating in 2025
According to the latest report by Ofcom:
Over 78% of listeners aged 16โ25 now consume podcasts weekly
Authenticity and relatability are the top drivers of youth engagement
Fiction podcasts saw a 47% increase in downloads in the last 12 months
What does this mean?
Platforms like My Podium, which are youth-driven, story-first, and community-oriented, are not just timely โ theyโre the future of audio journalism and entertainment.
โ Summary: Why My Podium Deserves Your Ear
๐ค Created entirely by under-25s
๐ Blends education, creativity, and real-world training
๐ง Launches with 5 fiction dramas set in pandemic-era UK/Ireland
๐ Focuses on Gen Z perspectives on politics, identity, and society
๐ Offers mentorship and media skills to young people globally
๐ฒ Actively seeking pitches from aspiring youth storytellers