My Podium

Nifemi and Novi chat to Sharrae Newell-Barnett about a recent phenomenon they have noticed - celebrities finding new faith.  An energetic conversation that draws the listener in.

Digby, an Oxford educated anthropologist is following his passion into a career in far-flung communities, often without access to the internet and other comforts.  Ansu Bhattarai chats to him about the life and work he loves

Ansu Bhattarai interviews Poppy Davenport and finds out how working with flowers became a lot more important than getting a university degree.  Poppy's love of colour and her drive to bring joy to others through flowers is infectious.

Carys Reid asks people in their 20s whether AI is causing more problems than it solves.  Her questions are insightful and the answers very enlightening.  A must-listen for anyone who wants to know what young people really think of the AI revolution.

This episode includes AI-generated content.

A series of personal interviews recorded by teenagers in Dorset
The students from a variety of local schools were attending Bankfest, a festival of words in Weymouth on the south coast of England


Music from the Free Music Archive
Transmissions
Motivational Corporate Yuri Megis

Students from Dorset schools attended Bankfest, a festival of words featuring speakers who use words in their careers. A sports journalist, speech writer, song writer, surgeon, novelist and more.
In the Podium workshops they had the chance to interview each other and give their feedback on the event












Music from the Free Music Archive, Motivational corporate by Yuri Megis

In this episode, we dive into how experiences as a student can shape the way one later teaches.
Ifrah Faheem, a Master’s student at the University of Sussex with a background in working alongside people with Down syndrome in Pakistan, chats with Zahra Halai, now an early preschool teacher for children with Down syndrome in Pakistan. Their conversation blends personal memories and professional insights, as Zahra shares how her own time as a student shapes the way she sees her classroom today, showing how teaching and learning continue to influence and transform one another.

Special thanks to Zahra Halai and Shayan Zafar for their time and support.

KDSP - A Down Syndrome Organisation (KDSP), a non-profit organization, was launched in March 2014 by a group of concerned parents and passionate individuals who due to limited support and resources available in Pakistan, realised a need for a platform for those with Down syndrome. KDSP was formed with the mission to advocate the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome living in Karachi and aims to provide them with the opportunity to lead independent and fulfilling lives. KDSP understands the needs of individuals with Down syndrome and their loved ones and so from the moment a family with a child with Down syndrome is introduced to us, KDSP embarks on a journey with them, until they feel empowered, included and equal members of society. 

 https://www.kdsp.org.pkInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/kdsp_adownsyndromeorganisation?igsh=Zm92OTF3MzlrNnd6 

Credits:Jazz lounge sofa & couch By Music by Lundstroem source - Free Music Archive, License - CC BY 4.0Door opening and closing 1 by JakLocke --https://freesound.org/s/261091/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Interested in sports journalism?  Emile Nuh, Freelance Sports Journalist was a huge inspiration to teenagers at Bankfest 2025 in Weymouth, Dorset

He spoke to Podium producer Camilla Byk after the event about his career

‘We take inspiration from all these well-renowned superstars but sometimes they take inspiration from seeing us as well.’

'My main advice is just do it
I said to someone at the Athletic that I’d love to be a writer and he said ‘what are you writing ? Where’s your blog?’

‘Believe you are a sports journalist, you can never start too early.’

‘You never know if it’s a good idea until you try it it might just need adapting’

‘Thinking less and doing more and just doing it is a massive piece of advice, don’t rule out anything’

‘That one person who sees your work might be someone who knows someone who can get you one opportunity and that opportunity might turn into 2’

'My unique characteristic is my heritage and where I’m from'

'I love that being in this industry I’ve been allowed to actually open up and really show that side'

'I’ve got the confidence to really shout to the rooftops about my heritage and about my background and about my story. And that’s what I love about journalism, it empowers me to tell the story but I also feel that it empowers those who are telling the story on'

What music do you hate (but have never admitted to hating?)
Maya Arkane asks the difficult questions about why people can't stand certain genres and artists and we get to hear the answers, along with some great impressions

Ifrah Faheem discovers the fables behind the unique craft of October, an initiative started by Pragya Aggarwal during her master's at UCL.

'Textiles are more than fabric, they can carry memory, culture, and connections across borders.'  Producer and presenter Ifrah Faheem from Pakistan has completed an internship in the UK with Podium.me and this was a piece she pitched and made.

The podcast was recorded remotely from the Himalayan foothills of Jammu, and features the voices of the young and older craftswomen as they print and create new designs based on old stories.


A huge thanks to October’s team specially Lovepreet, Shivani, and Mehak.

Voiceover credits:
Aiman Nouman
Aiiesha Khalid
Anzal Abbas Jaffari
Khadeeja Mashood

Other credits:

Sewing Machine by Damiana79 -- https://freesound.org/s/765253/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Crows and Rooks 3 by Jagadamba -- https://freesound.org/s/222041/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

crow sound by hardwareshaba -- https://freesound.org/s/577870/ -- License: Creative Commons 0