Children’s Mental Health Week

It’s Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week, taking place during the week beginning 9th February. As a safe and welcoming space for young people, it’s incredibly important to us that we reach out, start conversations, and remind young people that support is always available. 

Throughout Mental Health Week, we will be airing episodes of 300 Seconds every day on Ocean Youth Radio. 

300 Seconds is an award-winning mental health podcast created by young people, for young people. Each episode is just five minutes long and focuses on destigmatising mental health, encouraging honest conversations and helping young people feel heard and understood. 

Across its three series, 300 Seconds explores a wide range of topics, including anxiety, self-harm, identity, confidence, and wellbeing, all shared through real voices and lived experiences. 

This Children’s mental health week, We will be Airing 300 Seconds on Ocean Youth Daily Monday 9th, Tuesday 10th, Wednesday 11th February at 6pm.

In addition to the daily episodes, we will also be broadcasting a special one-hour Show celebrating 300 Seconds on Sunday 15th February at 5pm, featuring our favourite moments from across the series, reflections on the impact of the podcast, and highlights from some of the most powerful conversations shared by young people. 

We want young people to know: you are not alone, and there is always someone you can talk to. Below is a list of trusted support services available to young people in Torbay and across England: 

• YoungMinds – https://www.youngminds.org.uk 

• Pete’s Dragons – https://www.petesdragons.org.uk 

• PAPYRUS (HOPELINE247) – https://www.papyrus-uk.org 

• Internet Matters – https://www.internetmatters.org 

• National Autistic Society – https://www.autism.org.uk 

• The Mix – https://www.themix.org.uk 

• Switchboard LGBTQ+ Helpline – https://switchboard.lgbt 

• Kooth – https://www.kooth.com 

• Samaritans – https://www.samaritans.org 

If you or someone you know is struggling, reaching out can be the first step — support is there, and your voice matters. 

Oldway Takes to the airwaves!

Radio Ahead is a project funded by BBC Children in Need. It allows our staff to visit primary schools, reaching out to new young people and giving them the opportunity to learn new skills, be creative, and socialise with others in their year group. 

This half term, we visited Oldway Primary School in Paignton, where we worked with eight Year 6 pupils. Over the course of three weeks, the young people became radio presenters and created group shows that aired on Ocean Youth Radio.

The shows airs on Wednesday 28th January, Thursday 29th January, and Friday 30th January Repeating at 2.45 and 6pm Daily.

Following the success of these after-school sessions, we invited the presenters to Ocean Youth taster days. We ran two exciting sessions focused on developing skills they had already learned, as well as introducing new ones. The young people played games, created show plans, DJed, and even recorded their own brand-new shows. 

We now have a brand-new cohort of amazing, aspiring presenters, all of whom are invited to join our Saturday sessions and continue being creative. In this cohort, presenters are producing shows on a range of topics, from Minecraft to music. Be sure to check the Ocean Youth Radio app schedule to find out when our new presenters are live on air. 

The opportunity to visit primary schools and meet new young people has been incredibly rewarding. Their creativity is inspiring, and it allows us to introduce them to radio before they move on to Year 7.

New Voices on Ocean Youth Radio: Roselands School Year 6

Over the past few weeks, as part of the RadioAhead project supported by BBC Children in Need, we’ve been working with 10 enthusiastic pupils from Roselands Primary School.

During their weekly radio sessions, the children planned, recorded, and produced their very own radio show, sharing their experiences and insights into school life as Year 6 students. The show was recorded at their school and captures their voices, creativity, and confidence as young broadcasters.

Their show will be airing on Ocean Youth Radio this week, with daily repeats on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 2:45pm and 6:00pm.

Be sure to tune in and support these amazing young presenters as they make their radio debut!