Community podcasts

Creating and using community podcasts

• Using simple recording equipment (for example, a mobile phone), community members talk about issues that are important to them. 
• A local podcast creator group puts together each episode and saves it onto memory cards.
• The memory cards are distributed to community listener groups who gather around locally-sourced speakerboxes to listen to, and discuss, the podcast episodes. These groups include the most vulnerable members of the community, and each group has a facilitator to help ensure everyone’s views are heard. Podcasts can also be shared with people via the internet, or via Bluetooth where there is no internet connection.
  
  Speakerboxes are electronic devices that can play audio files such as podcasts and music. The files are stored on removable memory cards. The devices have built-in speakers so small groups of people can listen at the same time.
• During the listener group discussions, people might record their thoughts on a mobile phone. These audio clips can then be included in future podcast episodes.
• Large speakerboxes can be used to play podcast episodes in public places such as market squares and health centres.
• Training may be needed to ensure that enough community volunteers know how to record content and put podcast episodes together. A project such as this should be community-owned from the start, with particular emphasis on involving people whose views are not traditionally heard, for example young people, women and people with disabilities.