The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award launches brand-new podcast
Navigating Now from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a new podcast helping young people explore answers to big questions they have about life.
The concept was co-created between 31 young people from across the UK and award-winning podcast production and promotion company Mags Creative.
Young people discuss the issues affecting them today, together with guests such as radio DJ and TV presenter Melvin Odoom, campaigner and co-founder of Kids Against Plastic Ella Meek and former England Rugby Captain and podcaster Jonny Wilkinson.
Each episode is narrated by Elsie – a 15-year-old engineer-to-be who is currently working towards her Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – and hosted by three different young people.
Together, they dissect and comment on three big questions as they listen to suggestions and advice sent in from across the UK. Each host picks one suggestion to try out in their everyday lives, recording their progress in audio diaries included across the series.
Elsie said: “I wanted to get involved with the Navigating Now podcast because it was the first real opportunity I had to get my voice out there and heard and just to be an all-round advocate for my generation.
“Getting to work with other young people was so fun – once the introductions were over and everyone got to know each other, it was like we’d known each other for years and there were so many things we could relate with each other about.
“In this day and age, everyone is so interested in hearing what others have to say, and that’s exactly what this podcast does – allows people to listen into the minds of young people.”
The theme of the first episode is ‘Identity’. Guests, TV and radio presenter and Invictus Games medallist JJ Chalmers and seven-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft, share their experiences with hosts Juliette, Anika and James by tackling these questions:
- How can I know what my ‘true self’ is if I’m constantly shifting who I am to try and fit in?
- How do I come to terms with the fact that I’m not the person I used to be and communicate to others that I am different to who they think I am?
- What are the ways we can help people feel body positive without making it seem that physical appearance is more important than their other qualities?
Themes for the rest of the series include:
- Navigating… Social Media with contributions from podcaster and author Kate Ferdinand.
- Navigating… Community with contributions from Michelin-starred chef and community activist Tom Kerridge.
- Navigating… Mental Health with contributions from former England Rugby Captain and podcaster Jonny Wilkinson, world record setting adventurer and extreme remote and hostile locations expert Aldo Kane and psychotherapist Samantha Pennells-Nkolo.
- Navigating… Passions and Careers with contributions from radio DJ and TV presenter Melvin Odoom and TV presenter, author and travel enthusiast Charley Boorman.
- Navigating… The Environment with contributions from wildlife expert, TV presenter, author and conservationist Chris Packham, campaigner and co-founder of Kids Against Plastic Ella Meek, and author, playwright and screenwriter Laline Paull.
- Navigating… Relationships with contributions from TV presenter and broadcaster Anna Richardson, professional matchmaker, Head of Research for Tinder and TV host Paul Carrick Brunson and podcaster and Author Kate Ferdinand.
In the final episode, the hosts reflect on their audio diaries and discuss how they got on trying out the tips shared across the series.
Navigating Now launches this Wednesday, 12 July on Apple, Spotify, and on all major podcast platforms.