IntoUniversity students take over Rare FM

By Polly Wallace-Kruger, Education Worker and Mentoring Coordinator, IU Hackney Downs 

Last month IntoUniversity Hackney Downs students kick-started their careers in radio live on Rare FM. Over two and a half hours, 19 IntoUniversity students broadcast live from the studio at UCL. They ran five different shows in groups, covering a diverse range of topics from Flappy Bird to Jamaican foods to Miley Cyrus’ dress sense! It was a fantastic afternoon of radio and proved how innovative, charismatic and quick-thinking our students really are.

This wonderful opportunity was provided to us by Rare FM, the official UCL student radio station. Rare FM is run by a dedicated and energetic team of students and led by Station Manager James, who has put a huge amount of effort into coordinating all of Rare FM’s engagement with IntoUniversity. 

Before the radio takeover, Rare FM volunteers came in to IntoUniversity Hackney Downs to run workshops on press releases in the music industry and radio broadcast styles. They helped students plan the content of their shows, created jingles and on the day of the broadcasts practiced with them, building their confidence before their big moment on air. Every member of Rare FM threw themselves into the volunteering experience with so much enthusiasm and made the experience fun and memorable for our students.

However, that wasn’t enough for Rare FM. Wanting to do more for IntoUniversity, the volunteers arranged Rare Sessions, an amazing night of music in Kings Cross, to raise money for our charity. At the end of the night they raised an impressive total of £605! These funds will go towards providing IntoUniversity Hackney Downs students with another exciting opportunity.

IntoUniversity would like to say a huge thank you to Rare FM for everything they have done for us. We're looking forward to working with them again in the future. 

To listen to the podcast of our students’ radio takeover visit www.rarefm.co.uk.