Here’s a word you don’t regularly hear mentioned in stories about young people with migrant backgrounds: joy.
Their stories are often defined by their hardship, if they’re told at all. And it’s true, hardship is sometimes a huge feature in their lives. But it’s not the only story.
At Heard we started Media Movers because we – society – can tell better, more authentic stories about this topic.
Our programme supports young people with migrant backgrounds to tell a fresh story across popular culture.
How does Media Movers work?
Growing since 2018, our team has created a supportive network of young people with direct experience of migration.
We work with them to do safe and effective media work via training, meet-ups and peer-to-peer support. There’s a strong emphasis on confidence and wellbeing.
With media, we collaborate with journalists, TV and audio producers who seek to tell new stories, grow their understanding and be inspired.
Media Movers brings these groups together at our informal interactions: meet-ups where people hear each other’s perspectives. They’re supportive spaces to ask questions and be curious.
Experience shows us these spaces are incredibly productive, useful and rewarding.
Developing the programme has led Media Movers to work with a range of partners: from Vice to Grazia. Among other significant outcomes, we’ve collaborated with the team at ITV’s Coronation Street and inspired investigative reporting by The Times & The Sunday Times. Plus, podcasts like BBC Sounds’s The Next Episode and BBC Radio 1Xtra Talks.
We also bring with us a wealth of evidence based insight when it comes to storytelling about young people with migrant backgrounds: understanding how and why certain narratives or experiences connect with audiences.
There are better stories to be told about migration. And sometimes those stories are about: joy.
We’ve created this guide for media professionals who want to tell authentic, interesting and powerful stories about young people who’ve migrated to the UK.
Do you work in the media? It’s this way to get in touch about Media Movers.
Are you interested in joining our network? You can contact us to learn more.
Heard also run programmes in areas such as domestic abuse and sexual violence, poverty, children’s palliative care, transgender experiences and climate change.
