Unity Radio celebrated 10 years of the Next Gen Youth Show at MediaCityUK on Tuesday 3 February!

Next Gen Youth (NGY) is a VRU-partnered project with Unity Radio that offers a 9-week music-production workshop to young people who are passionate about the music industry. NGY seeks to directly tackle issues facing young people by empowering young voices to speak on issues affecting them. The station provides a live weekly radio slot to showcase young people’s talent on an established platform. This is a valued project that targets local issues, while equipping young people with skills, industry knowledge, and the experience to pursue their passions within an exciting field.

Founded in partnership with the Greater Manchester Consortium Against Child Sexual Exploitation, including Barnardo’s, The Prince’s Trust, NSPCC and The Children’s Society, the NGY show has developed into a leading music and media training programme for 13–17-year-olds.

Jon Green, CEO at Unity Radio said:

“Over the past 10 years, it has been our profound honour to witness the Next Gen Youth programme welcome and support over 200 young people through our doors at Unity Radio. Conceived from a vital need highlighted in the ‘Real Voices’ report, this initiative was built on a powerful partnership created through the GMCASE (Greater Manchester Consortium Against Sexual Exploitation) and a simple belief: that given the right platform and support, young people can achieve extraordinary things.

“The stories speak for themselves. We see it in Niko, who joined us at 14 and leveraged the confidence gained here to become a European champion and a professional surveyor. We see it in Bobby G’s (AKA BeeOne) journey from referral to programme leader. This is the core of NGY’s success, it doesn’t just provide skills; it builds character and young leaders with positive mind sets with wholesome values. The programme tangibly produces ‘Confident, Caring and Capable’ young people who shape their own futures and enrich our communities.

“As CEO, I extend my deepest gratitude to our foundational partners, supporters like the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit, Salford City Council and our incredible team. Together, we have created more than a media project; we have built a legacy of empowerment. We look forward with great excitement to the next decade of amplifying Greater Manchester’s most valuable asset: its young voices.”

This decade of progression serves to shine a promising light on the impact of youth-led change in tackling youth-focused issues. The VRU are proud to celebrate Unity Radio as a station that has spent a decade dedicated to sharing the talented voices of Greater Manchester’s young people, and we are excited to support the years of collective impact ahead.

To find out more or get involved, click here.

Article posted on: 11/02/2026 10:02am