RX Radio: A Case Study of Children's Radio
Introduction
34% of South Africa’s population are children, yet their position in society is muted.
Children often lack the chance to understand their rights or the opportunity to express their views.
RX Radio is committed to helping children and young people find and raise their voice.
This case study provides a brief overview of children’s participation, its legal framework, participation approaches and predicted benefits.
The advantages of radio are discussed and why the authors advocate for children’s radio as a tool to enhance children’s rights.
The paper then briefly describes the project and summarizes the approach used – focusing on the objectives, proposed outcomes, and methodology as well as the values and guiding principles of the approach.
Finally, this paper concludes by addressing the emerging issues identified and lessons learned from the experience.
The authors acknowledge all the Child and Young Reporters from RX Radio.
Context
Children’s Participation Legal Framework
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child provides the legal framework for children’s participation as a right, specifically:
Article 12: the right of children to be listened to and to be taken seriously.
Article 13: the right of children to freedom of expression using mediums of their choice.
Article 5: acknowledges the evolving capacities of the child, which are not only related to age and maturity but to the life experiences and their social and cultural environment.
Participation means different things to different people, and the form of participation varies with circumstances, including culture, age, gender, setting, political and economic conditions, available resources, researcher and participant’s goals.
Implementing children’s participation initiatives is challenging and many organizations struggle to achieve meaningful children’s participation successfully.
Authentic and meaningful participation requires a radical shift in adult thinking and behavior, from a world defined by adults to one in which children are allowed to contribute to building the kind of world they want to live in.
Although it is reasonable and critical for children to expect that spaces will be created to enable them to safely and freely express themselves, share their views and perceptions on issues that concern them, the reality is that the fulfilment of this right continues to be a rare privilege for many children in the world.
Approaches to children’s participation
Gerison Lansdown (2001) mentions that approaches to children’s participation can be broadly grouped into three categories:
Consultative processes:
Adults initiate processes to obtain information from children through whom they can improve legislation, policies or services.
These are adult initiated, adult led and managed.
Children have no control over the outcomes.
Participative initiatives:
The aim is to strengthen processes of democracy, create opportunities for children to understand and apply democratic principles or involve children in the development of services and policies that impact on them.
They are initiated by adults but involve collaboration with children.
They involve the creation of structures through which children can challenge or influence outcomes.
Promoting self-advocacy:
The aim is to empower children to identify and fulfil their own goals and initiatives.
The issues of concern are identified by the children themselves.
The role of adults is to facilitate, not lead.
The process is controlled by the children.
Lansdown also mentions that projects can move through from one category to another, as they evolve and as children, and adults, grow in confidence.
The RX Radio initiative falls under the self-advocacy approach.
The benefits of children’s participation
Kirby, Lanyon, Cronin and Sinclair (2003) set out three broad reasons why children and young people should participate in issues that affect and concern them:
Practical benefits to services:
Giving children and young people an active say in how policies and services are developed, provided, evaluated and improved, should ensure that policies and services more genuinely meet their needs.
Promoting citizenship and social inclusion.
Listening to children and young people is a powerful means of persuading children and young people that they are valued and are able to make a meaningful contribution.
Personal and social education and development.
Active participation is also seen as contributing to children’s and young people’s wider personal development, increased self-worth and confidence, and practical skills and knowledge.
Why children’s radio?
Radio is a powerful tool for communication, advocacy and development and this is even more so in the case of children if their world of meaning and reality is to be widened and deepened.
The use of radio as a tool to promote meaningful children’s participation and enhance children’s rights can be very successful.
Some of the advantages are the following:
The approach is a hands-on activity in which children engage with a specific medium.
Technical skills are gained by the children.
There are tangible outputs such as a radio programme.
The radio programmes are the vehicles through which children tell their stories.
Radio programmes can be widely distributed to the general public and specific target audiences.
The radio programmes can effectively be used as advocacy tools.
The radio programmes provide an opportunity for peer advocacy to other children.
Radio programmes can be designed to promote self-mastery by young children.
From an educational aspect listening, comprehension, reflection and oral skills amongst other skills stand to be enhanced through children producing their own radio programmes.
Skills gained by children participating in the radio can be used by them later on in life and can help to build their early career pathways and ideas for their life journey.
The challenges with a media driven approach lies in how the media is produced and used if it is to play a significant advocacy role in advancing the rights of children.
It is important to note that there is a great difference between media that is produced for children and media that is produced by children themselves.
Successful approaches do exist and there are experiences from around the world in which children themselves have been trained to use different mediums to produce their own media programmes to enable them to share their own stories with other children.
When media is demystified and made accessible to children, they can use this opportunity effectively as a powerful tool to advocate and to express themselves on issues that affect them.
Radio produced by and for children: The RX Radio experience
Background:
RX Radio draws on the experience and learnings gained from one of the author’s involvement during the last 30 years in the development, planning and implementation of several initiatives in which children were trained to produce their own media programmes including the following three programmes:
Radio Zibonele (Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa), which was one of the first community radio stations in South Africa. It started broadcasting illegally in April 1993, under the apartheid regime.
It was at Zibonele that the first group of 12 children aged 6 to 12 were trained on the necessary life skills and radio skills to broadcast live at the station.
Growing up in a time of AIDS: Abaqophi BakwaZisize Abakhanyayo Children's Radio Project, (Ingwavuma, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa).
Established in 2005, as a partnership project between the Children’s Institute of the University of Cape Town, Zisize Educational Trust and Okhayeni Primary School.
Participating children were trained to produce broadcast-quality radio programmes in a variety of formats.
Children's Voices: Film diaries (Engoyi, Northern Namibia) was initiated under the auspices of IBIS Southern African Regional HIV and AIDS Programme and continued and expanded by Positive Vibes, a Namibian NGO.
In this project, 24 children aged between 8 – 13 years from the rural village of Engoyi made films about their life experiences and thereby challenging the commonly held notion that children should be seen but not heard.
Who we are – a brief history:
RX Radio is an award winning children’s radio station run by and for children operating from the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.
The selection of this hospital as the ideal site for RX Radio was informed by the demand for children’s health services as provided by the hospital and the role that such a project can play in being a vehicle to facilitate children’s advocacy, rights and education.
The management of RCWMCH had given its full support to the concept and agreed to make available space for the radio station, as well as access to staff and patients.
The idea first started in 2008 with a pilot of four children (all of them patients at RCWMCH) – together they were the first team of Child/Young Reporters.
Originally established under the auspices of the RCWMCH Facility Board on the 1st November 2016, RX Radio is now a Non Profit Company registered under the Companies & Intellectual Property Commission and became operational as one in January 2019.
What we do:
More than just a radio station, RX Radio is a unique tool with potential to affect change on many levels.
Firstly, it gives young people the chance to build the life skills/confidence needed to voice their opinions, take on new roles, and become actively involved in community life.
RX Radio uses the ‘magic of the microphone’ to give children attending hospital a platform for expression, information and participation.
RX Radio empowers chronically ill children and their families to reconnect with the world around them – a vital step that builds resilience, improves health and well-being, and creates new opportunities for the future.
RX Radio broadcasts 24/7, LIVE and Pre-recorded programmes (including shows, music, podcasts, and radio diaries).
To become an RX Radio reporter, children first complete basic training: a week of workshops about important life skills (e.g. listening, storytelling), radio reporting and production skills.
In the last 4 years, RX Radio has trained 100 Child and Young Reporters (ages 4 to 18), at RCWMCH and Paarl Hospital.
Through the on-going training, the reporters are given the opportunity to conceptualise and build their own shows on health issues and topics that they find interesting.
As this is a radio station that brings child participation to the forefront, RX Radio encourages children to express themselves in a language that makes them feel comfortable and confident – which predominantly include English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans, as these are the main languages in Cape Town, South Africa.
Programme activities are delivered by a team of seven staff members, two interns and various volunteers.
Together they provide Child/Young Reporters with the training and support they need to design, develop, produce and host their own radio shows.
Children’s Voices on COVID-19
With the outbreak of COVID-19, RX Radio Reporters began utilising WhatsApp voice-notes and other remote recording methods to gather content about the pandemic and act as an educational and entertainment tool for all young listeners and their families.
Public service announcements (PSAs) were created and interviews were conducted to give information about the Coronavirus and promote health and safety in the home during the South African National Lockdown.
Children began sharing how COVID-19 is affecting their lives – as well as giving tips and advice for staying healthy and keeping busy.
This project not only shared children’s thoughts and feelings during this pandemic, but also helped them engage with adults – like parents, healthcare workers, policy makers and professionals – to show them that children have a key role in tackling this pandemic and helping to shape the response to the Coronavirus.
Recognising the power and potential of radio journalism, RX Radio is a vehicle to open inter-generational dialogues and empower children and young people to engage with issues that affect and involve them.
RX Radio strives to:
Provide a safe platform for children to express themselves on issues that are important to them;
Improve children’s experiences of hospital and of their illness;
Contribute to the healing process;
Increase adult understanding of children’s experiences of chronic illness/hospital;
Inform improved health worker and hospital practice;
Produce quality audio programmes by children and for children that informs, educates, entertains, and promotes respect for children’s rights.
Build lifelong skills of the Child/Young Reporters
Facilitate intergenerational dialogue between children patients, families and health workers
Generate content, based on the stories produced by children, which can be used to improve the public’s awareness of specific children’s issues, as well as targeting policy- and decision-makers.
Sustainability
Sustainability of RX Radio beyond the first four-year period is a key priority for the station and it is approached in a holistic way, taking into account the following three main areas: social sustainability, institutional sustainability and financial sustainability.
Social sustainability refers mainly to children’s participation in the running of the station together with a sense of ownership and belonging that children can express.
Institutional sustainability is about the way the station is run (governance, policies, partnerships and training) and the support and buy-in from the hospital community and the Provincial Department of Health.
Financial sustainability refers to the financial resources needed to keep the station running.
In these first four years RX Radio has been successful in achieving, to a great extent, social and institutional sustainability, and have also been successful in raising funds for 2021.
Institutional sustainability
To run an organisation like RX Radio, a very strong admin unit is needed to ensure that activities are managed and run smoothly.
The work of the admin unit is vast and ranges from financial management, staff and office management, and logistics for events/trainings.
When RX Radio began operations in 2016, the team immediately began developing the following essential policies, forms and guidelines:
RX Radio Staff manual,
Volunteer’s policy,
Social Media Policy and Strategy,
Consent forms,
Petty cash system and forms,
Leave forms,
Transport forms (for children and parents),
Editorial Policy,
Staff Appraisal documents.
Since then, RX Radio has grown as an organisation and subsequently became a separate legal entity (Non Profit Company with members, registered with the Companies and Intellectual Properties Commission).
In line with RX Radio’s participatory management approach and as a result of the growth of the station in numbers, the station embarked on putting together a Code of Conduct for everyone at the station (staff and reporters).
As part of becoming a separate legal entity, RX Radio had to grow its financial systems as this had previously been partly managed by the Red Cross Health Facility Board.
RX Radio now has a financial policy which serves as a guiding document to provide principles and guidelines that govern the financial management of the organisation’s finances.
Basis of accounting
Administration and banking process and procedures
Financial planning and reporting
Payroll and purchase procedures
The key things that have made the project a success:
Buy in from all staff and stakeholders.
Strong values and principles that guide key decision making and how the station is run.
Ensuring that fun is had as much as possible.
Dedication and commitment to producing quality work and ensuring ethical considerations are always done.
Moving forward:
RX Radio has partnered with the Western Cape Provincial Department of Health to increase the reach of the broadcasts in other public hospitals in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has recently lifted the moratorium on the issuing of community radio licenses that had been in place since 2015.
RX Radio is actively pursuing content syndication with community, commercial and public broadcasters.
Awards and Partnerships
WHO Innovation Challenge
In July 2020, representatives of RX Radio were one of two winners out of 140 entries worldwide for the Reboot Health and Wellbeing Innovation challenge organized by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, WFP, UNAIDS, and the UN.
SA Radio Awards
In April 2020, RX Radio was the recipient of three SA Radio awards to individual members of the Team (Young Reporter, Producer and Station Manager).
Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) Isu Elihle Awards
One of the RX Radio reporters, Luzuko Sonkapu, has made the Top 6 for the Media Monitoring Africa Isu Elihle Awards, out of 114 entries in Africa. As part of being a finalist, Luzuko has been awarded R10 000 for the purposes of producing the article he proposed to MMA.
5Righs Foundation – RX Radio participation in the UNCRC General Comment: Children's rights in relation to the digital environment
RX Radio contributed to this publication and one of the reporters, Tarique Kenny, has been invited to be one of the panellists at the Internet Governance Forum event on the of 3rd November 2020 – where the Steering Group will discuss the General Comment.
Training Methodology used
Proven child-centred training methodologies
Training is fundamental for the success of the project.
The methodology that is used was developed over the last 15 years, was tested in a variety of different settings, and has been implemented in South Africa and Namibia.
The methodology used is broadly based on the following:
A participatory child-centred approach is used as the vehicle through which the needs of the ‘whole child’ are addressed. Children are active participants in the learning process.
The projects combine child-centred learning and participatory media techniques in its approach to advancing children’s rights.
The children decide on the issues that they want to address.
Training programs are planned and developed based on children’s developmental needs and interests.
The workshops are based on free play in a stimulating and safe environment.
The concept of the ‘whole child’ approach ensures that children develop physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually and cognitively during exposure to and involvement in the workshops.
The children’s basic radio training workshops are mainly facilitated over a period of five days and the objectives are as follows:
developing trust amongst children, and between children and facilitators
learning to work in a group
developing listening skills
developing confidence and assertiveness to speak in public
developing the children’s skills in developing oral histories, and narratives
exploring what are the most common problems/issues that affect them
understanding the concept and meaning of rights
creating awareness about children’s rights
exploring which personal narratives children would like to tell
preparing children for the media workshop process
learning communication and interviewing skills
learning listening skills, and the role of sound in producing radio
learning technical radio production skills, including the use of recording equipment and the elements of producing radio programmes
recording their personal radio narratives/radio diaries
Advanced ongoing radio training
Ongoing advanced radio training is a fundamental pillar of the training programme at RX Radio and plays a developmental role in the lives of the Child/Young Reporters.
The RX Radio ongoing training serves as an opportunity for the reporters to further develop their skills relating to their participation with radio.
Beyond their training relating to the mechanisms of radio, another aspect of the in-house ongoing training is for the reporters to become facilitators of the RX Radio basic training.
Guiding values and principles
The following guiding values and principles frame the establishment and implementation of RX Radio:
To uphold and promote children’s rights to expression, participation and involvement in decision-making as a central element of RX Radio.
To promote the concept of the whole child.
To promote learning through first-hand experience and fun, though play, games and artwork.
To encourage critical thinking and problem solving skills in all the children participating, through appropriate activities
To affirm children participating in the project in their own culture, language, religion, and socio-economic background.
To go through a thorough process of informed consent with the children and their parents/caregivers participating in the activities of the radio station.
To gain the buy-in and ongoing support of parents/caregivers of the children participating in the radio as well as the broader hospital community.
To succeed, the programme requires a shift in paradigm at philosophical, conceptual, strategic and functional levels, and which results in the development of a supportive environment that protects and enhances the rights of children participating, supported by the concept of the whole child and a child-centred approach.
Ethical considerations
In considering the ethical aspects of using radio by children to express themselves it is important to be aware of the delicate balance between the right of the child to be protected and right of the child to participate.
One of the achievements of the Convention for the Rights of the Child (CRC) is the creation of a positive and appropriate space to integrate the two premises that Melton refers to.
As a person, the child deserves opportunities to be heard whilst at the same time children are also recognized to be vulnerable and dependent persons that require special protections and entitlements if they are to be prepared for their role as fully functioning and responsible citizens of society.
Access to support mechanisms for children needs to be provided to ensure that children are able to progress without undue stress and in a safe environment.
For the children involved in the radio, due and proper consent processes apply as a crucial prerequisite for the children’s participation in the project.
Programmes need to ensure that all caregivers are well informed of the project through meetings and workshops so that they can participate and ask questions to enable informed decisions in considering the participation of each child in the programmes.
Emerging issues and lessons learned
Through the planning and implementation of RX Radio, a number of issues emerged and lessons were learned.
Various issues are highlighted as valuable for the planning and implementation of similar projects, including:
Creation of safe and enabling environments to work with children.
The development of child centered methodologies for training.
The need to train adult facilitators to work effectively with children.
The need to work in parallel with the parents/caregivers of the children.
Applying selection criteria for the children to participate in the projects.
We are changing lives and we can prove it
RX Radio’s developmental role
Children’s ownership and participation
The power and magic of the mic
Bringing together the hospital community
Improve health care delivery
Summary of the benefits observed on the children, organizations and communities adjudicated to RX Radio
Measuring the impact:
An exploratory qualitative study from Stellenbosch University provides support for the RX Radio model as a tool that positively contributes to patients’ lives.
A Master’s student from the UCT Psychology department is conducting research on the impact of RX Radio on children, parents, hospital community and listeners that will be ready in the beginning of 2021.
Benefits related to the children themselves
Dignity and respect
Enhanced well being
Contribution to gaining life skills and leadership development that can be built on and used in life
Able to take informed decisions
Promoting democratic citizenship
Gaining a better understanding of own health needs and encouraged the children to take responsibility for their own health
Educational benefits
Technical skills benefits and early opportunity to provide career pathway and interest options, including ideas for their life’s journey
Capturing the interest of children through a hands-on activity
Benefits related to the children’s parents and families
Benefits related to the organizations and individuals involved in the project
Benefits related to the communities in which the project was implemented
Benefits related to the advocacy component of RX Radio
Suggested good practice when implementing children’s participation initiatives
Based on the lessons learned through the initiative described and others, the following guidelines for good practice are suggested when developing and implementing children’s participation initiatives:
Get to know the children that will participate in the project. Understand their context, their capacity, motivations, interests and how they perceive issues.
Project strategies for children’s participation should incorporate and build on supportive local structures, traditions, knowledge and practice that involve children.
Involve children in project design as early as possible. This will help to develop ownership, learning and commitment from an early stage.
All stakeholders to agree on the purpose and benefits of children’s participation. The decision about the level and nature of children’s participation should involve all project stakeholders including children.
Assume child capacities and competencies to participate. Age–based assumptions could be misleading. To some degree it is important to assume the competence of children to participate in and focus on the type of support they need to enable them to participate meaningfully.
Focus on child-centered methodologies to facilitate participation.
Support adult stakeholders in developing their capacities to support children and implement meaningful participation.
Ensure that there is appropriate support and essential referral services available for children that participate in specific projects. Ethical considerations and child protection issues should be considered. It is imperative that the physical and emotional wellbeing of the children involved is ensured throughout the project as well as after the project ends.
Manage flexibly, document the processes and be open to learn. There are many ways of facilitating children’s participation. There is no single model that suits all contexts and situations. It is important to be able to adapt and change according to the specific circumstances and situations. Each project should be a learning process that is well documented so that this can be shared as well as contribute to the knowledge and practice in the field of children’s participation.
References
Chawla, L. 2001. “Evaluating children’s participation: seeking areas of consensus” PLA Notes 42, IIED London.
Hall, K. 2019. “Demography: Children in South Africa”. Children Count. University of Cape Town, South Africa. http://childrencount.uct.ac.za/indicator.php?domain=1&indicator=1
Lansdown, G. 2005. Innocenti Insight “The evolving capacities of the child”. United Nations Children’s Fund.
Melton, G.B. 1999. “Parents and children: legal reform to facilitate children’s participation”. American Psychologist, 54 (11), 932-934