NE1fm 102.5 at the Evolution Festival 2010, one of countless events covered by NE1fm volunteers
NE1fm 102.5 is operated entirely by volunteers. From the regular on-air team to everybody who helps out around the studio and the office, everyone dedicates their time for free and is passionate about creating radio for the people of Newcastle and Gateshead.
There’s always a need for more people to join the team, though, to contribute to everything from presenting and organising events, to interviewing and producing web content, to undergoing simple tasks such as sifting through CDs and answering the phone!
If you’d like to join the team, get in touch via the form at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, you can e-mail us at volunteering@ne1fm.net, or can call us between 10AM and midday on weekdays on (0191) 240 1025.
We welcome new faces all year round, and former members of the project have gone on to work in commercial radio, travel the world, work for major record labels, partake in full-time study, and more.
Whatever your level of experience and level of interest in radio and the community, we’ll be happy to take you on-board, and train you in using our technical equipment where necessary, giving you the opportunity to take part in the areas of the project that interest you.
There are no barriers of access at NE1fm. Our volunteers range in age from school-going teenagers to elderly residents. We have volunteers of all ethnic backgrounds, and we’re fully accessible for people with both physical and mental disabilities.
If you’re interested, please get in touch. No application to get involved, no matter how big or small, will be refused! Whether you can only dedicate a day per month, or wish to spend a lot of your time with us, we’ll be happy to hear from you.
We’ve almost 100 volunteers at any one time, so why not join the NE1fm team, and help to make great radio for the people of Newcastle and Gateshead?
There’s a few questions that prospective volunteers often ask us, and we’ve collated the most common ones below, which you can display by clicking the box.
Volunteering – The Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, we’ll respond to all enquiries via the form or e-mail within 48 hours, although this may vary. The next step depends on what you’d like to do and your level of experience, but you’ll usually be invited to visit the station for a look around and a chat about what you’d like to get involved with.
In which areas are you currently looking for volunteers?
We accept enquiries to become involved in every area all year round. That said, we’re currently especially keen on hearing from individuals that feel that they can raise the profile of NE1fm, and that wish to become involved in organising and helping out at outside broadcasts and events. We are also keen to hear from individuals that would like to contribute content for the NE1fm.net website.
I can only dedicate a small amount of time to NE1fm each week.
We’re happy to hear from potential volunteers, even if they’ve only got an occasional hour to spare. Don’t be put off by a lack of time. Many of our volunteers are only available one or two times per week, and some even less than that!
I’m under the age of 18. Can I still get involved with NE1fm?
Yes! We’ve had volunteers, including presenters, under the age of 18 in the past, and there is no minimum age in order to become involved with NE1fm.
Volunteers under the age of 16 (and 16 year olds that are in their final year of secondary school) must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when involved with the station, at least initially. If you are 17 years old, or 16 but have left school, you can become involved with NE1fm on your own.
When involved with the project, all under-18s are covered at all times by a CRB checked volunteer, but if your parents or guardians have any questions about NE1fm, we’ll be more than happy to answer them, both before and when you visit us.
Is it worth getting in touch if all I want to do is present?
Yes, we’re still interested in hearing from you if that is your only area of interest, and it’s easy to get a one-off broadcast slot on NE1fm in the form of an open slot.
That said, regular broadcast slots are usually offered to volunteers that make significant off-air contributions, and there is always significant demand for these slots. As such, a lack of dedication and interest in other areas of the project could work against an application for a regular broadcast slot, especially as we do take off-air contributions in to account when considering applications for new programming on the station.
Does NE1fm offer formal work experience or apprenticeship placements?
While experience with NE1fm can be a great asset for any CV, especially for jobs in the media industry, we are unfortunately unable to offer formal work experience or apprenticeship placements. Don’t let that put you off volunteering with us, though!
I’m part of another radio station. Can I get involved with NE1fm too?
Of course! In the past our volunteers have shared their time between NE1fm 102.5 and commercial, BBC and hospital stations. That said, presenters on other community radio stations will be unable to air on NE1fm, although you can still help out off-air with us.
Is there anything that would disqualify me from volunteering with NE1fm?
We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds and ages, and experience is not a factor. However, individuals with convictions under the Radio Piracy Act, and individuals that have signed the Sex Offenders Register will not be able to participate in any capacity.
Would you be interested in taking my free syndicated radio show?
At NE1fm we have a commitment to producing original radio locally, and as such we do not air any standard syndicated hits or other radio shows. If you’re from the local area and want to produce content specifically for NE1fm, however, then it is worth getting in touch.
I feel that I could be an asset to NE1fm, but I would like to be paid. Is it worth getting in touch?
We’re sorry, but we’re a purely volunteer-led project, and as such cannot pay any individual for their services, regardless of their skills.
The Volunteering Enquiry form is accessible by clicking the box below. We usually respond to enquiries via the form within 24 hours. Please note however that, due to our present online-only status, our response time is slower than usual and you may wish to consider waiting until we have resumed full FM broadcasts before volunteering to get involved.
Click here to show the Volunteering Enquiry form
Please note that, due to our on-going transmission difficulties, responses to volunteering enquiries are currently taking longer than usual. Additionally, as we presently have less volunteers in on a daily basis, you may prefer to wait until full broadcasts are resumed before getting in touch.
