The podcast is a collaboration between the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award participants and production and promotion company, Mags Creative. It launched in July 2023 and published eight episodes spanning subjects such as social media, mental health, relationships, and the environment and now the show is back for two bonus episodes, releasing today, focusing on a range of issues from the cost of living crisis and the pressures of becoming an adult to global issues and how to know what news to trust.

Hannah Russell and Faith Russell from Mags Creative commented about the new bonus episodes:

“These two new episodes of Navigating Now provide a unique opportunity to hear from young people during a time of significant political change in the UK and around the world. From the episode topics, to the podcast theme music and narration, these episodes have been driven by young people’s thoughts, opinions, ideas and talents. We feel very privileged to have been trusted to raise the volume on young people’s voices at a time when they need to be heard more than ever. A few months ago, the podcast trailer was being played in parliament at an event marking the publication of major new research published by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – the themes of which, informed Navigating Now. This was a particularly proud production moment for the show and an example of the real-world impact we hope the podcast will have.”

Photograph: The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award / Jonny Sanders

Each episode is narrated by Elsie (16) and hosted by three different young people. We spoke to Elsie in August last year to get her thoughts on the podcast and this time we’re speaking to two of the young hosts – Craig (22) from Ascot and Abiya (15) from Lisburn, Northern Ireland about the two new bonus episodes…

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and these new bonus episodes?

Craig: I’m Craig, I’m 22, I’m from Ascot, and have recently graduated from Loughborough University in Mathematics and Sports Science. After completing my DofE Gold Award in 2020, I supported the DofE locally before getting involved as a host on Navigating Now. On these bonus episodes, myself and Abi, alongside other young people, discuss key issues affecting young people in the UK today, including the cost-of-living crisis and trust in the media.

Abiya: My name is Abi, I’m 15, I live in Northern Ireland, in Lisburn. This is my first time being involved in podcasting and I’m so excited for other young people to hear our thoughts and for it to spark their own discussions.

Were you interested in podcasting before you got involved with Navigating Now?

Abiya: I had actually never thought about podcasting before as I’m someone who needs to see rather than hear. So since I didn’t think podcasts would appeal to me, I never really considered it before Navigating Now.

When we were recording the episodes I really enjoyed how much we were encouraged to voice our thoughts confidently. I can sometimes struggle with this, especially when my opinion may be different to other people’s. Now I am hoping to and trying to continue speaking with confidence no matter whether other people will agree or disagree with me.

Craig: I have always had a fascination with the production process of podcasts, especially with their growth in popularity over the last decade – so being behind one of the microphones and meeting everyone involved was eye opening. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process.

Photograph: The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award / Jonny Sanders

Do you have any favourite podcasts that you listen to?

Abiya: Yes, my friend recently told me about this wonderful podcast called Christ with Coffee on Ice which is a Christian podcast that for me as a Christian is really encouraging to listen to.

Craig: In the twelve months proceeding the release of Navigating Now series one, I have listened to the Modern Wisdom podcast with Chris Williamson. It provides life lessons established through the host’s desire for self-improvement and reflection – drawing similarities to the voicenotes heard in Navigating Now and how we as hosts can take the pieces of advice given in our own lives, as Chris Williamson does in his. Having had successful guests such as Dr Jordan Peterson, Gary Vaynerchuk, and David Goggins on the Modern Wisdom podcast, all of whom I look up to in their own respect, I have been engrossed in discovering new outlooks on life, and how I can use this knowledge going forward – a concept I am lucky to have had first hand experience of when appearing on Navigating Now.

What have you learned about podcasting through hosting Navigating Now?

Abiya: That it’s okay to make mistakes. When you’ve got an awesome team behind the scenes, who are cheering you on, you don’t have to be perfect. You just need to say what you want to say, in the way that you want to say it. And if that means trying once or twice – just go for it.

Craig: How many people it takes to turn podcasts from dreams to reality! There is an unbelievable team behind the Navigating Now podcast – from creative producers to social media experts, there are lots of unsung heroes bringing the podcast to life that you don’t necessarily appreciate as a listener. The recording days were full on with lots to cram in to get everything the team needed, and I can’t wait for you to hear what has been produced!

Photograph: The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award / Jonny Sanders

Are there any particular moments in the podcast that mean the most to you?

Abiya: It’s all so precious to me because it’s the result of more than two or three months of calls and research. To see it all put together is unreal.

Craig: I would say discussing the cost-of-living crisis alongside Katrina and Abi resonated with me. As a recent graduate, the prospect of trying to get on the housing ladder, whilst trying to pay the eye-watering student debt attached to going to university, is daunting. Being able to discuss a topic I was so passionate about, with two others at different stages of life, was really valuable.

I also can’t not mention working alongside such incredible individuals throughout the process, as this meant a lot to me.

Has working on Navigating Now made you more likely to start your own podcast one day?

Craig: With the abundance of podcasts now, I don’t know if I’d have what it takes to compete against the competition! I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the podcast though, having been fortunate to speak on the first series and again on the bonus episodes. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Abiya: Not right now, I’m only 15 and I’ve got my whole life ahead of me! But I loved recording the bonus episodes, and I’d be much more likely to get involved if I ever got the opportunity to do something like this again.

What advice would you offer to other young people who want to get involved in podcasting?

Abiya: Go for it! If it feels right, if it seems like something you would enjoy, try it and see. And if it doesn’t float your boat that’s okay. Don’t ever give yourself the chance to regret not trying it.

Craig: Trust me an “Oops” is better than a “What if?”. I’d much rather look back on experiences acknowledging that they may not have had the desired outcome – than regret and wonder what could have been if I wasn’t so caught up about what other people might think. I’d recommend other young people to just go for it – grasp every opportunity presented to you and never be too shy to ask questions about something you have a passion for. It could lead to paths you never imagined were possible.

Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Abiya: Navigating Now is possibly one of the best podcasts you could listen to. There are some really good pieces of advice from both the celebrities and the young people which could positively impact your life.

I personally really enjoyed listening to Navigating Now, even before I was invited to be a host on one of the episodes. It’s an inspiring and fun podcast where young people can share their thoughts on big ideas that would usually be dismissed or discouraged if they tried to speak out about them. Navigating Now gives young people hope that their thoughts still matter.

Craig: Listen to our podcast! On a more professional note, I am excited to find out what you think of it. It was a joy to be a part of the process, and I hope that is conveyed in the finished product.

Follow the show on TikTok @NavigatingNowPod. Listen to Navigating Now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcast apps >>

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But it’s not just a case of looking for the nearest set of oddballs in robes and pointing a microphone at them. Invariably the podcasts about cults which work best, and which make the best use of podcasting as a medium, don’t really look like cult stories at all. They’re about the ways in which a whole array of difficulties can combine to lead a person to look for meaning in places where most of us never go.

Cult stories aren’t really about cults; they’re about the gaps in society which people can fall through, and where they end up when they feel they’ve nowhere left to go. Here are nine of the best podcasts about cults.

Sounds Like a Cult

If you’ve been thinking of cults purely in terms of very spindly blokes with beards and sandals promising good vibes to anyone committed enough to hand over their Monzo card, you’ve had it all wrong. Amanda Montell and Isa Medina are joined by a new guest each episode to pick apart how the mechanics of cults are at play in all sorts of places: K-pop fandom, corporate America, Coachella, Peloton, the Boy Scouts, Apple, diet culture. Honestly, you’ll be amazed if it turns out you’ve not been in a cult all this time. Listen now >>

A Very British Cult

For Jeff, Lighthouse seemed to be exactly what its name promised: a beacon of hope and guidance during a difficult time in his life. The life-coaching company said it could set him straight and put him on a path to abundance and freedom. But his sister Dawn saw that it was leaching him of his self-confidence and his cash – to the tune of £100,000. This investigation from some of the team behind The Missing Cryptoqueen is often difficult to listen to as Jeff is crushed and trapped, but it’s compulsive too. Listen now >>

Escaping NXIVM

The luridness of what used to go on at NXIVM – grooming, sexual abuse, branding rituals with hot irons – made it a huge news story in 2018, and as soon as you thought you’d hit the most bizarre revelation another would pop up. Hang on: Allison Mack from Smallville’s involved? But focusing on just those lurid aspects ignores the wreckage which NXIVM strewed through its victims’ lives. CBC’s seven-part examination came out just after the ringleaders were arrested in 2018, and is as thorough and sober a telling as you’ll find. Listen now >>

The Orgasm Cult

There’s been a libel case hanging over this one for a couple of years, as the founder and former exec of OneTaste – a “sexuality-focused wellness education” organisation – attack the BBC over its accusations of manipulation and extortionate prices for enlightenment. OneTaste offered classes in “orgasmic meditation”, which is roughly what it sounds like, but this podcast suggests it was exploiting the women who came to it hoping for answers. It’s not a pure wibbly-woo cult story; there is a hard edge here, and is as much a business investigation as anything else. Listen now >>

The New Gurus

Now that cults and how they work are fairly well-trodden ground, you’d assume that most smart, level-headed people would be able to spot the red flags and skip on by. But as Helen Lewis points out, the methods which were once used to flog mysticism and self-knowledge are still around – they’re just being wrapped up in all sorts of new guises. While not strictly about cults, Lewis shows how techno-utopians promising the earth are speaking to people anxious about what’s to come, and the scions of, say, pick-up artistry, certainly have big cult vibes. Listen now >>

Trust Me

Most cult-concerned podcasts are limited, bingeable series, but this is an always-on one dedicated to talking to survivors of cults about how their particular sect worked, how they got out, and how they managed to readjust to mainstream life afterwards. Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth are the perfect hosts: both are cult survivors themselves, and can probe in a way that doesn’t feel exploitative or judgemental. Recent guests have included Crystal Hefner on the Playboy Mansion and Jenna Miscavige Hill on getting out of Scientology. Listen now >>

The Coming Storm

When the Capitol building was stormed on 6 January 2021, the world suddenly woke up to the very real danger which the QAnon conspiracy posed to sanity and democracy. To show how a niche subculture on the 4Chan imageboard gestated, warped and metastasised to take over people’s entire lives and a frightening chunk of the Republican party, BBC reporter Gabriel Gatehouse goes all the way back to the very beginning, and the discovery of a dead body in a park. Listen now >>

Filthy Ritual

Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala from true crime podcast RedHanded tell the story of how a North London neighbourhood became the playground of a shamanic healer who convinced her clients to hand over hundreds of thousands of pounds. Maguire and Bala are engagingly wry hosts who nonetheless get over the strange hold which Juliet d’Souza had over otherwise rational, reasonable people. Listen now >>

Plus one from our Digital Editor:

The Commune
Recommended by Francesca Turauskis

“I couldn’t let this article go out without adding my own recommendation for The Commune, which won the ‘Podcast of the Year’ at the New Zealand Podcast Awards in 2022. For New Zealanders, Centrepoint is notorious – as was it’s Founder, Herbert “Bert” Potter. Started in 1977 just outside the town of Albany, it positioned itself as an alternative lifestyle. In reality, it was abusive and psychological manipulative, with unmonitored forms of group therapy and widely reported sexual abuse, drug use, and local corruption. The Commune features interviews with previous Centrepoint residents (some of whom look back on Centrepoint fondly) and people who lived near by, and ultimately tries to figure out, how did it happen.” Listen now >>

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Hi Will, tell us a bit about yourself!

Even as a boy I was interested in what kinds of organisation best help people work and live in a fulfilling way that allow their talents to flourish and improve the world in some way – to this day I am not sure why or where the interest came from. Growing up in the 1960s to a backdrop of Bob Dylan, the Beatles and Stones must have helped – but I suspect I was born with a social science gene. Let’s apply ourselves really to improving the economy and society as much as dancing in the street (although I like doing that too!) I found I was good at Social Science subjects which led to studying Economics and Sociology at Bristol University which has followed through to be the golden thread in my life – my journalism, my books, the think tanks which I have lead, the policy commissions, heading up an Oxford college and now being President of the Academy of Social Sciences.

How did you get involved in this podcast – where did it all start?

I was brainstorming with the Academy’s CEO Rita Gardner about how to spread the word about social science – she floated the idea of a podcast and I jumped at it. We did the first series last Summer.

Each episode you ask your guests what the ‘We Society’ means to them – what does it mean to you?

Aha. Well I coined the term in the 2021 Campaign for Social Science annual lecture and it’s the cornerstone of a book I am writing. We human beings need each other – we need to associate with one another, work and play together, team up in families and groups, build organisations and institutions together. Yes, the good society must foster individual agency and our taking responsibility for our lives , but within a firm societal framework of “ we” . It is not moral only to care about oneself and one’s individual interests as the hyper libertarians argue. Morality must be about accepting obligations to the whole – delivering a social purpose in some way. The We Society tries to capture that notion – and the role of Social Science in laying out the evidence and the options.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

It’s tempting to reply with something high-falutin’, but the honest answer is Joan and Jericha – had me weeping with laughter.

Which podcasts did you take inspiration from?

In terms of the range of subjects we cover, Reasons to be Cheerful, The Rest is History and The Rest is Politics – but we decided to follow Steve Richards and Rock & Roll Politics with just a sole presenter. I like to think that The We Society podcast is carving out a distinctive niche. We give entertaining , enthusiastic but serious experts and policy architects along with the occasional politician, writer or artist, all of whom are burning to make the world better based on really good evidence, a platform to express their ideas but being challenged where necessary – while always looking for an intriguing angle.

The podcast talks about ‘Ideas to shape the way we live’ so is there an episode that has shaped you personally?

Ai Weiwei , the Chinese artist and dissident, dismissing his 81 days in solitary confinement as nothing besides the 5 year horror his father went through – having single-handedly to clear the latrines of a large village everyday with the crudest of implements, never having a day off and living in an underground dug-out. That hit me hard, along with his recognition that the Chinese Communist party uses the We Society to oppress, not liberate – even as he subscribes to our western concept of the We Society. In the wrong hands the concept can be abused. But the overriding thing all the podcasts share is the passion of the social scientists for their subject and their sheer knowledge. It’s inspiring.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about the show?

Follow @AcadSocSciences or @williamnhutton on Twitter, check in with your podcast app or go to acss.org.uk.

Listen to The We Society on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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Now, Liz Cheng and Patricia Alvarado Núñez (who co-created the series with Editorial Manager Chris Hastings) host and executive produce Stories from the Stage: The Podcast, based on the original broadcast series. It allow listeners to hear entire episodes of the original series as they appeared during their original television broadcasts, but it also provides bonus “behind-the-scenes” narratives and extras not included in the Stories from the Stage on-air broadcasts.

We caught up with Liz and Patricia to talk about creating the podcast series, representation, and which podcasts inspire them…

Can you introduce yourselves to the readers?

Liz Cheng: Early in my career as a print and video journalist/producer, I gravitated to the stories of individuals, caught in the headlines, who illustrated the unfortunate pressure points in America, and yet, were determined to prevail. I was especially drawn to those who embodied all the ‘differences’ that make a difference. You see, my parents emigrated from China after World War II at a time when our country thought every Asian was the enemy, so it was difficult for them to find jobs, despite having advanced degrees, and it was years until they eventually became U.S. citizens. As a result, I found myself focusing on fellow multiculturals — filmmakers, storytellers and subjects/people with diverse backgrounds, differing orientation and often challenging circumstances —who like all of us just want a safe and sustainable place in the world for themselves, the people they love and their community. Thanks to our talented staff, WORLD has evolved from a service that merely repeated the best in PBS non-fiction content to now commissioning and curating original films and storytelling with widely diverse perspectives and memorable situations – in essence, people reporting from the heart of their own multicultural communities.

Patricia Alvarado Núñez: Growing up in Panama and working at its public television station, I had always dreamed of studying in Boston and working at the powerhouse public media producer, GBH. I was fortunate to secure an internship with La Plaza, a GBH series dedicated to examining issues affecting Latino communities throughout the United States. Following my internship, I had the opportunity to produce different projects, including a documentary about Fidel Castro for the PBS series American Experience, a national studio-based series called Maria Hinojosa: One-on-One and Neighborhood Kitchens, a regional multicultural food series. I hope all my projects give people a glimpse into the diverse communities that make up our country. For this series, we have created a welcoming stage accessible to people from across the nation and around the world — of all ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds as well as those from rural and urban areas. When we create a safe place for people and their stories, we make space for empathy and a way for all of us to connect with a shared humanity.

What drew you to this project?

Patricia: Stories from the Stage is a dream project for me. I grew up hearing stories, mainly from my aunts and my dad in our childhood home. So, while I’ve always enjoyed the art of storytelling, I never dreamed that such stories could appeal to a wider audience. We love to help people find their voice because everyone has a story to tell. Some say telling a story on stage in front of strangers is simple, but it is not, even if you are an experienced speaker, actor, writer or stand-up comic. Liz, Director and Editor Michael Rossi, Curator and Story Coach Cheryl Hamilton, and I are grateful to our storytellers for allowing us to work with them on honing their performances, as they prepare to share the best and worst moments of their lives. Sometimes storytellers think they are ready to go on stage when they are not, so we gently invite them to return another time.

There are many reasons why tellers volunteer to do what they do: the time needed to process and publicly recognize something significant that happened to them as well as the opportunity to connect with strangers, impart insight about personal experiences and help others on their journey through life. Plus, it’s an amazing adrenaline rush – until you are up on stage, you can’t imagine the energy, excitement and feeling of accomplishment.

Liz: I believe a memorable story, heard at the right time, can transform a person. These are quintessential American stories from people whose families often originated from other countries. You can be emotionally uplifted by someone who might seem, at first, very different from you: a penniless young Black refugee from civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo trying to pursue an education in the U.S.; a woman with alopecia who redefines beauty for her two young daughters; or a man, whose family fled the Holocaust, learning to come to terms with tremendous loss.  These stories can inspire empathy, action and even incite social change — it is an art form that dares to take a stand. The primal act of sharing a story is a wonderful communal experience — we can learn together through laughter, tears — and cheers!  We endeavor to move beyond  understanding in order to celebrate our differences.

What do you have to consider when making a podcast as a companion to a TV series?

Patricia: For the podcast — as a major departure from broadcast — we can reveal the thinking and expand the timeline driving this incredibly rewarding work. Liz and I share behind-the-scenes information, including what happens after a performance. For example, on stage, a mother describes rescuing her young daughter from an oxycodone house; a year later, did the daughter stay drug-free and what did she think about her story being told publicly? Often, post-performance, long-lost friends, family and those involved in a story reach out to tellers after decades of no contact. These important details add layers to a story that is already extremely impactful.

Liz: Patricia and I discuss why we choose certain storytellers and how three stories connected together can make an inspiring statement about fighting for a cause, surviving a hilarious set of circumstances, triumphing over disaster, and even finding redemption. Unlike our broadcast series — we can also talk about how we identify with tellers and their stories. After all, we’re not made of stone! If we are filled with a sense of wonder or a particular story hits home, we talk about the connections to our personal lives. The podcast allows amazing stories – for the first time — to be enjoyed by all of you outside the United States.

Are there any podcasts you draw inspiration from?

Liz: I love so many podcasts that provide daily news, political analysis, storytelling, humor and deep dives into science, history, the arts or social justice issues.  Walking the dog on weekends, I like to listen to Code Switch, Hidden Brain, On the Media, and Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me!

We like to give our listeners a point of entry to series – would you say there’s a particular episode that’s a must listen?

Patricia:  It is hard to choose among so many storytellers who have inspired and entertained us. Below is a sampling of episodes we have listened to again and again and have turned out to be fan favorites in the U.S. Enjoy!

GROWING UP BLACK

Valerie Tutson introduces her disbelieving Black students to one of the world’s greatest explorers from Africa; and as a young girl at a predominantly Black school in Chicago, Angie Chatman has a chance encounter with a police officer she will never forget. Listen now >>

DEADLY SINS

Ashley Rose’s beloved multicultural neighborhood in Boston was destroyed by a man-made disaster; years later, she takes us back there to explore how this traumatic event turned her into a crusader for others. Listen now >>

WHATEVER IT TAKES 

Teacher and artist Annemarie Whilton describes her daughter Sarah’s descent into substance misuse disorder and her dramatic rescue from a drug den. Mother and daughter have a conversation with us about the challenging journey toward recovery. Listen now >>

SURVIVING CHILDHOOD

Comedic storyteller Susanne Schmidt shares two of her favorite childhood adventures: an “extreme camping” trip with her family, and her Janis Joplin lookalike nanny, who invented an new Olympic competition riding pillows down the staircase. Listen now >>

Where can our readers find out more about you?

You can follow Stories from the Stage on Facebook @storiesfromthestage to learn more about the series and discover new stories, or
Instagram, Twitter and YouTube using the hashtag #SFTSPodcast or by tagging @worldchannel and @StoriesFromTheStage.

Listen to Stories From The Stage now on worldchannel.org, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

Patricia Alvarado Núñez is an executive producer at GBH Boston.

Liz is the general manager of television for GBH’s six channels in the station’s local Boston, Massachusetts, area and for the U.S. 24/7 digital service, WORLD Channel, which is available in markets representing nearly 75% of U.S. television households.

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