The creative producers behind WADUP are making podcasts with teens across the world. Meet generation podcast.

“Our ultimate goal is to make sure everyone feels like they’re a part of a worldwide community and gets an opportunity to share their stories first-hand.” – Ekram Esmael

The experience of an Israeli teenager being conscripted into the army at 18, a brother’s struggle with selective mutism in Dubai and an untold story of a Romanian woman making history; these are some of the intimate stories shared by a group of young people in the first season of WADUP, an independent audio-storytelling project working with 16-25 years old people from across the world.

Nineteen-year-old Ekram Esmael is the host of these 20-minutes audio pieces that offer youth a platform to speak for themselves about their individual experiences, feelings or untold stories. Topics vary as teens relay stories that range from being bullied at a new school in a new country to dealing with the unpredictable temptations of the middle aisle at Aldi supermarkets.

For these new co-producers it’s a unique experience, giving them the opportunity to not only learn how to produce a podcast, but also to talk or discuss subjects that are important to them.

To enter the WADUP programme, an aspiring co-producer just need to submits an idea related to the season’s theme. Once involved, they learn to write, develop, record and edit their first podcast episodes and walk away with the skills, confidence and network to be podcasters. Each podcaster gets weekly one-to-one coaching with podcasting professionals and becomes part of the global peer-to-peer group with all WADUP producers.

“Making the story was an eye-opening experience, it helped me comprehend the extent of my brother’s struggles as he spoke about his social anxiety.”- Iman, ‘Overcoming silence’ Co-producer

The international diversity is reflected in the WADUP’s team: Australian, British, Somalian, Israeli, Sudanese and Romanian entrepreneurs are driving the project, and they are now looking for new stories for next year’s season, which will be around the theme of ‘stories of connection’.

AtlasAction: Become a WADUP podcaster! Submit your ideas here.

Social designer interested in changing who gets heard and how systems are shaped.