The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award launches Navigating Now – a podcast for young people, by young people

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) will this week launch Navigating Now – a brand new podcast created by young people, for young people.

Navigating Now will help young people explore answers to the big questions they have about life. The eight-episode series will see young people discuss the issues affecting them today, from social media and identity, to mental health and careers – joined by guests including radio DJ and television presenter Melvin Odoom, campaigner and co-founder of Kids Against Plastic Ella Meek, and former England rugby captain and podcaster Jonny Wilkinson.

The concept was created by 31 DofE participants and Award holders aged 14 to 26 from across the UK, in collaboration with award-winning podcast production and promotion company Mags Creative. Episode one will launch on Wednesday 12 July on Apple, Spotify and all major podcast platforms.

Each episode is narrated by Elsie – a 15-year-old engineer-to-be who is currently working towards her Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – and hosted by three different young people.

Together, they dissect and comment on three big questions, as they listen to suggestions and advice sent in from across the UK. Each host picks one suggestion to try out in their everyday lives, and records their progress in audio diaries that are shared throughout the series.

Elsie said: “I wanted to get involved with the Navigating Now podcast because it was the first real opportunity I had to get my voice out there and heard, and just to be an all-round advocate for my generation. Getting to work with other young people was so fun – once the introductions were over and everyone got to know each other, it was like we’d known each other for years and there were so many things we could relate with each other about.

“In this day and age, everyone is so interested in hearing what others have to say, and that’s exactly what this podcast does – allows people to listen into the minds of young people.”

The theme of Navigating Now’s first episode is Identity. Young hosts Juliette, Anika and James will dive into the following questions with presenter and Invictus Games medallist JJ Chalmers and seven-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft:

• How can I know what my ‘true self’ is if I’m constantly shifting who I am to try and fit in?
• How do I come to terms with the fact that I’m not the person I used to be and communicate to others that I am different to who they think I am?
• What are the ways we can help people feel body positive without making it seem that physical appearance is more important than their other qualities?

Themes in the upcoming season include:

• Navigating… Social Media, with contributions from podcaster and author Kate Ferdinand.
• Navigating… Community, with Michelin-starred chef and community activist Tom Kerridge.
• Navigating… Mental Health, with former England rugby captain and podcaster Jonny Wilkinson, world record-setting adventurer and extreme remote and hostile locations expert Aldo Kane, and psychotherapist Samantha Pennells-Nkolo.
• Navigating… Passions and Careers, with radio DJ and television presenter Melvin Odoom and presenter, author and travel enthusiast Charley Boorman.
• Navigating… the Environment, with wildlife expert, TV presenter, author and conservationist Chris Packham, campaigner and co-founder of Kids Against Plastic Ella Meek, and author, playwright and screenwriter Laline Paull.
• Navigating… Relationships, with TV presenter and broadcaster Anna Richardson, professional matchmaker, head of research for Tinder and television host Paul Carrick Brunson, and podcaster and author Kate Ferdinand.

In the final episode, young people reflect on their audio diaries and discuss how they got on trying out the tips shared across the series – did they get some answers to the big questions they have about life?

Navigating Now is a Mags Creative Production brought to you by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award with generous support from The Gosling Foundation and RSM UK, a leading audit, tax and consulting firm.

Listen to Navigating Now on Apple, Spotify and all major podcast platforms, and follow the journey on TikTok @NavigatingNowPod.