(SSR). Audio is one of the most versatile and flexible media there are. It is one of the most simple yet effective ways of getting a message across, and over the years it has transformed passing through soundwaves across the world in the form of radio shows, music, and nowadays, podcasts.
The interest in podcasting has grown increasingly over the years and saw a major boom during the pandemic as podcasts prove to be efficient tools for sharing stories, building communities, and even creating job and networking opportunities. For this reason, SIGNIS Services Rome incorporated a training course on podcasting for the new communications centre of the diocese of Belice City and Belmopan.
The course, crafted by Maria Victoria La Terza, expert in digital media and communications, gathered communication enthusiasts from all over Belize to give them the necessary tools to create and launch their own podcast. It was designed in a way that the participants would become better communicators and storytellers by rendering an innovative project into the audio medium.
The 10-hour online course has lessons on storytelling, sound gathering and interviewing, audio editing, and growing an audience. In order to make the participants put into practice their new skills, as their final project they must present their own podcast idea and a bit-sized recorded episode. In this first course given in Belize, the participants came up with podcasts about sports, synodality, teen life, and environmental issues, among others. For one of the attendees, the course was “interesting, informative, engaging and fun. An amazing journey on podcasting” and another one said “I had always wanted to do a podcast but I was afraid of using my own voice- I’m not too scared now”, showing the impact the course had on them.
SIGNIS Services Rome stands by its commitment to not only assisting in the development of media projects in those areas where its most needed, but also in training and empowering local people to make the most out of the material and equipment they are receiving. For more information on their training courses, you can contact them at [email protected].