Award-winning podcast launches series looking at lives of youngsters

An award-winning podcast which tracks Northern politics has turned its attention to what it’s like growing up as a young person across the region.

The Northern Agenda, edited by Rob Parsons, has produced a series called Our Kids In the North.

Over six episodes, Rob and Reach’s Data Unit editor Annie Gouk explore topics like the state of Northern schools, the early years of children in our region, why there are so many young people in care in the North and the options available to pupils after they leave school.

Rob said: “There are 3.3 million people under the age of 18 in Northern England.

In this series we talk to articulate young people from places like Liverpool, Newcastle and Blackpool as well as the experts and political leaders who’ve made it their mission to improve their lives.

“But with one in three children in the North living below the poverty line — and the rate much higher in some areas — you can’t talk about young people without first looking at the impact child poverty is having on our region.

You can find the series here. Articles based on the series are also being published on Reach’s titles, such as this one on the Liverpool Echo.

The Northern Agenda is a regular on shortlists at digital journalism, journalism newsletter and political podcasts awards.

It is the only brand dedicated to reporting daily on what is going on in political and government organisations across the North — and how national Government decisions are impacting the North.

It is supported by Reach’s newsrooms across the North of England, including the Newcastle Journal, Liverpool Echo and Manchester Evening News.