Columbian Centre Society

September 17, 2008



Weekly awareness and education radio broadcast and email flyer.

In November of 2007 Columbian Centre Society of Nanaimo, B.C. launched a new public education initiative designed to educate the public and raise awareness of the issues associated with mental illness, addiction, and homelessness.

People First Radio went on the air November 22nd with its first weekly broadcast on Nanaimo’s CHLY community and campus radio station—which broadcasts on 101.7 FM and is webcast at www.chly.ca. The program has since provided over forty live one-hour broadcasts including in-studio and telephone guests and re-broadcasts of news clips from public broadcasting around the world.

Over time, a weekly email flyer has been included, announcing the Thursday live broadcast content and also providing an extensive list of newspaper and online news headline hyperlinks and local event information.

“We wanted to offer public education in a unique way to the community...and radio has provided a doorway for us into both broadcast and webcast worlds,” said Tom Grauman, Columbian Centre executive director.

Jan Coleman, a former CCS staff member and board member, co-hosts the program and promotes it by word of mouth in the community. “I have been approached again and again by individuals in the community who have heard the program and have not only praise for what is being accomplished in the broadcast, but also feedback for what is most interesting, most appreciated, and most striking.”

People First Radio was inspired by a handful of similar community radio initiatives around the world, including Radio La Colifata (“Crazy Radio” in Buenos Aires slang), the first radio show in the world to broadcast live from a mental hospital.

Nanaimo’s Open Minds Open Windows Society is billed as a participating partner in the initiative, providing valuable feedback, support, and occasional guests to the show.

You can listen to People First Radio online at www.chly.ca every Thursday at 12 noon Pacific time. Additionally, if you would like to receive the People First weekly email flyer, simply request it from peoplefirstradio@chly.ca.

People First Radio co-hosts Jan and Kevin at the CHLY station preparing for the live broadcast of People First Radio.

- Kevin Midbo