Our Story So Far

Vectis Radio put in place a teaching program in 2012 which was reshaped as the multi award winning 4Ps training school in 2013. It is the only radio teaching school on the Island. The 4Ps course is designed for young people aged between 11 and 19, or up to age 25 with additional needs, to increase their confidence and build communication skills via the medium of radio. Students learn to produce, present, podcast and promote (hence the 4Ps).

To date more than 200 young people have completed the course from schools such as St. Catherine’s School, St. George’s School, The Studio School, Ryde Academy, Carisbrooke Academy and The Isle of Wight College, it’s free for them to attend and has produced some amazing results to date.

Originally 4Ps was set up as a stand-alone community interest company (CIC) to give a wider choice of funding sources than those available to Vectis Radio itself.

In 2019 the board took the decision to transition from a CIC to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charities Commission. This gives the school full charitable status and further widens the availability of funding options to sustain and expand its training programmes.

Trustee David Parkinson said the following about the move to becoming a registered charity:

This is a move we have been trying to make for some time. A number of potential funders have made it clear that they will only support charities, so now we’re constituted as a charitable incorporated organisation, we hope our fundraising efforts will become a bit easier.

The board of the training school asked Councillor Paul Brading to be the Patron of the charity and Paul readily agreed to use his experience and abilities to help further the aims of the school. Paul said:

I am delighted to have been asked to become the Patron on the 4P’s programme, and welcome our new charitable status. I have seen first-hand how the programme has made such an incredible difference to so many young people, and have witnessed their developments, as well as been grilled at interviews by them. Our charitable status will enable the programme to develop further to the next level, and I will do all I can to support this great initiative.

Watch the video below to find out more about the 4Ps Project