People / Unsung Hero
Inspiring a new generation
“I was thrown in at the deep end and learnt live on air,” says Maizee Dunning. She was a fresh-faced 18-year-old and had just started studying fashion at university when she “found a bit of a passion” for radio and launched her own show on Ujima, Bristol’s community radio station.
It was that show which led her towards her future career path as a youth worker for Creative Youth Network (CYN).
“I started supporting some of the NEET (not in education, employment or training) young people Ujima were working with, on a project called Dub Plate to Dub Step about Bob Marley,” she says.
“I just got a real taste for working with other young people – working with then and empathising with them.”
Nine years later and she has never looked back and is now helping to inspire the next generation of young people to get involved in the creative industry.
“I never imagined I’d be here now. I thought I’d have my own fashion line or be in London working my way up on a magazine by making cups of tea, but I realised by doing radio that the arts can really develop your confidence.
“I really wanted to help other young people develop their confidence as well and I found I had a natural ability to help other young people by being creative.”
She is now one of a team of youth workers helping to run dozens of CYN sessions at locations across the city.
From its creative youth hub at The Station in Silver Street, CYN runs a huge range of courses space in everything from music production, fashion workshops and filmmaking to youth clubs and dedicated one-to-one sessions. The charity also runs groups and courses at sites in Hanham, Hillfields and Little Stoke.
Going back to where it all began, Maizee has just relaunched her Ujima radio show from its new studios at The Station. She also has her own fashion line, Dunn No Clothing, which she sells in independent shops across Bristol.
But she’s not about to give up her day job quite yet: “I love that and it is a passion but what’s so satisfying about working with young people is seeing the impact you are having and that you are making a change to their lives.”
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