First workshop | 2023
First Workshop 2023 – Gender & Podcasting I
- 16th to 19th of March
- Online
Our participants are experienced podcasters and experts themselves. Hence a big part of the first workshop was the peer-to-peer exchange about the different experiences they have in the field of podcasting and looking at the world through a gender lens.
We are very happy to have Rula Asad and Stella Saliari as our moderators for this years’ workshops. They are very experienced in facilitating workshops and they are accomplished feminist activists and podcasters as well. They helped creating an intimate and personal atmosphere, even in the online setting of our four workshop days.
Day 1: Getting to know each other
The first workshop day was all about getting to know the program, the moderators, and the participants. After a warm welcome and a first check-in, it was important to set a common ground for working together and discussing sensitive topics. That is why we aimed to establish a safe and brave space as a group, where everybody can express themselves without being uncomfortable or the fear of being harmed. After that, we introduced Yasmin Kollektiv e.V. and the Aswatona project, before giving the participants time and space to meet each other, using the platform Wonder.Me.
In the afternoon, our first expert Tomader Noureldeen held a session introducing different concepts of gender, gender identities, feminism, and intersectionality. The session opened up a lot of interesting questions and created a space to have first discussions about how to implement these concepts in our work as podcasters.
Before closing the first day, we prepared the bar camp, where participants meet each other in groups, discuss topics of their choice and learn from each other on a peer-to-peer level.
Do you want to have an insight into one of our sessions?
Here is a short video of Tomader’s session about Gender definitions:
Do you want to have an insight into one of our sessions?
Here is a short video of Tomader’s session about Gender definitions:
Day 2: Feminist Storytelling and Podcast Production
On Day 2, Maya El Ammar joined us to hold a session about Feminist Storytelling. She is a feminist writer, activist, and communications professional. The session presented the history of feminist media in Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon and a deeper understanding of feminist storytelling and what techniques and approaches are used when it comes to work on stories with it. In fact, feminist journalism works on challenging traditional, journalistic neutrality ways of reporting which have been silencing the voices of women and queers* for years as Maya explained it. Feminist media also pays attention to who is making the story, what is their angle, to which media institution it belongs, and what’s their culture and values.
After the lunch break, we had a quick warm-up where everyone named their dream travel destination, before diving deep into the Podcast Production Process with our expert Sabreen Taha. In her interactive workshop session, Sabreen introduced general outlines, tips, and tricks to create an own podcast, including technical information, content development, and scriptwriting.
The last session for the day was self-organized and conducted by the participants: During bar camp 1, they discussed in small groups topics such as Gender Representation in Media, Gender and Tradition, Women and Business, or Peace Building and Gender. After a last recap and check-out, an intense and inspiring Day 2 came to an end.
Do you want to get an impression of our sessions?
Here is a short recording of Maya Ammar’s session on Feminist Storytelling and a short clip of Sabreen Taha’s session about Podcast Production:
Do you want to get an impression of our sessions?
Here is a short recording of Maya Ammar’s session on Feminist Storytelling and a short clip of Sabreen Taha’s session about Podcast Production:
Day 3: Working on the Podcast Episodes
Day 3 of our online workshop started with a check-in and a summary of the day before, prepared by one of the participants. After that, our second bar camp took place, this time with new groups and topics that the participants had collected before. It was impressive to see the diverse expertise of our participants and the rich conversations that emerged from the bar camps.
Based on the topics, discussions, and questions that came up during the bar camps, six groups of three people each were formed. Each group will work on one podcast episode in the upcoming weeks, supported by one of our mentors.
After a first brainstorming session in the groups, one more important and interesting session took place, before Day 3 was over: Our expert for the Podcast Market, Rasha Aldeeb introduced us to marketing strategies, revenue models, and the best ways to establish the own podcast on the market.
Do you want to get a sneak peek into one of our sessions from Day 3?
Watch a short video of Rasha Aldeeb’s session about the Podcast Market:
Do you want to get a sneak peek into one of our sessions from Day 3?
Watch a short video of Rasha Aldeeb’s session about the Podcast Market:
Day 4: Audio Editing, Mentors, and Next Steps
Following a final check-in and harvesting on the morning of Day 4, the participants split into two groups for a hands-on audio editing experience. One group was welcomed by Jana Qazzaz, who currently works with Sowt Podcasts’ editorial team and gave an introductory session to audio editing software. In the other session, our other audio and communication expert Nivin Serag gave advanced insights using different software and providing helpful tips and skills for our participants.
After the lunch break, it was time for the groups to finally meet their mentors! Esra, Hajar, Ines, Sadeq, Nahla, and Tabarek, who were all participants of the Aswatona program 2021, were excited to have the chance for a first exchange with their mentees for the first podcast production phase.
We then had a look back at the workshop together and discussed the next steps until our on-site workshop in Tunis in June. Finally, four intense and inspiring days of exchanging, laughing, discussing, listening, and learning came to an end.
Do you want to get a short insight into our audio editing workshops?
Do you want to get a short insight into our audio editing workshops?
We want to thank all the participants, experts, and our moderators for making this experience so special! We are more than excited for everything that awaits us in the upcoming year.
You wanna be part of Aswatona?
There are plenty ways to participate in Aswatona! Besides the Aswatona scholarship program, we want to build up a diverse network. Our network building activities aim to bring people together, to learn from and inspire each other, profit from collective interest, knowledge, and energy. In order to realize that, our social media pages serve as platforms for vivid exchange. Please interact! We also offer workshops and trainings on a regular basis, that is open to everyone interested in podcasting and the podcast community. There you can sharpen your skills, get into contact, and prepare for your own podcast project!