Reform Radio has launched a crowdfunding drive to support a major relaunch in October.

The online station has outgrown its equipment and its current location and is plotting a move to Hello Work at the Old Granada Studios. To secure the vital funds, station bosses Sam Oliveira, Rachel Roger and Jemma Tanswell have launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £5000 for new mixers, microphones, speakers and computers.

Reform Radio started life in a Manchester basement three years ago and has been doing vital work in the community by helping young people back into sustainable employment. All of the station’s founders had experienced long-term unemployment themselves, explains Oliveira. “We all graduated at the height of the recession. There weren’t any jobs and I was living at home struggling to find work anywhere, but I was working for a radio station called Strongroom Alive – it was great experience but they lost all their funding.”

After moving up north, Oliveira decided to get involved in a project that would help people in a similar situation, and Reform Radio was born. The station has already helped 28 young adults back into work, and “now people want us to go further, so we’re relaunching in October with a really impressive line-up of Manchester-based artists.”

The revamped schedule will focus on evening shows but in six months they hope to be streaming 24/7, and the project will continue to support unemployed youth. “A lot of employers need digitally skilled young people – no one’s been taught how to do things like coding and social media management,” says Oliveira. “So the idea is we’re going look to get funding for a digital skills accreditation – the artists will deliver the content, but in the back-end the young people will be managing, uploading shows, writing blog posts.”

The crowdfunding campaign is currently halfway to its £5000 goal with only 20 days remaining, so now’s the time to pledge a few quid on Crowdfunder.

The station has also revealed plans for a massive launch party on October 3, streaming live from Old Granada Studios with a line-up including Rüf Dug of Rüf Kutz, Hoya:Hoya’s Jonny Dub, Danuka of So Flute and Jenna & The Gs playing live, plus interactive installations and local food and booze – grab an earlybird ticket from Crowdfunder.