Bloom Media Story Lab
Bloom Media is a creative employability programme embedded within Borders Book Festival
Our Story Lab project gives young people aged 16 to 25 from across the Scottish Borders the chance to work as media professionals, not to be taught about the industry from a distance, but to step inside it from day one.
What participants gain
Participants work with professional equipment, take on genuine production roles and make real creative decisions. They leave with a body of work, transferable skills and a huge boost to their confidence. Many come with a fear of failure and leave with the courage to try experiences they never imagined possible. There is no other provision in the Scottish Borders that offers young people anything like it.
Story Lab 2026
This year's participants produced a short film, Barriers: Where I'm From, Where I Am Now, taking on the research, filming, interviewing, sound and lighting themselves, supported by the Bloom Media team throughout. They screened it at a public showcase at MacArts in Galashiels, conducted live interviews on stage, and played a leading role in shaping the whole evening.
Real industry connections
The young people conducted professional on-camera interviews with Mollie Hughes, world record holding mountaineer, adventurer and author, Paul Black, comedian, writer and director for BBC Three and BBC Scotland, Chanel O'Conor from RuPaul's Drag Race UK, and Devin Casson, singer, musician and songwriter. Miranda Hurst, formerly of BBC World Service, and Isla Todd of ITV Border joined sessions to share their skills and career stories. Zing Tsjeng of BBC Sounds, Jamie Windust of Times Radio, and Marnie Gill of Sky News made short films for the group, offering advice and insights from their own journeys in the industry. This is what happens when an employability programme is built by people who know the industry from the inside.
The team
Story Lab is led by Lisa Cowan, alongside Eddy Charlton, Lisa Macdonald and David Chipakupaku, each bringing professional expertise across broadcast media, filmmaking, youth work and inclusive arts practice.
Funding and support
Story Lab is made possible by the generous support of our funders. The programme is funded through the Scottish Government's No One Left Behind initiative, delivered in partnership with Scottish Borders Council's Local Employability Partnership, with additional support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Contact: Lisa Cowan
Phone: 07572 971238
Email: bloom@bordersbookfestival.org
These contact details are for Bloom Media and not for wider Borders Book Festival enquiries.
Follow us on socials
We’re Hiring: Social Media Production Assistant
Bloom Media is looking for a Social Media Production Assistant to join our team at Borders Book Festival this June. Editing is at the heart of this role: you will be turning around short-form video content for social media at pace, in a live festival environment, with an experienced team around you.
We created this role to give an emerging content creator the chance to build a professional portfolio of work and gain access to an environment that could otherwise take years to reach. Alongside the editing, you will be working directly with young people on the programme, supporting, and encouraging them as they create their own content. If you are under 30, confident with short-form editing apps, and ready to hit the ground running across four days of live programming, we would love to hear from you. The closing date is Sunday 3 May 2026.
Download the full role description below to find out more and how to apply.
Bloom Media Feedback
Bloom Media offers young people a direct step onto the ladder in one of the most competitive industries there is. It’s absolutely brilliant, a no-brainer.
Clive Myrie, BBC journalist and broadcaster
Bloom Media helped me to go into nerve-wracking and difficult situations with a lot more belief that what I’m producing is something to be proud of.
Young Person
Bloom Media provided me with some really valuable experiences for my CV but has also given me an insight into the media sector, allowing me to see if this is something that I would consider after university.
Young Person
Opportunities like this don’t appear often in the Borders, making it so vital to get involved whether you want a media career or you’re trying to figure out what you want to do in the future. I’ll forever be grateful for the opportunities provided by Bloom Media.
Young Person
I am astronomically more confident than when I applied. Bloom Media has changed my life in that it has given me an understanding of how to use my voice and make space for myself and my ideas.
Young Person
Bloom helped me pursue a media-focused career in the Borders thanks to the experience I gained. As a result, I started a Modern Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing. The project gave me the confidence to apply, and I learnt skills that I use every day for work and college.
