Celebrating the people powering Stockport: Meet Solomon, helping tomorrow’s media stars find their voice
When local young people told Solomon Onaolapo they wanted more to do in the school holidays and after school, he took action!
With a background in event management, Solomon began running breakdancing and DJing sessions. This created opportunities for young people to connect and learn new creative skills, but he didn’t stop there.
As the confidence and skills of young DJs grew, it was clear they needed to showcase their talents, so Solomon created PIE Radio in 2015 to give them an opportunity to help them raise their voice in every sense of the word.
PIE Radio offers young people opportunities to be creative, develop their skills and gain valuable experience… all on our doorstep!
“When I moved up from London, I realised that there weren’t as many opportunities for young people to get experience of working in the media,” he explains. “PIE Radio is helping to change that! We can give them opportunities to work with big brands and get experience that can help them to build a career.”
More recently, the station has evolved further and branches into online content creation, including video, giving budding young creators even more opportunities to hone their skills.
PIE Radio sits within Rising Stars North West, the social enterprise Solomon founded to create opportunities for young people across Greater Manchester and beyond. Through programmes spanning music, media, arts, events and entertainment, Rising Stars helps young people to develop skills, build confidence and unlock their potential.
However, for Solomon, his work has always been about much more than entertainment.
“It’s all about understanding an area’s needs. There was a gap and I wanted to help fill it. When young people tell you what they need, you’ve got to listen.”
That commitment has helped countless young people discover talents they didn’t know they had, gain valuable experience and develop their confidence.
Today, Solomon continues to champion the next generation, creating opportunities locally and proving that when young people are given the chance to thrive, they can achieve incredible things.
Solomon’s story is just one example of the incredible people powering Stockport every day.
Do you know someone who’s making a difference in your community? Help us tell their story by nominating them for our #WeAreOneStockport campaign.
Looking for opportunities to get involved, meet new people or access local support and activities? Visit the Live Well directory to discover what’s happening in your community.
Together, we’re celebrating the people who power Stockport – and showing what’s possible when we all play our part in creating One Stockport.
