Quick guide to listening to a podcast – for charity, non-profit, music and arts professionals – plus recommended podcasts
I love radio, but it took me a while to get used to podcasts. Now I’m a regular listener and have even started my own. Podcasts are great way of keeping up with sector insights or professional learning. Here’s a quick guide to the different ways you can listen to podcasts. I’ve also included a few podcasts with a music, creative or comms theme.
1. Using the app on your iPhone or iPad
You’ll already have a purple ‘Podcasts’ app on your phone (if not, download it from the App store)
Open the app, click on the magnifying glass button, and click in the type field, then type in a word or phrase to search for a podcast. Click ‘search’ and you’ll see a grid of podcast images and titles.
Click to go to the home page of the podcast you’ve chosen. Click on an episode to play it, and if you like what you hear, go to the subscribe button at the top of the page so the app will automatically download the latest episodes for you.
You can now look at your library to see the latest episodes from the podcasts you’ve subscribed to, browse for suggested podcasts, or search by typing in a word or phrase.
2. Using the app on your Android phone
Download Google Podcasts from your play store app.
Open the app and use the search box as above and follow the instructions from there
You can also use your Spotify, SoundCloud, MixCloud app or similar to listen to podcasts that are on those platforms.
3.On a website using your browser
The most obvious one but not always the most convenient. Just find the podcast on the website (or on Spotify, SoundCloud, MixCloud), and click play.
Here are some of the podcasts I listen to that may be of interest to you too if you work in these sectors:
Podcasts about music education, creative education, creative work
Creative Practice – Neil Mackinnon – featuring professionals working in the creative industries, talking about what they do, how they got there and the things that make them effective.
The Possibility Club – Richard Freeman talks to people at the coalface of change in business, culture and education. Richard Freeman talks to the people at the coalface of change.
The Youth Music Podcast – talks with musicians, educators and policy-makers exploring some of the debates shaping our work around young people, inclusion and music-making.
Inspirational Creatives – Rob Lawrence – conversations with successful artists, producers and creative entrepreneurs who offer ideas, stories and strategies for others.
The Creative Life Show – Joanna Pieters – ‘the podcast for creatives too curious to be conventional
Music for Education & Wellbeing – where I get to chat with people making change through music and share their ideas, inspiration and practical advice
Countercurrent: conversations with surgeon and academic Professor Roger Kneebone in conversation with unorthodox people whose careers defy traditional boundaries and who swim against the tide.
The First Time with Matt Everitt interviews with major artists revealing the pivotal moments and songs that shaped their lives and their careers
David Tennant does a podcast with … – talking with the biggest names from TV, movies, comedy and elsewhere.
Podcasts about charity communications and non-profit communications
Talking Comms – a podcast for the modern professional communicator, reflecting the industry we work in, sharing best practice, and telling the best human stories.
Talkoot – Satori Lab – the podcast for people working to build excellent public services
The CharityComms podcast – interviews with communications professionals working in the charity / non-profit sector
Third Sector podcast – monthly podcasts from the magazine for charities and the non-profit sector
Do you have some recommendations I could add to these lists? I’d love to hear from you, comment below or on Twitter or LinkedIn.