Breaking into News: Putting single working parents in the spotlight

  • By Shanice-Kay Bolding, ITV News Central's Breaking into News finalist

I currently work as a Manager within commercial banking as part of a six-month graduate leadership programme, for a well-known iconic banking group.

I applied for the Breaking into News scheme because I believed the initiative, run by Media Trust in partnership with ITV News, would provide me with the platform and support to take that first step towards a successful career in broadcast journalism.

With no previous experience in journalism this was the perfect opportunity.

Shanice with her parents at her university graduation. Credit: Media Trust

Getting selected as the finalist for the ITV Central region has given me the opportunity to create a news story on an issue I’m passionate about.

My report explores the lives of working single parents in my local area of the Midlands. A topic I feel isn’t given much coverage.

My report examines the potential stigma single-parent families face from society; the help that’s out there for them which they may not know about; their work-life balance as well as the negative and positive aspects of being a single working parent.

I was also keen to gain an insight into what it’s like for a child to grow up in these circumstances.

Shanice interviewed a number of working single parents as part of her report. Credit: ITV News Central

The number of ‘nuclear family’ units (a family traditionally consisting of a mother, a father and children,) has declined over the last decade.

We are now seeing a lot of single-parent families headed by a father, mother or family relative i.e. a grandparent.

This topic reaches my heart because I am from a so-called single-parent family being looked after by my mom predominately, who got back into work after my parents separated.

But I was fortunate to also have my father to bring me up in parallel with my mother.

Despite this, in society we were still defined as a single-parent family.

Shanice with her mentor, ITV News Central reporter Rajiv Popat. Credit: Media Trust

My mentor Rajiv is not only a brilliant journalist; he has been a fantastic mentor.

He has provided me with a lot of encouragement and advice, helping me to understand what’s needed to become a really good journalist.

I also feel I have grown in confidence and have learnt a significant amount about journalism in a relatively short space of time having being mentored by Rajiv.

It feels amazing to have gotten to the final of the competition and I am grateful to have been given this opportunity.

This blog was originally published on the Media Trust website.