Music is the future and the past for history graduate Naomi (From The Advertiser Series)

University graduate lands internship to help expansion of The Forum in Darlington

10:52am Saturday 2nd March 2013 in News By Andy Walker, Chief Reporter (Darlington)

A PASSION for music and history has led a university graduate to helping a Darlington music venue build on its expansion plans.

Naomi Jenkins, who studied history at Teesside University, has landed an internship at The Forum, in Borough Road.

She is working for Humantics, the community interest company which runs the venue.

Miss Jenkins is one of eight Darlington graduates to have found either work or a placement through the university this year.

Humantics director Allison McKay is delighted with the contribution her new intern has been making.

She said: “We are an important community hub in Darlington, offering a lot of services and facilities based around music – everything from live music nights to accredited music courses, special band nights for young people aged 14 to 17 to Music with Mummy toddler groups.

“We are putting together a plan for The Forum’s future and have been able to use Naomi’s research expertise to examine new markets for the company and how best we can expand and use the building.

“This is something we couldn’t have afforded to do without Naomi and the support from Teesside University.”

Based in a former school, The Forum was a privately owned music venue until two years ago when doubts over its future lead to Humantics being formed to manage it as a community hub.

It is now a stable business at the heart of Darlington.

Ms McKay added: “Our aim now is to secure investment to enhance and extend this historic building so we can offer a lot more services to the community.

“The plan we are working on, with Naomi’s help, is vital so possible investors can see the value of what we can offer and the potential.

“This business plan is key for the future of The Forum.”

Naomi, 32, was already a fan of The Forum before she had the opportunity of an internship.

She said: “I love history and music and The Forum is a brilliant venue.

“You are in an historical building where the first headmaster, Abel Grundy, is said to still walk the corridors after he was knocked down and killed by a horse and cart – and you can see the next big thing in modern music.”

Teesside University offers a number of routes to employment for graduates, from subsidised internships lasting between three and six months to longer-term projects.

For more information, visit tees.ac.uk/spark or email business@tees.ac.uk