The second series reflected and affirmed positive action initiated by Soul Buddyz clubs, which are situated across the country. It profiled what children did in their own communities to make a difference. Inspiring children and adults, the programme was anchored by three well known Buddyz actors and ordinary children presented and provide the content for the programme.
A bus and crew members travelled around the country each week to visit Buddyz Clubs which hosted the television show. Club members were involved in different ways in the production of the programme. Highlighting issues and solutions in their own communities, the clubs showcased innovation, interesting teamwork and engaged others in their communities.
The drama series, Soul Buddyz, and deals with issues like HIV/AIDS, disability, money matters, masculinity and nutrition. Buddyz on the Move covered the same issues as the drama series but did it through the eyes and experiences of ‘real live children’. The idea for Buddyz on the Move came about as a result of the success of Soul Buddyz Clubs. The programme showcases the successes of young children working in groups for their communities.
BOM 2008 took the form of a retrospective – a return to the clubs, children and situations encountered during the last two series to get feedback on the situations that had been filmed before.
In order to make the series more interactive and relevant to contemporary challenges as well as to make it appealing to young audiences the series was driven by a competition. Production visited the clubs – not only to get updates and feedback, but to film the clubs’ own – PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCMENT (PSA/Short Advert). In the PSA clubs identified the most common form of discrimination in their community, conceptualised a message to deal with it, and executed the PSA that seeks to address the identified problem.
An innovative by-product of the Buddyz on the Move 2008/2009 series was 23 stand-alone public service announcements on tolerating difference – made for kids, by kids. Of these 23 short adverts the best two were selected. The clubs won a once in a lifetime opportunity to film a professional PSA and were invited to Johannesburg and visit Soul City, Curious Pictures, and the SABC. In episode 26 (final episode) clubs’ visits as well as the making of their professional PSAs.
