SUMMER PROGRAM

2 Weeks

[July 25 – August 3, 2022]

Inspiring Young Journalists!

Promoting and Protecting Press Freedom
for Peaceful and Inclusive Societies

MEDIA AND JOURNALISM WEBINARS

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

(July 25 – August 3, 2022)

Introduction

Media and Journalism Webinars is a free virtual certificate program that emphasize experiential and hands-on learning through intensive workshops, webinars, training, field trips, mentorship, and interactive discussions with professional journalists for hands-on field experience. This program aims to prepare journalism students and young professionals to succeed in their professional careers while fostering experiential learning by translating knowledge and skills into experience through research, interviews, and article writing that lead to meaningful understanding of journalism, communications, and the media professions. The webinars provide participants with insight to research, plan, execute and write news articles/stories that will raise awareness and public opinion on various issues of local, national, and global concern.

Program Description

The Media and Journalism Webinars certificate program is designed for a cohort of 25-30 journalism students and young professionals who want to make a positive social change as journalists and opinion builders through writing articles and stories on social, economic, political, and environmental issues. JWF’s proposed summer program will be a blend of engaging discussions with professional speakers and networking with other participants as well as mentorship. Our strategy is to expose participants to journalism and media through networking with professional journalists and media personalities. This is an important opportunity to attain leadership, advocacy, and collaborative skills from experts in journalism, media, and communications across sectors, including the United Nations.

The interactive discussions among expert speakers and participants will focus on global issues such as leadership, advocacy for human rights and democracy, peace and conflict resolution. Participants will communicate, interact, and exchange ideas about journalism and media studies from multiple perspectives that enrich their learning experiences. Participants will gain an opportunity to engage in online interactive discussion on why press freedom matters, the importance of access to public information, the role of freedom of speech and opinion for democracy and the rule of law.

Some of the topics include journalism contributing to stable societies,how to build a careeras freelance journalists, and reporting from conflict and war zones. The webinars will focus on responsible journalism, self-publishing, citizen journalism, journalism to reveal the truth, being a part of the solution rather than the problem, covering compelling stories and sharing field experiences.

Participants will write news articles (stories) on social, economic, political, or environmental issues based on research, interviews, and policy documents from open sources. Participants’ news articles will be published on JWF’s blog and shared with its global partners through social media for global visibility. This hands-on experience will help participants develop professional and personal growth in media and journalism.

The Media and Journalism Webinars also promotes diversity and multiculturalism through social and intellectual engagement among young professionals from diverse backgrounds worldwide. We believe that all participants have the potential to become great leaders and our goal is to inspire them with opportunities for a positive social change. It is our shared responsibility to provide equal opportunity and resources with them to fulfill their potential and realize their dreams.

Our curriculum aims to encourage young professionals in journalism to advocate for social justice, sustainable peace, and human and civil rights enshrined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is an intersectional journalism training program that helps participants to attain the 21^st century knowledge and skills to become active leaders against all forms of discrimination, hatred, bigotry, and xenophobia in society.

As a part of our mandate and association with the United Nations Department of Global Communications, the Journalists and Writers Foundation is dedicated to the advancement of the culture of peace, human rights, and sustainable development at the local, national, and global levels. The JWF also contributes to the United Nations Global Agenda 2030 by implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals through various programs and projects on social, economic, and environmental issues.

The benefits of this program are two-fold; journalism students and young professionals will learn about leadership and advocacy on a variety of topics related to journalism and media studies while they are exposed to global challenges from the local, national, and global perspectives. Exposure to global issues plays a central role for leadership and advocacy because it places journalism students in a position to close the opportunity gap.  A study published by the National Education Association asserts that educational institutions, especially in economically disadvantaged urban areas, lag behind their peers in other countries in their students’ knowledge of geography, foreign language, and different cultures. Without this global competency, students will fail to become productive citizens in a globalized world. Our program will help close the opportunity gap and encourage participants to become proactive leaders through media and journalism studies. 

Program Focus

The Media and Journalism Webinars consist of three (3) main topics, including perspectives from multiple disciplines of social, economic, and political development. Webinar sessions will be presented by professional journalists and media experts in their respective fields. 

The webinars will be held online via Zoom video conference. Professional journalists and media personalities will discuss the following topics through an interactive dialogue with the participants. Participants will engage in meaningful discussions, exchange innovative ideas, and share multiple perspectives on issues while building a network of journalists across the globe.

Summer Program Topics:

Building a career in Freelance Journalism

• Making a living as a freelance journalist
• Building an audience
• Pitching stories, exposure to editors and publishers
• Challenges and opportunities for freelance journalists who do not want to work full-time for one media organization.

The Role of Journalism in creating Stable Societies

• Supporting vibrant civil society and fundamental rights
• Journalism for social good: role of media in strengthening social fabric and stability
• Journalists being a part of the solution or the problem: roles and responsibilities
• Journalists as public opinion builders and stewards of democracy and human rights
• Rebuilding local news while empowering the needs of society

Reporting from Conflict and War Zones: Challenges and Opportunities

• Challenges in reporting from the frontlines of conflict and war zones
• International safeguards for journalists reporting in war zones
• Ensuring free flow of information from conflict zones
• Revealing truth, building awareness and ensuring accountability

Field Trips (2)

• Guided Tour at the United Nations Headquarters (New York)
• Visits to Prominent Media Outlets

Program Goals

• To provide opportunities for participants to meet professional journalists
• To foster experiential learning through hands-on projects in journalism
• To transfer knowledge and skills into practice through research, interviews, and article writing on social, economic, political, and environmental issues
• To protect and promote press freedom, human rights and strengthen democratic values
• To support the right to access information through independent media outlets

Outcomes

• Participants will learn from the practical knowledge and experience of journalists
• Participants will have access to a network of media professionals, journalists, and experts
• Participants will write new articles that will be published on JWF’s blog and social media
• Participants will receive a Certificate of Participation upon completion of the webinars

Calendar of Events

Date	Webinars	Topics
July 25, 2022 Monday	Webinar 1 (online)	Building a career in Freelance Journalism
July 27, 2022 Wednesday	Webinar 2 (online)	The Role of Journalism in creating Stable Societies
July 29, 2022 Friday	Webinar 3 (online)	Reporting from Conflict and War Zones; Challenges and Opportunities
August 1, 2022 Monday	Field Trip 1 (in-person / out-of-state)	United Nations Headquarters New York UN Guided Tour will be scheduled (Time TBC)
August 3, 2022 Wednesday	Field Trip 2 (in-person / out-of-state)	Visits to Prominent Media Outlets (Time TBC)

This webinar series is open for all without any discrimination or prejudice based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, disability, religion, national origin, diversity of thought and political ideology.

Participants are required to fill out the application form before June 15, 2022. The organizing committee will select a cohort of 25-30 participants to participate in the webinar sessions. Field trips are designed for participants joining in New York and the Tri-State area. However, the organizers will consult with out-of-state participants to get field experience and exposure by meeting and interviewing individuals and organizations in their local public spaces and organizations.

TO CONTACT US

Journalists and Writers Foundation

Address: 56 W45 Street 4th Floor New York, NY 10036

Phone: +1 (646) 838-4882

E-mail: [email protected]

Websites: www.jwf.org | www.jwfAcademy.org