MISSION
Support youth in and from care who want to develop their media production skills and work with journalists to improve child-welfare reporting.
2018 MEDIA FELLOWSHIPS
These fellowships are open to youth (aged 16-30) who are in or from “care” (i.e. youth who accessed child welfare services from a provincial government between the ages of 0-19.)
Selected fellows will work with reporter Brielle Morgan to create work plans that reflect their interests (e.g. one fellow might want to focus on planning and delivering workshops, while the other might be more interested in developing their writing and storytelling skills.)
Fellows will be expected to complete 135 hours of work between May and November on a schedule we determine together, based on fellows’ availability. They will be paid $2250 for this work (hourly rate is $16.67.)
BACKGROUND
Many youth have told us that they’re frustrated with the way journalists cover the child welfare system. They said they want less stereotypes and more stories about ways forward. They said they want to change narratives by working in and with media.
And so we created these fellowships. In 2017, Dylan Cohen and Diana Oproescu became our first youth fellows. They worked with child-welfare reporter Brielle Morgan on investigations, helped plan and facilitate our workshop series for journalists covering child welfare, and wrote original stories and newsletters.
Looking back on her fellowship, Diana says, “It unlocked this like super thirsty part of my brain … The whole experience for me was just kind of [an] integration of my experience with the experience of others. I kind of realized how much bigger the problem was than just me.”
Dylan says, “A lot of folks in the child welfare community treat us as if we aren’t so capable … You had faith in my capacity and that felt great.”
The fellowship is not simply a learning opportunity for the fellows: it’s also a learning experience for the journalists. By sharing perspectives grounded in their own lived experiences, Diana and Dylan prompted journalists to think about how they might change the way they work — to better serve youth and families through their reporting.
ABOUT THE DISCOURSE
The Discourse is where journalists and members meet to contribute to more accurate, diverse and trustworthy stories about issues that matter. Our community is creating a new kind of journalism to spark real conversation and help us grapple with today’s complex problems — like child welfare.
HOW TO APPLY
Send all required documents (below) by end of day (i.e. midnight) on Monday, April 23, 2018 to [email protected]. (Fellows will be selected and contacted by May 11, 2018.)
1. Write a letter of interest (500 words or less):
Tell us why you’d like this opportunity and why you’d make a great candidate. We’d like to know if there’s a particular skill you’d like to develop (e.g. writing, photography, workshop facilitation, etc.)
Also, if there’s anything in particular we can do to create a safe and positive work experience, let us know. Consider discussing this opportunity with an adult ally. We’d love to hear your ideas!
2. Attach your résumé.
3. Attach samples of your media work:
Send us two or three samples of media (e.g. photo essay, short story, infographic, illustration, spoken word recording, video, etc.) that you produced yourself and feel proud of. This media work should demonstrate your passion and interest for storytelling and/or child welfare narratives. It’s totally okay if this work has never been published.
4. List your references:
Who can speak to your skills and passion? Please send contact info (i.e. names, phone numbers and email addresses) for two adult references to [email protected].
WANT MORE INFO?
Contact Brielle Morgan: 778.903.1982 / [email protected]. [end]
