Mediacentar Sarajevo and the Why Not Association, with the financial support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, invites young journalists from the Western Balkans to apply for the regional mentoring program “Solutions and Innovations in the Media”. The program will run from May 9th to August 9th and is aimed at young journalists from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia and Serbia. The aim of the program is to encourage and train young journalists to report on the problems faced by the media and journalists in the Western Balkans, but also on their solutions. The application deadline is April 25, 2022.
What does it consist of and how long does the program last?
The program will be held from May 9, 2022 to August 9, 2022, and will consist of the following:
- Preparation and initial research on the media and the media sector of the Western Balkans with a focus on the following topics: media sustainability, content regulation and moderation, and the safety of journalists.
- Attendance and reporting from the regional conference “Solutions and Innovations in the Media”, which will be held on May 19 and 20, 2022 in Sarajevo.
- Work on individual stories about problems and solutions in the media in the Western Balkans (May 21 – August 9, 2022).
All phases of the program will take place through mentoring support. The entire program will be conducted in English.
Scholarship
A scholarship in the amount of 1,030 euros is provided for each participant in the program, which covers work on individual stories and reporting from the conference. The trip, accommodation and food during the conference in Sarajevo (May 19th and 20th) will be covered by the organizers.
What are the obligations of the participants?
Participants will be required to do the following:
- Together with mentors through desk research, they prepare basic data on the situation in the media in their countries on the following topics: media sustainability, regulation and moderation of content, security of journalists (from 9 May to 19 May 2022).
- They will be present at the conference in Sarajevo on May 19 and 20, 2022, and through mentoring support they will prepare one news item (600 words) and one interview (1,000 words) and submit for publication.
- After the conference, with mentoring support, they work on individual stories about problems and solutions in the media in their countries. Stories should have at least 1,500 words, 4-5 interlocutors, and available information on the problem and the solution being reported.
What do participants get?
The entire program is designed in such a way that participants first explore the problem (work on desk research), then during the conference develop or strengthen the skills of writing news and conducting interviews, and after the conference develop skills of writing analytical articles.
Participants will have the opportunity to work with experienced journalists and be part of the newsroom of the regional conference in Sarajevo (May 19 and 20). Participants will gain knowledge about the media and the media sector in the Western Balkans, but also about good solutions in European countries.
During the conference, participants will have the opportunity to meet journalists and editors from the region and the world.
Who can apply and how?
Young journalists (up to 30 years old) from the Western Balkans have the right to participate: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia and Serbia. The following is required:
- Excellent knowledge of English (reading, writing articles in English and conducting interviews in English)
- At least one year of work in the media and preferably completed one of the faculties of journalism
- Solid knowledge of the media scene in their country
- Minimum three published texts or contributions (preferably in English)
To apply, you need to submit the following:
- Completed application form, which you can download here. In the form, it is mandatory to suggest a topic that you would like to write about during the mentoring period and where you would like to publish an article.
- CV (including names and contacts of two people who can recommend you)
- Cover letter up to 300 words
- Three articles or texts (at least one in English and preferably an article or text about the media)
Applications with the indication (subject e-mail) “Mentorship program Solutions and Innovations in Media” can be sent to e-mail :[email protected], until April 25, 2022 until midnight. The form, CV and cover letter should be in English. Applications received after this deadline or incomplete will not be considered. If you have additional questions you can send them to the above e-mail by April 23. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.