Dear Applicant,Thank you for your interest in the Role of Independent Media in Promoting Government Accountability: Investigative Journalism program for Sub-Saharan Africa. Funded by the U.S. Department of State's Office of Citizen Exchanges and implemented by World Learning, the exchange creates and supports a collaborative network of journalists from the region, working together to strengthen their skills and impact.
The program will:
- Explore best practices in promoting and ensuring press freedom and independence
- Examine the complex and multidimensional connections between the media, democracy, good governance, and peaceful development
- Evaluate the role of a free and independent media in keeping governments accountable and preventing corruption
- Assess methods for countering fake news, particularly in the age of digital and social media
A total of 14 participants will be selected through an open competition process to come to the United States for an 18-day long professional exchange program, scheduled from March 18-April 4, 2018.
Participants should work and reside in one of the following countries: Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Selection will be based on the overall quality of the candidates, as well as their willingness and preparedness to contribute to the program. Candidates from other countries should not apply.
Candidates for the program should be journalists and media managers as well as representatives of civil society who use investigative journalism tools to promote government accountability and combat corruption.
The U.S. based program can include an orientation and overview of the issues, professional fellowship placements, training workshops, learning labs, and participation in relevant industry events. Fellowship placements will be in media companies, and non-profit organizations or university institutes across the United States. Placements will focus on topics such as development of applications to disseminate information and promote open responsive government, multi-media storytelling, creation of integrated multi-channel messaging, ethical journalism, investigative reporting, and the nexus of digital and mainstream journalism. Professional development will be supplemented through an online platform, offering social media resources and MOOCs. To enhance program sustainability and effectiveness, participants will create and implement individual follow-on projects in their home countries. Action plans for these projects will be developed throughout the course of the U.S. program. The U.S. program will be followed by an event in the region, focusing on increasing the impact of investigative journalism and supporting positive influencers.
Accommodation in the United States will consist of double-person shared hotel rooms. A small stipend will be provided to participants while in the U.S. to cover basic living expenses. The cost of international and domestic travel, program-related ground transportation, cultural activities, and all other programmatic and logistical arrangements will be covered as part of the exchange program.
The programs will be conducted in English.
Additional selection criteria include:
• English language competency
• Minimum two years professional experience in a relevant field
• Stated commitment to free and fair information flow
• Ability to disseminate information to a wide and diverse audience
• No travel within the United States since April 2015 (preferred)
The application must be completed entirely in English. The deadline for submitting the application is December 10, 2017. Applications will be reviewed as they arrive. As a precondition for the application to be considered, applicants must join the program’s existing communication network https://www.facebook.com/groups/mediaafricanetwork/
No application will be considered unless the candidate is part of the network.
Please note that due to the anticipated volume of applicants, we will only contact semi-finalists. No calls please.
We appreciate your interest in this project and look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Vlad Spencer
Manager, Development & Innovation
World Learning Global Development and Exchange
https://worldlearninginnovanddev.wufoo.com/forms/q1ui6yfh1pls8za/
