Published Date: Apr 19, 2021

ActionAid Young Journalist Fellowship 2021

1. Background:

From the inception, ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB) has been advocating for the rights of the marginalised people for social justice. We seek to co-convene and facilitate the extensive engagement of young people with their communities to lead the progressive social movements.

Action for Impact (A4I) project is one of the initiatives in alignment with AAB’s priority to the women, men, and other gender-diverse young people that promotes youth-led social transformation.

A4I is working on 3 thematic areas to facilitate youth leadership towards accountability of the SDGs -

• Economic opportunities and decent work
• Gender and youth responsive public services
• Participatory democracy and youth representation

As the media has a strong influence in sensitising relevant stakeholder including policy and decision makers, AAB engages with media through different strategies to amplify its advocacy for the rights of marginalised people. The young journalists have a vital role to play to contribute to bringing young people’s agendas to the forefront of national concerns and policy makers. 

To inspire passionate young journalists on generating youth focused in-depth investigative articles or broadcasts (at national mass media) to reach out the people across the country and sensitize policy makers and stakeholders, AAB will be facilitating the ‘ActionAid Young Journalist Fellowship 2021’.

2. Objective:

The objective of this fellowship is to generate youth focused investigative or analytical reports and develop a resource pool of young journalists within mainstream media who will proactively promote the youth agenda.

3. Scope of Work

• Number of Fellowships    : 3
• Fellowship Category        : Print, Electronic and Online Media (English and Bangla)
• Fellowship Award Value  : BDT 67,648 (VAT & Tax included)
• Fellowship Timeline         : June - July 2021 (subject to extention upon consideration)

Themes of Reporting: 

• Economic opportunities and decent work
• Gender and youth responsive public services
• Participatory democracy and youth representation

Possible Reporting Topics Under these Themes :

• Meaningful youth participation in local level governance process: perception and practice.
• Barriers that young people and women face in identifying specific services and suggestions to make them more gender-responsive in terms of location, cost, accessibility, responsibility.
• Obstracles and opportunities that influence women’s access and participation in the public health services
• Factors influencing the provision of GRPS in marginalized communities.
• Decent work in the informal sector: Rights and Policy gaps.
• National and International acceptance of skill development and trade courses in Bangladesh

• After selecting the winning applications, the details of the research topics and other relevant information will be shared with the fellows (Please keep in mind that these topics will be sharpened later through discussion between the fellows and the thematic experts). 

4. Working Modalities: 

• Each fellow will be working on one of the above-mentioned topics and will have to develop at least 2 reports and publish/air those reports in their respective national newspaper/tv (English and Bangla) during the fellowship period focusing on the grassroot realities which will be used for advocacy with different stakeholders.
• There are researches completed on the 3 thematic areas in the previous years, which the fellows will be needing to take consideration while working on the reports. The reports prepared by the journalists should compliment the research findings.
• The mentors will support to guide the fellows on the reports. The working experience from the thematic leads will support the journalists as well.
• The draft copy of the reports must be submitted to ActionAid and the mentors so that they can give their feedback on the reports.
• After incorporating the feedbacks to the reports, the fellows must publish on the fellow’s respective current media company.
• The elaborated text version of the published reports along with the news links must be submitted to ActionAid Bangladesh.

5. Deliverables

• Each fellow will be working on one of the above-mentioned topics and will have to develop at least 2 reports and publish/air in their respective national newspaper/tv (English and Bangla) focusing on the grassroot realities which will be used for advocacy with different stakeholders.
• The elaborated version of the reports along with the news links must be submitted to ActionAid so that it can be documented and for a publication of the collective reports from the winner fellows later.
• There are researches completed on the 3 thematic areas in the previous year, which the fellows will be needing to take consideration while working on the reports. The reports prepared by the journalists should compliment the researches.
• The elaborated text version of the published reports along with the news links must be submitted to ActionAid.

6. Timeline for Deliverables 

• The selected journalists will get an orientation session on the topics under 3  themes mentioned.
• The journalists will get around 2 months (June-July 2021) to publish or on-air the news or reports in their respective medias. 

7. Required Documents for Application

• Cover letter (maximum 1 page)
• Write-up in maximum 800 words on proposed report topic (any of the above topics)
• Letter of endorsement on experience and participation from the editor/chief reporter/assignment editor from applicant’s workplace
• Applicant’s 1 copy passport size photo
• Resume

8. Special Conditions 

• Applicant should have minimum two years’ work experiences either in Bangla and/or English in media sector
• The reports will have to be published in the fellow’s respective current media company
• Selected fellow will have to produce at least two reports as stated under the fellowship
• The age limit for the fellowship is 35 years. 

9. Last Date of Application                                  

27 May 2021

10. Mailing Address                                   

To:         Afsana Alim

             Programme Officer, Young People

             House SE (C) 5/B, Road 136, Gulshan 1, Dhaka 1212

             ActionAid Bangladesh.

11. For Email 

afsana.alim@actionaid.org

*Women and young journalists below 30 years are encouraged to apply