Our Community Journalism Fellowship, funded by a generous benefactor from Mile End, supports early-career journalists who can demonstrate a commitment and interest in using constructive journalism for the benefit of the local community.
What does it entail?
This six-month programme comprises three nine-week units – a Foundation module, a Further module and an Extended Project module.
Community Journalism Fellows join our Diploma in Community Journalism classes on Monday mornings. Find out more about the course here.
In addition, Fellows receive a one-to-one tutorial every Wednesday afternoon and work alongside the team at the office.
Students will have the opportunity to develop their skills in a real-world environment, finding stories within their assigned patch, and publishing assignments directly to one of our online publications Roman Road LDN, Poplar LDN, Bethnal Green LDN, Whitechapel LDN, live social media platforms, and our overarching print publication The Slice Tower Hamlets.
The Fellowship culminates in an Extended Project, a series of six articles on an agreed topic, which can be investigative or solutions-based in nature.
Fellows should expect the training and assignments to take two working days per week.
Eligibility
Students must have fluent English, excellent writing skills and must demonstrate an interest in community journalism, social justice, constructive journalism, anthropology or cultural issues. They must also show an awareness of the issues faced by communities in Tower Hamlets.
The Fellowship is open to all but prioritises those who were born, raised or educated in Tower Hamlets.
How to apply
You will need to supply FOUR elements.
1) CV: include a) where you live now b) the name and city of your secondary school c) university and subject details c) post-graduate education (if any); d) experience in journalism or writing
2) Cover Letter: tell us why you want to be a Community Journalism Fellow and why we should choose you.
3) An unpublished news story of no more than 500 words on a topic of interest to people who read The Slice Tower Hamlets or one of its online community titles. We are looking for a story that you have researched and written yourself with Social Streets in mind. Please note, it should be a news story — not an opinion piece or creative writing. Submissions that have already been published will be rejected.
4) A topic you would propose for your Extended Project. Discuss the treatment for the project, bearing in mine Social Streets’ editorial values.
We will not assess applications unless all four elements are present.
The deadline for applications is June 15 2023. Successful applicants will start on September 11 2023