The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma is offering a three-day training institute for reporters and editors across Europe to deepen their knowledge of the impact of forced migration and displacement on children. This institute – part of the Dart Center’s Childhood Forced Migration Journalism Project – will be held April 4-6, 2025 at the Columbia Global Paris Center.
The deadline for applications is Monday, November 25, 2024 at 9pm GMT.
Children are at the forefront of a historic global refugee crisis, displaced by the millions in active conflict zones and countries decimated by violence, persecution and poverty. While children make up less than a third of the global population, they represent 41% of the world’s refugees and their experiences and needs are often overlooked, oversimplified or sensationalized by the news media.
Reporting on children impacted by violence, trauma and adversity requires knowledge of early brain science and development, and the impact of extreme stress and trauma on children’s emotional and cognitive growth. It also requires trauma-informed reporting skills such as ethical interviewing techniques; understanding consent and assent; protecting identities, handling graphic imagery; and recognizing children’s resiliency and agency.
This three-day training institute will bring together Europe-based journalists with leading researchers, clinicians, child development experts and practitioners for expert briefings, panels, workshops and conversations on how to produce science-informed, ethical and effective stories on children and families affected by forced migration and displacement. The institute will provide opportunities for knowledge sharing, source development, and peer-to-peer learning and foster a global network of journalists dedicated to reporting on children with insight, accuracy, sensitivity and depth.
This reporting institute is organized by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, a project of Columbia Journalism School, in collaboration with the Program on Forced Migration and Health (PFMH) and the Care and Protection of Children (CPC) Learning Network at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health and the Columbia Global Paris Center.
The “Childhood Forced Migration Journalism Project” is funded by Columbia Global at Columbia University. Columbia Global brings together major global initiatives from across Columbia University to advance knowledge and foster global engagement. It is the latest project of the Dart Center’s Early Childhood Journalism Initiative, created in 2017 to encourage and support science-informed, child-centered reporting that also examines the mental health and wellbeing of caregivers.
ELIGIBILITY
Reporters and editors based in Europe who work in print, digital, audio, photography, television and video with a minimum of three years’ professional journalism experience are eligible to apply. Editor-reporter pairs will be considered. Student journalists beyond Columbia Journalism School are not eligible to apply.
The program will be conducted in English only. Applicants must be highly proficient in English and must reside in Europe to be eligible.
MORE INFORMATION
The program covers roundtrip travel, up to 3 nights of hotel lodging for selected participants outside of Paris, ground transportation to/from Paris airports and most meals. The program does not cover health insurance, travel insurance, visa fees or ground transportation in participants’ home countries.
The Dart Center will provide formal letters of acceptance to accompany visa applications of selected participants. The program cannot cover fees associated with applying for travel visas or assist in obtaining a visa to travel to France.
Applicants will be notified with a decision by January 14, 2025.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES
To apply, you must create a free account on Submittable.
A completed application includes:
- Resume / CV
- Professional Bio
- Letter of interest: Your letter should discuss your work as a journalist, any experience reporting on migration and/or children and families , challenges you've encountered or particular events or experiences that have informed or shaped your outlook or approach, and what you hope to take away from the institute. (No more than 2 pages)
- Two recent and relevant work samples:
- Your work samples should have been published or broadcast within the last three years.
- You must have worked as a reporter or editor on the story or project included as a work sample.
- If your work sample is not in English, please provide an English transcript to accompany it.
- One letters of recommendation from professional references: You will be asked to provide an email address for your recommender, and they will be sent an email by Submittable to upload their recommendation. The deadline for recommendations is December 2, 2024.
Applications by past participants of the Dart Center’s Early Childhood Journalism Initiative or employees of Columbia Journalism School or student journalists will not be considered.
Application deadline: November 25, 2024 at 9:00pm GMT. Recommendation letters will be accepted through December 2, 2024.