YaLa Young Leaders Citizen Journalism Program 2017

The YaLa Academy’s Aileen Getty School of Citizen Journalism brings together leading journalists and new media experts to train Middle Eastern and African youth in basic journalism techniques, photo and video journalism and 21st-century activism. Building upon an initiative launched in 2014 in partnership with the U.S Institute of Peace, this online program is a unique combination of new media training and peacebuilding experience. In regions where media is too often a tool for nationalism, division, and fear, YaLa citizen journalists are being empowered to express themselves and tell a different kind of story.

The free online program will train you to become a “citizen journalists” experienced in expressing yourself, telling your stories, writing blogs, taking photos, making videos, using social media tools and engaging in cross -border dialogue. The online training program focuses on video lectures by peace practitioners and journalist/experts from the New York Times, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and much more!

During the 4-months program, you will be asked to take part in online chat sessions, to participate in a private Facebook working group, to submit 4 mandatory assignments and to regularly check your emails. You will be in touch with a Coordinator who will help you go through the program. You will learn how to create written and audiovisual content about the issues important to you such as peace, gender, identity, development, culture, social justice etc.