Call for participants:

Classical news media and journalism models are struggling to keep up with current social changes. False news and hate speech are rampant issues in the modern media landscape. Modern, constructive, solutions, engaged, and citizen (CSEC) journalism is an incredibly effective tool against these issues. It provides media professionals and aspiring media changers the skill to navigate the white noise of sophistry and misinformation.

Professional and citizen journalists can adapt an array of CSEC methods to become the bleeding edge of modern journalism. This is where Citizens Story Lab comes in. It’s an event to learn and hone to perfection CSEC skills. No matter your professional level, you can learn from the pros, explore various interactive media tools, funding opportunities, inspiration, and gather useful contacts.

Citizens Story Lab is not only about knowledge acquisition. It’s an opportunity to join “Media4Change” community,  learn from experts, as well as each other, discuss, practice network, become inspired and empowered to make meaningful change in the global narrative!

When and Where?

Time: from 12 to 14 May 2023 (travel included)

Place: Trnava, Slovakia

Duration: 3 days (including travel days) – arrival on the first day before 15:00, departure on the last day after lunch (15:00).

If absolutely necessary it is possible to arrive one day earlier and depart one day later.

Programme:

12 May (Friday)

Arrival

Once they settle down, the participants will write on the “inspirational table” in the meeting room their experiences with engaged journalism, any good practices they know, and their relevant plans after the event.

Get to know each other (elaborating on what is written on the “inspirational table”)

13 May (Saturday)

Media:

• Introduction into the engaged, solutions, and citizen journalism
• STEP model
• E-participation tools in the field of media

• Good practices from around the world
• Ideas Market, Media4Change, collaboration platform

Organising:

• How to organise an event: planning, implementation, reporting
• How to get funding

Working groups:

• The participants will start working on media pieces and elaborate on how they would like to implement engaged journalism techniques in relation to follow-up of the media pieces.

14 May (Sunday)

Organising:

• How to draw attention: promotion, interactive media tools

Working groups

Departure after 15:00

Who can participate?

Professional journalists and active citizens from all over the EU, at least 18 years old, who:

• are interested in CSEC journalism;
• want to learn how to get engaged and cooperate with fellow journalists;
• want to empower others in these areas through local and international events.

25 – 30 participants will attend the training (accommodation for 20 international ones)

After the event:

Participants will co-produce and distribute media pieces (10 in total) in the format of your choice (text, audio, video, multimedia) on socially important and sensitive topics with full mentoring support from project team.

What is the deadline for application submission?

24 April 2023 (23:59 CET) 

If you are interested, fill out this online form. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at …

What else is in?

• An opportunity to become ambassadors of CSEC journalism in your country

• Exploration of the beautiful town of Trnava, called the “Slovak Rome”

• Travel costs reimbursed after the event (limit: 200 EUR) 

• Accommodation, breakfasts, lunches, and dinners during the training are covered directly by the organisers

See you in Trnava! 

The training is part of the project “Media for Citizens Story Lab”, which is financed by the European Commission under the programme “Europe for Citizens”, grant agreement No 625914-CITIZ-1-2020-1-LT-CITIZ-CIV.