With a new year comes new possibilities, and for two school leavers, it could mean the opportunity of a lifetime.
The Regional Youth Journalism Fellowship Program allows young people in the Goulburn Valley to secure a paid fellowship at the Shepparton News with guidance from the Melbourne Press Club.
This initiative is the first time McPherson Media Group, Melbourne Press Club, and the Greater Shepparton Foundation have partnered with funding from the Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation.
Greater Shepparton Foundation executive officer Amanda McCulloch said the partnership will see the successful candidates “mentored and truly immersed in the experience of working in a fast-paced Shepparton News environment,” and the foundation is excited to be able to support two budding journalists for the first time.
Meanwhile, for McPherson Media Group, the program adds to its long-standing tradition of inspiring and educating the youth in Greater Shepparton.
“About 12 months ago, we reintroduced a first-year cadet program where we train reporters right here in our newsroom, with some external support,” director of content and audience Christine Anderson said.
“We employed three young people from the Goulburn Valley, two of whom had only just completed Year 12.
“Our newsroom leaders are passionate about developing the next generation of storytellers, and the writing skills of this cohort have been remarkable – something we are extremely proud of.
“To now have the opportunity to offer the same learning experience to two more youths is exciting for us.”
Melbourne Press Club chief executive officer Nick Richardson agreed that the program provides an incredible opportunity to identify new young voices from the diverse Shepparton community.
“The MPC believes in the power of local journalism to make a difference and sees this program as an important innovation in increasing the opportunity for more local stories to be told by those who know their community best,” he said.
The fellowship is a full-time, six-month placement with interviews in February 2024.
The program is now open and accepting applications.
Young people in the Goulburn Valley who are interested in writing, journalism, and crafting stories for the community are encouraged to contact info@greatershepparton.foundation for more information.