- Published:
- Wednesday 8 April 2015
Budding political journalists who are eager to cover this year’s Youth Parliament should put their hand up, Minister for Youth Affairs, Jenny Mikakos, said today.
Ms Mikakos officially launched the YMCA’s Victoria Youth Press Gallery program for 2015 and encouraged aspiring journalists to apply and get involved. Applications for the Youth Press Gallery program open today and close on 22 April 2015.
Now in its second year, the program provides up to 20 aspiring journalists, 16 to 25 years old, with the opportunity to develop practical journalism skills.
Successful applicants commit six months to the program, including the three days of Victoria’s Youth Parliament in June this year, writing stories and pitching them to their local media.
The program includes mentoring with experts from Monash University and the YMCA, as well as from working Victorian Press Gallery journalists.
Young people who are participating in the program for a second year will be given the opportunity to receive enhanced training as content editors to complement the skills they learnt in the 2014 program.
At the end of the program, Youth Gallery participants will produce a 2015 Youth Parliament Press Book with the stories, interviews, profiles and photos the team published over the course of the Youth Parliament.
This will provide the young journalists with a portfolio that can be used when applying for further study or work.
The Victorian Government provided $50,000 over two years for the YMCA Victoria to deliver the Youth Press Gallery program. For more information or to apply visit www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au
Quotes attributable to Minister for Youth Affairs, Jenny Mikakos
“The YMCA Youth Press Gallery program is an excellent opportunity for young people who want to work in the media to increase their skills and make connections in the industry.”
“The Youth Press Gallery will report and comment on all the action from Youth Parliament, giving them a real sense of what being a member of the working media is like.”
“I encourage all young people who are interested in journalism to put their hand up and give it a go.”