Caribbean Climate Justice Journalism Fellowship (applications open)

Are you ready to be at the forefront of climate justice journalism in the Caribbean? Look no further! 📰 We’re thrilled to announce that we are now accepting applications for the third cycle of our Caribbean Climate Justice Journalism Fellowship, which will run from May to September 2024, and we want you to be a part of it!

This Fellowship aims to empower and support dedicated climate journalists across the Caribbean region to effectively report on climate justice issues. 🌴 Having previously run two cycles, we have made some upgrades that we’re sure you will enjoy! 

We’re taking it a step further, equipping you with the tools and skills needed to create impactful stories that advocate for equitable climate solutions and promote sustainable environmental practices. 🌱

This Fellowship is a collaboration between Climate Tracker and the Open Society Foundations, two organisations deeply committed to promoting climate justice and environmental sustainability. Together, we are offering a unique opportunity for Caribbean journalists to hone their skills, tell important stories, and make a real impact in their communities.

Why should you apply?

• Focused Storytelling: Each fellow will be supported to produce a total of 5 stories over 5 months
• New Media Innovation: You’ll receive the opportunity to embrace the power of new media to produce climate justice stories.
• Comprehensive Training: Our group training sessions cover essential topics such as climate justice fundamentals, impactful reporting techniques, data journalism, investigative journalism, and the intersection of climate justice with gender equality and Indigenous rights.
• Monthly Stipend: You’ll receive a monthly stipend of USD $200 during this Fellowship, every time you publish a story with us.
• Engagement Opportunities: As a fellow, you’ll have the chance to engage with your audience through podcast episodes, Instagram Lives, and newsletter contributions, amplifying your impact and reaching wider audiences.

Here are some stories that our past Caribbean Climate Justice Fellows have produced during their time in the fellowship

We invite you to apply if these resonate with you. You’re…

• A Caribbean journalist interested in covering climate justice 
• A Caribbean journalist with some experience in covering environmental issues but looking for guidance and training in reporting on climate justice
• A Caribbean journalist with experience in reporting but not necessarily on climate and environment and looking to learn and build your portfolio in this area  
• A Caribbean journalism, media, or communications student with at least 1 year of experience reporting or some publishing is already done in the past year, looking for the chance to increase your knowledge and publishing profile
• Able to commit to attendance of our fortnightly group training sessions and weekly check-in calls with your assigned mentor

What do we expect?

📝 If you’re selected as a fellow, over 5 months you will be expected to publish 5 stories in your local/regional media (to be re-published on climatetrackercaribbean.org): 

• 2 short-form climate justice stories highlighting a crucial issue in your country 
• 1 collaborative climate justice story (with your assigned group members)
• 1 solutions-oriented new media climate justice story (TikTok/Reels-styled video)
• 1 long-form investigative climate justice story 

🚀 Before you start working on each story, you’ll need to pitch your idea to your journalism mentor. This is a chance for you to get feedback and advice on how to make your story as impactful as possible.

📅 In addition to working on your stories, you’ll be required to attend group training sessions twice per month and weekly 1-1 check-in calls with your mentor. This is to ensure that you’re getting the support and guidance you need.

🌟 But that’s not all! As a Fellow, you’ll also work with the Climate Tracker team to organize and conduct new media engagements. This will include:

• 1 Caribbean Climate Calabash podcast episode
• 1 Instagram LIVE session
• 1 contribution to our Caribbean Climate Justice Brief newsletter

If you’re a journalist passionate about climate justice and eager to make an impact, we want to hear from you! Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a transformative fellowship program that’s shaping the future of climate journalism in the Caribbean.

WE HOPE YOU’RE INTERESTED! HERE’S HOW TO APPLY

Simply tell us how this fellowship could potentially benefit you and your career in our application form by 22nd April, 2024.

If you’ve got any questions, please feel free to reach out to:

Dizzanne Billy – Caribbean Regional Director at dizzanne@climatetracker.org and Camol Walker – Caribbean Communications Officer at camol@climatetracker.org

Frequently Asked Questions

ABOUT CLIMATE TRACKER

Climate Tracker (CT) is an international non-profit organisation, aiming to support, train and incentivise better climate journalism globally. We believe in the power of journalism but recognise that many young journalists don’t have the training, resources or support to identify and tell the climate stories they want to. We also recognise that this challenge is often greatest in the countries hardest hit by climate change. To address this, we:

• Provide training and fellowships for young journalists around the world to tell better climate stories locally
• Conduct action-oriented media research to better understand the biggest challenges,  trends, and obstacles to powerful climate reporting around the world
• Fund young journalists to report on the world’s most pressing issues and cover the world’s biggest moments, UN negotiations and conferences 
• Support global collaboration