Application process until 31 August 2023…don’t miss it.

This Wits journalism course will bring together 12 practicing journalists, from a range of media agencies, on a journey of interactive seminars that aim to deepen their reporting skills in the best interest of children. The course also includes open and free sessions for journalists, or interested persons, to take part in critical discussions targeting key issues in reporting on children.

The course aims to:

· Empower participants with knowledge and skills in children’s rights, ethics, and child-related law;

· Enhance participants’ confidence and skills when reporting on children, and enable them to identify and follow best journalistic

· practice;

· Develop professional expertise through theoretical and practical learning;

· Develop participants’ interviewing and story-telling skills;

· Enable participants to manage their own personal challenges and mental wellness when reporting on children’s issues;

· Introduce participants to a wide range of child-related experts, as well as to school-going learners, to ensure a diverse and informed perspective on issues that affect children;

· Contribute to the creation of an ethical media and human-rights centred approach to children’s reporting;

· Advance the creation of a media that not only values but also reflects diversity of opinions: including the opinions of children.

The course dates are as follows:

· The Foundation Training Workshop ( to be held in Johannesburg) will run from 11-13 September 2023. This is an interactive in-person workshop that will serve as the basis for the rest of the training.

· The Online and Group Coaching Sessions will run from 15-29 September 2023. These remote sessions will take place three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) and will feature different experts engaging on various topics relating to reporting on children. The group coaching and mentoring sessions will also fall on these days.

· Once the formal training has been completed, journalists will have from 1 October to 31 October 2023 to produce a child-focused news story (for print, radio or TV) of your choice. During this time, the dedicated coordinator will be available for mentorship sessions to help journalists prepare for their story submission.

· Finally, from 3-5 November 2023, journalists will be required to write and submit an open-book exam as part of the course.

Final mark for course participants will be based on:

1. Course attendance, participation, and the completion of weekly assignments (30%);

2. An Open Book exam, based on a case study, which will test your ability to apply child-related legal and ethical knowledge gained during the course to a “real world” situation (30%);

3. A child-focused news story/feature which you will produce for print, radio, or TV (40%).

What is the course fee?
The Reporting on Children in the Media Honours level accredited course is R9850. MMA is offering 5 bursary seats into the course which will bring the course costs to R7000.00. Please note that all bursaries are on a first come, first basis.If you live outside Johannesburg you’ll also be required to cover your travel and accommodation costs for the two-day, face-to-face seminar in October. And, because much of the teaching will be done online and via WhatsApp,
you should budget for data costs too.

Entrance Requirements:
Interested journalists must have a minimum of 2 years reporting experience or a degree with a minimum of 6 months reporting experience.

Notes to applicants:
For more inform or to apply please CLICK HERE

For further information, please contact:

Phakamile Madonsela, Media Monitoring Africa, Tel: 011 788 1278, phakamilek@mma.org.za or Jamaine Krige, course coordinator, jamaine.k@gmail.com