The Solutions Journalism Network is seeking applications for its HEAL Fellowship to serve youth struggling with mental health issues by supporting U.S. journalists to report on and amplify solutions.
Donor Name: Solutions Journalism Network
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Fellowship
Deadline: 08/29/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $5,000
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
Ten U.S journalists will be selected based on the strength of their project’s equity component, and how closely their project proposals align with the following four HEAL criteria.
Successful fellowship projects will:
- (H)elp spread rigorous reporting on what’s working to address mental health issues and inequities, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, racism, neglect, loneliness, food insecurity, housing instability, economic instability, and community violence.
- (E)xpand young audiences’ access to solutions reporting on issues affecting them by partnering with mental health influencers and local networks related to the issue area.
- (A)ssess impact of solutions reporting and community engagement by collecting audience engagement metrics and anecdotes.
- (L)earn and teach others how to report on and amplify youth mental health solutions journalism, by creating training materials and becoming certified SJ trainers (ToT).
Potential HEAL projects
Examples of the potential HEAL projects a journalist may design include:
- A Mental Health First Aid program trains teenagers to respond to fellow teenagers’ panic attacks and suicide attempts; a YouTube creator interviews featured teens to share teachable takeaways
- A grassroots organization uses art and music to center Black joy and healing from trauma and community violence; a TikTok/Instagram influencer documents their work and shows students how to take part
- A community-driven web-based toolkit outlines strategies to reduce suicide among Inuit youth; local artists create and conduct outreach amplifying these insights in spaces where Inuit youth gather
The HEAL Fellows receive
- Deep connections with a tight-knit community of solutions journalism fellows from around the world, who will serve as lasting sources of accountability, problem-solving and encouragement during and beyond the yearlong fellowship;
- Access to exclusive professional development sessions from SJN staff and external partners on storytelling, engagement, fundraising, equity and more;
- An honorarium of up to $5,000, proportional to the scope of the fellow’s project
Project Period
Fellowship Begins (September 13 2023 – September 11 2024): Over the course of the twelve month fellowship, fellows will engage in monthly calls with fellowship cohort, professional development sessions, and similarly focused on expanding audiences’ access to solutions journalism. By the end of the fellowship, they will become accredited ‘Trainers’ of solutions journalism.
For more information, visit SJN.
