*AIPS YOUNG REPORTERS PROGRAMME FIFA U-17 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP, BAKU, AZERBAIJAN SPTEMBER 22 – OCTOBER 13, 2012

AIPS Young Reporters’ Programme, FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Baku, Azerbaijan

September 22 – October 13, 2012

Habari ndugu zangu, kwa mara nyingine nafasi ya kwenda katika mafunzo ya AIPS imetolewa, naomba mjaze huwa ukiwa na sifa na ukijaza vizuri nafasi inapatikana. Mwaka jana alijaza mwanafunzi wa IJMC akapata nafasi na akaenda kushiriki. Naomba tutumie dakika tano kupitia na kujaribu bahati. Uwoga ni sawa na umaskini.

AIPS, the International Sports Press Association will conduct a sports journalism education programme to provide young sport journalists with a unique training experience during the upcoming FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Baku, Azerbaijan from September 22 – October 13, 2012

The programme will be conducted with the cooperation of the Azerbaijan 2012 Organising Committee and the Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee.

The Young Reporters’ Programme will involve 20 AIPS-selected 19 to 25-year- old young journalists from the five continents of Africa, America, Asia, Oceania and Europe, and immerse them into the Games for 23 days, with full access to the competition venues. They will be joined by Azerbaijan colleagues selected by the local Organising Committee.

Sixteen of the journalists will be selected from the countries taking part in the tournament: Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, China, Korea DPR, Japan, Canada, USA, Mexico, New Zealand, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay. We will select four European journalists after the final of the Euro tournament.

Participants will include both young professional journalists already working full-time in the news media, and university students engaged in journalism and media studies. All expenses for successful Young Reporter candidates, including economy class airfares to Baku from the participants’ home city, accommodation and meals will be covered by the Organizing Committee.

Successful candidates will participate in educational seminars to be conducted by a number of international specialists together with media training from seasoned mentors from AIPS.

KEY ELEMENTS

Training will be offered in print, photography, and online and new media reporting of live events throughout the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. 

All Young Reporters will be required to participate in all training sessions and will be given daily reporting assignments - photographers will be required the produce written and video/audio content just as written journalists will be required to photograph.

Each successful candidate must sign an agreement setting out the conditions of course participation and the use of editorial material produced as part of the coursework.

Essential technology needed for the course will be provided, but participants will be required to bring their own personal equipment (laptop computers, voice recorders, digital photo and video cameras, etc.) as they seem fit to fulfill their assignments.

The 22-day project begins with an introduction to sports reporting and the techniques of covering the Games. The first assignment will be to cover the Opening Ceremony.

Coursework will include basic elements of event coverage, writing, interviewing, photos and video, and the Internet. Each Young Reporter must participate in all facets of the programme.

There will be opportunities for assigned stories, photos and video to be published on the AIPS website www.aipsmedia.com and various Games media and information systems.

All Young Reporters will receive assessments of their work throughout the course and an Certificate of Participation on completion.

SELECTION TIMELINE

All interested individuals are welcome to apply until June 20th, 2012; June 20th to June 25th applications will be reviewed by AIPS.

Successful applicants will be notified early July 2012 and will subsequently commence the visa application process with the assistance of World Cup Organising Committee.

September 21st, 2012 Selected Young Journalists arrive in Baku; October 14th, 2012 Young Journalists depart Baku.

COURSE DETAILS

All Young Journalists will undertake both general and specialised training in various aspects of sports reporting and the coverage of major events such as the Universiade. 

The course will look at what makes a good sports story, how to tell it informatively and entertainingly, when to look for more background detail and why accuracy and fairness still remain the cornerstone of sports reporting.

According to their specific interests, participants will specialize in areas of media such as print reporting (newspaper, magazine and agency), news and sports photography and Internet/new media.

Stories, photographs, audio and video packages will be published within the AIPS and Azerbaijan 2012 Internet sites and will be freely available, without rights, to media organizations worldwide. 

There will also be the opportunity for stories to be used by the participant’s AIPS National Association’s and media organizations for publication in their home countries and regions.

Training and course work will be undertaken in English only. Translation and interpretation will not be available.

AIPS SELECTION CRITERIA

Candidates will be between the ages of 19 and 25, ideally already working in the media.

Recent university graduates working as interns or in similar training roles in established news organizations will also be considered. Applicants must be proficient in writing and presenting news reports in English. 

AIPS will publish news items in the participants’ mother tongue as well as in English.

Candidates must be nominated by an AIPS member National Association. Each candidate must submit a short essay in English (500 words or less) on “Why I wish to be selected and what benefits I expect to gain from participation in the Young Reporters’ Programme”.

Strong supporting references and evidence of published work will be an advantage.

Candidates must be able to travel on the required dates and be available to partake, full time, in the complete course over the duration of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Baku.

Candidates must be willing to sign an agreement form setting out the conditions of their participation in the AIPS FISU Young Reporters’ Programme, which will include copyright free usage of their course content.

Candidates must have a valid passport for international travel. Upon selection they will receive the necessary documents from the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Baku Organizing Committee for their visa.

The final decision on the suitability of nominated candidates remains with AIPS.

ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA Fluency in French, Spanish and/or Russian (in addition to English) will be considered an asset.

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS Individuals interested in applying are asked to submit in English:

Current and detailed CV and photo with covering letter; Two letters of reference; A brief paper (500 words or less) on “Why I wish to be selected and what benefits I expect to gain from participation in the Young Reporters’ Programme”.

Applications will be accepted until June 20, 2012. Applications should be sent to: youngreporters@aipsmedia.com

Please note: Applications will be reviewed by the AIPS Bureau.