APPLICATION CLOSED
To see a preview of the application before you begin, CLICK HERE!
APPLICATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 18
Want to learn more about this opportunity? Join us at the Community Reporter Fellowship Information Session on Saturday, October 16th! Those interested in applying are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to attend. Registration required!
About the Fellowship
Stories of Atlantic City is looking to partner with its first-ever cohort of Community Reporters!
We at Stories of Atlantic City understand that accurate information sharing is critical to our democracy. We believe that increased access could provide more community representation surrounding issues of public health, city government, elections, tourism and other industries. This is where YOU come in!
SOAC will train community members to serve as reporters at local meetings and events.
The Community Reporter Fellowship is a 7-month civic education and storytelling skill-building program (paid with a stipend) geared towards training community members to provide transparent community access to critical local information. SOAC will equip members of the cohort to report on important local meetings (Executive Council, City Council, Casino Reinvestment and Development Authority, the Board of Education, etc.) and events to fill in the gap where traditional journalism methods are not meeting the larger Atlantic City community’s information needs. Community Reporters will build relationships within their cohort and community while learning about civic engagement, journalism best practices, and methods to capture and share a story.
The Fellowship will begin November 2021 and end May 2022.
What We’re Looking for in a Fellow
Criteria– Some of the qualities we value are people who:
- Care deeply for the Atlantic City Community.
- Are open-minded and ready to learn.
- Can work both independently and in a group.
- Are flexible/adaptable (We appreciate a “go-with-the-flow” mentality.).
- Demonstrate the ability to work well under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
- Are problem-solvers.
- Possess a working knowledge of new media tools and technologies (email, social media platforms, Google, etc.) and related applications.
*People of color, women, people with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, gender-nonconforming and formerly incarcerated individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.
Eligibility– In order to be considered for this fellowship, you MUST be:
- A member of the Atlantic City Community (Are you a resident? Do you work here? Are you a college student living on campus? We want you!).
- A minimum of 18 years of age.
- A team-player (Collaboration is kind of our thing!).
The Work of a Fellow
Our Community Reporters will walk away from this fellowship with valuable experience and connections that will benefit them in future work across all fields.
Our Fellows will:
- Receive training in community reporting.
- Build meaningful relationships within their cohort and community.
- Identify opportunities for broadening their civic engagement, journalism best practices, and methods to capture and share a story.
- Develop a portfolio by creating news products and story deliverables to share information with the community.
The Fellowship will consist of two parts: Training & Fieldwork.
Fellows will:
Training
- Participate in (3) monthly mandatory in-person trainings and complete (3) online monthly modules.
- Learn accessible technology (smart phones, tablets, etc) and simple content producing programs.
- Develop and enhance their storytelling skills to share clear, concise and compelling information.
- Learn to verify information, fact-check, and conduct research for potential stories
- Foster relationships with professionals/practitioners and community leaders related to this work.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Fieldwork
- Attend and report on local meetings (Executive Council, City Council, Casino Reinvestment and Development Authority, the Board of Education, etc) and events.
- Get reporting assignments and develop story ideas.
- Work collaboratively to produce and create multimedia content to share on SOAC and personal platforms.
- Cover breaking news and meet short deadlines.
- Represent SOAC at public functions.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Important Dates
- October 16: Community Reporter Fellowship Information Session (STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for those interested in becoming a fellow)
- October 18: Application deadline
- October 25: Final selection of fellows made
- November 20: Training 1
- December 18: Training 2
- MORE DATES TBA
Ready to Apply?
APPLICATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 18
Stories of Atlantic City is a collaborative project focused on telling restorative, untold stories about the city and its people. Stories of Atlantic City is supported by Stockton University with funding from Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the NJ Local News Lab Fund at the Community Foundation of New Jersey, a partnership of the Dodge Foundation and Democracy Fund.
Stories of Atlantic City’s Community Reporter Project is part of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium. Created by the state of New Jersey in 2018, the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium is an independent, nonprofit organization that funds initiatives to benefit the State’s civic life and meet the evolving information needs of New Jersey’s communities. A first-in-the-nation project, the Consortium builds off the foundation laid by public media in the United States, and reimagines how public funding can be used to address the growing problem of news deserts and misinformation, and support more informed communities.
