Newsroom Safety Across America
The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) with the Bronx Documentary Center will offer a two-day interactive, holistic safety training course on April 29-30 for New York-based professional reporters across all mediums.
If you are a journalist or news outlet interested, please complete this form as soon as possible if you can attend as space is limited. The IWMF will review your submission, confirm your participation if selected, and provide venue information. Please note we would need you to complete a participation agreement form and pre-survey before the training, which you would receive via email.
Deadline to apply: Friday, April 5, by 5 pm ET.
APPLY HERE
Applicants will hear back by April 19 at the latest.
Eligibility:
- Open to journalists of all genders.
- Both staff and freelance journalists may apply, but freelancers will be given priority.
- Journalists who have not received safety training will be given priority.
- Must be able to attend all two days of the training.
Training:
The training will focus on physical, digital, and psychosocial safety, and will include topics relevant to reporters working in the US, including those covering elections, as part of the IWMF's Newsroom Safety Across America Tour.
Over the course of two days, participants will learn the fundamentals of risk assessment and mitigation, personal security, covering protests and civil unrest, digital safety, active shooter and weapons awareness, and trauma and self-care.
Applicants must be able to attend the full two-day training to be eligible. Transportation and lodging is the responsibility of participants.
The course will coincide with an exhibition of Anja Niedringhaus’ photography at the Bronx Documentary Center. Niedringhaus was an Associated Press photojournalist from Germany who reported from conflict zones across the Balkans and the Middle East and, for this work, received the IWMF Courage in Journalism Award in 2005. She was shot and killed in Afghanistan in 2014. Since then, the IWMF and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation have honored her memory through the Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award.
About the IWMF:
The IWMF is the only global organization built to serve the holistic needs of women and nonbinary journalists. We are a bold and inclusive organization that supports journalists where they are with awards, reporting opportunities, fellowships, grants, safety training and emergency aid. As one of the largest supporters of women-produced journalism, our transformative work strengthens equal opportunity and press freedom worldwide.
About the Newsroom Safety Across America Tour:
The International Women’s Media Foundation is launching a national journalism safety initiative to provide wrap around care for small newsrooms and journalists that lack the resources and knowledge to implement best practices and safety policies for 2024 and beyond. The IWMF will offer one-day highly interactive in person safety workshops to local and regional news outlets in battleground states and rural areas where newsrooms are grappling with ongoing safety challenges. Topics include risk assessment and mitigation, personal security, active shooter, protests, legal/know your rights, and psychosocial/mental health awareness. After the training is completed, the IWMF will offer ongoing support to the participating newsrooms and journalism networks with safety consultations, assistance developing and implementing safety policies, and emergency assistance grants when needed. This approach will target the needs of journalists and newsroom leaders before, during, and after the elections with a mix of prevention and mitigation measures alongside emergency response and assistance if the newsroom faces any threats.
If you have any questions, please contact Catherine Henderson at chenderson@iwmf.org.