Journalists for Human Rights will offer its journalism training program in northwestern Ontario First Nations for another three years, with the aim of increasing the quantity and quality of Indigenous stories and voices in Canadian media.
The announcement follows the approval of renewed funding for the program from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Since 2014, JHR's Indigenous Reporters Program has worked in seven First Nations Communities including Peawanuck, Fort Albany, Sandy Lake, Sachigo Lake, Kasabonika Lake, North Spirit Lake and Eabametoong.
Most recently, it assigned community journalism trainers to Webequie, Marten Falls and Wabigoon Lake.
The Trillium funding primarily supports skills training and mentorship to First Nations community members wanting to pursue careers in journalism. It helps build reporting skills in radio, print and online journalism with the aim of producing news content within trainees' own communities.
JHR says community members are also be able to produce stories for other media outlets across Canada. "We are looking forward to building on the project's momentum and significantly expanding our scope to empower community members to tell their own stories in media," said Executive Director Rachel Pulfer.
To date, the program has trained nearly 260 people in journalism and media production, and about 500 people in media literacy and media engagement.
JHR has also announced plans for its first Indigenous reporters conference, at Lac Seul First Nation, in mid-July. The three-day event will bring together community members from across northern Ontario who have participated in the journalism training program.
