Media Literacy Training Open Call for West African Young Professionals

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In an era of digital complexity, Africa’s information ecosystem faces unprecedented challenges. The surge in social media usage — quadrupling since 2016 — has created a vulnerable landscape demanding urgent media literacy initiatives, particularly among the region’s significant youth population. With the support of expert trainers and each other, young people will better understand AI, disinformation and media literacy, while also having the opportunity to develop compelling and engaging digital projects that increase responsible civic engagement and combat false narratives in the region.

Program Vision

Our mission is to empower a new generation of African young professionals who can:

• Critically analyze media landscapes
• Develop compelling narratives that combat falsehoods
• Foster responsible digital citizenship
• Create cross-border networks of informed communicators

Key Objectives

1. Skill Development: Train participants in advanced media literacy techniques
2. Storytelling Empowerment: Enable collaborative, fact-based digital storytelling
3. Civic Engagement: Promote a culture of responsible digital citizenship

Program Structure

Phase 1: Online Training (4 Weeks)

Phase 2: Virtual Project Development Workshop

Phase 3: Grant-Supported Projects

Phase 4: In-Person Colloquium (location TBD)

Support and Mentorship

Each participant will receive:

• One-on-one mentorship
• Consistent coaching
• Problem-solving support
• Skill reinforcement

Eligibility

• ICFJ is looking for applicants aged 18-30 years old from civil society, education, the public or private sector, academia and/or any other non-journalism fields.
  • Please note: this is not a program for working journalists
• Young people between 18-30 years old from any of the following countries:
  • Cote D’Ivoire
  • Mali
  • Niger
  • Burkina Faso
  • Central African Republic
  • Sierra Leone
  • Guinea Conakry
  • Togo
  • Benin
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Cameroon

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government, administered by ICFJ.

Learn More on our Website: https://www.icfj.org/our-work/media-literacy-training-west-african-young-professionals

Ends On: 15th January 2025