I realised I actually didn’t post about this… so many things happening, so many things going on, some good, some not so good.
But earlier this month there was this announcement:
Walkley Grants for Innovation in Journalism: Inaugural Winners
Stephen Turner, “Youth Bytes”
Youth Bytes will be an online hub for student news production, providing mentoring by journalists and editors and a place for publication and networking. “Students can gain a better insight into what it takes to publish, and doing it well,” Stephen Turner said in his initial application.
“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to work with the Walkley Foundation on this project. I want to be able show young people how interesting, exciting and useful media work can be, and to install a “do it myself” mentality into them — to show them that the best way to fix the media is to do their own. And with the Foundation’s help I look forward to being able to connect them with real journalism mentors that can further their interests and goals. Most importantly, I also look forward to helping bring this project to rural and remote youth that might not otherwise have an opportunity like this, using a powerful online delivery system,” said Turner.
The judges love this project for its simplicity and potential impact for high school students. A grant will help Turner develop the web platform for Youth Bytes, and run a pilot program at Coonabarabran high school.
Stephen Turner is a writer and web designer/developer. He has worked in the media in various roles (at smh.com.au, CNET Australia, HWW Publishing and Horwitz Publications). For the last four years he has worked in computer support and assistance at a regional NSW high school, including two years working with the student media class.
So, let’s just say I’m pretty happy with that 🙂
It’s not a massive financial amount, but it’s obviously pleasing to see this kind of validation of my ideas and exciting to be working with the Walkley Foundation. The money available is helpful of course, and it will help fully develop the idea as well as provide me with a boost in all my web endeavours.
The times they are exciting…