Exeter Observer offers free community journalism training courses to help potential contributors gain skills and confidence.
Each course is comprised of six weekly three hour small group sessions which involve tuition, discussion, practical exercises and reviews of coursework and reading assignments.
The course is supported by comprehensive online resources, with textbook and online resource readings and film recommendations each week.
Three written assignments are set during each course which include a news report and a feature article.
Each student also receives two individual mentoring sessions, one after week four and another after week six. These can be used to review assignments in detail, recap course content and discuss ongoing involvement in content production. This could include researching and subediting as well as writing articles for publication.
Additional mentoring sessions are available on request to match course participant needs. The planned print launch will offer additional opportunities for involvement later in the year.
The twenty hour course provides a comprehensive introduction to public interest community journalism in the Exeter context. It covers everything required to enable students to produce publication quality content without any prior experience.
Find out more about joining the course, take a look at the course content or get in touch to express your interest in a place.
News / Strategy & governance
Exeter City Council cuts scrutiny of executive decision-making
Constitutional changes proposed by Exeter City Council will make it more difficult to hold the ruling political group to account.
Analysis / Climate & environment
Exeter youth climate strikers launch Green New Deal for Devon
Fridays For Future Exeter have published a detailed vision of a more equitable future that calls on elected representatives across the county to recognise the climate crisis as a symptom of a dysfunctional political economy.
News / Climate & environment
Thousands march in Exeter for global climate strike as millions mobilise worldwide
Fridays for Future Exeter led 3500 people on a climate crisis demonstration through the city backed by dozens of organisations on the eve of the UN Climate Action Summit in New York.
News / Education & skills
Education union challenges university to address widespread casualisation of teaching staff
Exeter University & College Union (UCU) launched an anti-casualisation campaign on Friday as a prelude to negotiation with the University of Exeter over academic staff contracts.
Comment / Strategy & governance
Exeter protest misses its mark by mixing its messages
One of Exeter's biggest ever street demonstrations combined anti-Brexit and pro-democracy concerns to produce a confused protest against government policy.