An Initiative of J-Schools Canada/Écoles-J Canada, The Canadian Journalism Foundation and Google News Initiative
Guidelines: Next-Generation Journalists Bursary Program
Launch
The Next-Generation Journalists Bursary Program was launched on Dec. 27, 2023. It runs from Jan. 31, 2024 to May 1, 2025.
Summary
J-Schools Canada/Écoles-J Canada, in conjunction with The Canadian Journalism Foundation and Google News Initiative is offering member institutions an opportunity to fund a limited number of career development opportunities for students in 2024-25.
This one-year opportunity will allow approved member institutions access to an equal portion of $200,000, which could benefit up to 100 students across Canada.
Objective
Many students struggle to meet the costs of education while also pursuing real-world experience in their chosen field. Accessing such opportunities can be particularly challenging for students from underrepresented groups.
The Next Generation Journalist Bursary aims to support students pursuing practical opportunities that position them for meaningful employment upon graduation. It proposes to help all journalism students take on formative professional experiences – ones that, down the road, will help them join the next generation of journalists advancing the industry as a whole.
As many students as possible will be supported while offering a significant amount to each recipient.
How It Works
- Member institutions apply to JSC-ÉJC to access an equal portion of the funding. The exact amount depends on the number of institutions taking part. (JSC-ÉJC currently has 21 members in good standing.)
- The Canadian Journalism Foundation will transfer a deposit between $8,000–$12,000 to each approved JSC-ÉJC member, to be distributed to students in amounts of between $2,000-$5,000.
- JSC-ÉJC member institutions invite students to apply for their program’s funding. They pay successful students internally using their institution’s own financial systems.
- Students participate in the career development opportunities, as approved by their institution, during the 2024-25 academic year.
- Member institutions report the names of participating students and amounts received to JSC-ÉJC, which will share the information with The Canadian Journalism Foundation and Google News Initiative, and publicly announce recipients.
- JSC-ÉJC, in partnership with its participating member institutions, selects a limited number of students to profile publicly, focusing on how they are using funds to pursue career-enriching opportunities.
- Student profiles will appear on JSC-ÉJC’s website, and may also be published by CJF and the GNI
Criteria For Students Applying to Their Approved Institution
- Students will be enrolled full- or part-time in a journalism degree or diploma program.
- Students agree to be acknowledged publicly as participants.
- Students agree to participate in at least one Google News Lab Training session.
Criteria For Member Institutions Applying to the Program
- Institutional members of JSC-ÉJC are eligible to apply. (Associate and Individual members are not.)
- The institution’s membership status must be in good standing on March 1, 2024. (With their 2023-24 membership application submitted and payment received.) For information on how to renew or become a new member, please see How to Join / Comment s’inscrire.
- A member institution will submit a single application for funding. If approved, it will then award that funding internally to multiple students for opportunities within the 2024-25 academic year.
- The member institution must transfer all awarded funds to individual students. Amounts must be between $2,000-$5,000 per student.
- The member institution will award funds for student opportunities that meet the following criteria:
- Supports a student fulfilling an academic requirement or option involving career-related learning in the practice of journalism. This would typically involve learning, either in-person or online, from professionals in the field who are external to the institution — usually, but not exclusively, a media organization or journalist.
- Supports a student fulfilling an opportunity deemed especially valuable for their studies that is directly related to their professional career development. Examples include collaborative extra-curricular involvement in a campus newspaper or podcast.
- The member institution agrees to supply to JSC-ÉJC the names of student participants, the amounts they received and a brief description of each student’s involvement. This information will be shared with The Canadian Journalism Foundation and the Google News Initiative, and will be distributed publicly as part of a report on the program’s outcome. The member institution will do this at the end of the academic term in which the student opportunity takes place.
The member institution agrees to submit to JSC-ÉJC a short profile of at least one student participant (~400 words), including a photo, as part of the public report. Student profiles will appear on JSC-ÉJC’s website, and may also be published by CJF and the Google News Initiative - The member institution agrees to obtain the necessary waivers from students selected to participate in the program. See Appendix A for suggested language.
How To Apply
Submit the application form by March 1, 2024
Timeline and Deadlines
- March 1, 2024: Deadline for member institutions to fill out the application form to participate in this initiative
- March 15: JSC-ÉJC determines the total number of approved institutions, which determines the amount of money to be distributed to each program. Programs receive notice of their status. Programs define their own criteria for student participation based on the general criteria set out in this document
- April 1: Money transferred from The Canadian Journalism Foundation to member institutions
- April 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025: Students are selected by their programs and complete their participation
- September 15, 2024 / January 15, 2025 / May 15, 2025: End-of-term deadlines for list of recipients. Each program must submit to JSC-ÉJC the names of selected participants, amounts awarded and ~25-word descriptions of the funded opportunity. The information must be submitted at the end of the term in which the career opportunity has been completed.
Each program must select at least one student to profile. The profile material (~400 words and photo) must be submitted to JSC-ÉJC at the end of the term in which the selected student’s career opportunity has been completed.
Appendix A: Student Waiver Acknowledgement (Sample)
Participating member institutions agree to require student waivers that provide details of how student information will be circulated. If your program does not have its own waiver, we offer the following template.
________________________
Next Generation Journalist Bursary Waiver Acknowledgement
I, (student name), hereby consent and authorize J-Schools Canada/Écoles-J Canada, J-Schools Canada/Écoles-J Canada member institutions, The Canadian Journalism Foundation and Google News Initiative, to use and reproduce any and all materials (including text-based and/or photographic material) in which my name and/or likeness and/or quoted content appear, in relation to the Next Generation Journalist Bursary.
These materials may be used in any number of ways: websites, advertising, social media channels, infographics and other institutional and recruitment marketing and communications materials without compensation to me.
All materials in which my name and/or likeness and/or quoted content appear will remain the property, solely and completely, of J-Schools Canada/Écoles-J Canada, J-Schools Canada/Écoles-J Canada member institutions, The Canadian Journalism Foundation and Google News Initiative.
I authorize use of my name and/or likeness and/or quoted content in all forms in perpetuity, and I waive all copyright and moral rights to the material.
Name (please print)
Student number (optional/program discretion) Signature
Date