[Reader-list] Oscar van Leer Fellowship 2009 for journalism about early chilhood development and children’s rights

[Chintan]

 From http://www.bernardvanleer.org/ovlf/call Call for applications – Oscar
van Leer Fellowship 2009

The Bernard van Leer Foundation is pleased to announce the inaugural Oscar
van Leer Fellowship. We invite applications from journalists in qualifying
countries (Mexico, Kenya, India (Orissa), Peru, Colombia, South Africa,
Tanzania, Uganda and Caribbean Region) who have an interest in covering
children’s issues.

Three fellowships will be awarded, consisting of high-level professional
training in skills related to journalism about early chilhood development
and children’s rights. A four-week, expenses-paid professional training
course in the Netherlands conducted by the Radio Netherlands Training
Centre<http://www.rnw.nl/rntc/>will be provided to the successful
candidates.

This is a great opportunity for young journalists to further their general
profesional development and to establish for themselves a particular area of
expertise.

*About the fellowship*

The Bernard van Leer Foundation is an international philanthropic foundation
based in The Hague that seeks to improve opportunities for disadvantaged
young children. It has a long and respected track record of working
internationally on early childhood development and children’s rights.

The Oscar van Leer Fellowship commemorates Oscar van Leer, the son of the
foundation’s benefactor. The inaugural fellowship also marks the
foundation’s 60th anniversary.

One of the difficulties the foundation encounters is that young children’s
issues are often poorly understood in media coverage, if they are covered at
all. The aim of the Oscar van Leer Fellowship is to contribute to a gradual
improvement in the quality and quantity of media coverage of early childhood
issues by training up-and-coming journalists, giving them knowledge and
understanding that they will be able to apply as they progress in their
journalistic careers.

*Who should apply?*

The fellowship is intended for ambitious young journalists with an interest
in children’s issues. We don’t expect you to be an expert in children’s
issues already – that’s why we’re offering training. But we want you to be
interested in learning more about the issues faced by disadvantaged young
children, and the ways in which media coverage can raise awareness and shape
opinions of them.

Applicants must be connected to a reputable media outlet, either as an
employee or as a frequently published freelance contributor, and must intend
to continue to pursue a career in the media. The fellowship is open to
journalists in all forms of media, including print, radio, television and
web.

*Application procedure*

You should send us, by no later than 18 August 2009:

   - A completed application form
   - A letter of motivation
   - Your resumé (please include an indication of the reach of the media
   outlet/s for which you work, in terms of circulation or audience figures)
   - One example of your work, which has something to do with the situation
   of children in your country. This could be a piece of writing, a short film
   or radio broadcast. It can be something you have had published already, or
   it can be something you produce especially for the purpose of accompanying
   this application. We would like to publish on our website the work submitted
   by shortlisted candidates, so if the work you submit has been published
   already, please ensure this would not cause copyright issues.

See the "how to apply <http://www.bernardvanleer.org/ovlf/apply>" page for
details of where to send your application and in what format.

Successful candidates will be announced on 01 October 2009, and will be
invited to a presentation in The Hague on 11 November 2009. The training
will take place in early 2010.