Mediacentar Sarajevo and partners are announcing an open call for the one-year Regional Academy for Future Leaders of Change on Media Literacy and Activism.

Seven media organisations from Western Balkan and Turkey have designed an educational programme for citizens, the youth in particular, designed to mentor and empower them to engage in media freedom activism in order to counter polarisation.

We are looking to empower and create allies among young people who care about the future of free media, about the future of freedom of expression and are open to becoming well-informed advocates for our fundamental right to speak freely.

If you are a young activist, CSO leader, active or striving politician, journalist, member of the academic community, social media influencer, or education worker, and want to use your voice and influence to help advance media freedoms, apply for participation in Academy for Future Leaders of Change!

You will gain comprehensive insight into the media environment in your country, Western Balkans region and Turkey; what constitutes the media environment of today, what are the challenges media and journalists are facing and what it takes to overcome them. You will learn of the media and information literacy trends and how media literate citizens advance democracy and rule of law.

The programme kicks off with an in-person bootcamp in Istanbul (28 - 31 October 2024), followed by a series of online workshops and sessions. We will take you to EU countries to learn first-hand about the media and freedom of expression trends and challenges which media professionals, experts, and legislators expect the future might bring, and which we should be working to prepare our region for. The programme will encourage and support you in devising your own initiatives aimed at advancing media freedoms in your countries. The Academy will kick off in October 2024 and will last for 12 months.

Participation in the programme is free of charge with all costs covered by the project partners, thanks to the EU support in implementation of the project.

The advantage in selection will be given to highly motivated individuals who recognise participation in the Academy as a chance to build their knowledge on challenges to media freedoms and are interested to contribute to protecting and advancing media freedoms using their platforms of influence and work.

Read more and learn how to apply below.

Regional Academy overview

The Regional Academy aims to empower a group of young people, future leaders of change to develop their skills and competencies to engage in media activism and act on overcoming differences and creating understanding in their fields of activity.

This programme will bring together 21 young people of different interests, professions and preoccupations who are predominantly dedicated, primarily to media activism, but also to other different areas of public activity which need media and digital literacy in everyday work.

The purpose of the Academy is, therefore, to train them in a different, innovative, and creative way, both as a group and as individuals, to improve their skills, and adopt new methods and techniques of media activism. Also, to be ready to apply them immediately in everyday practice, at the local and regional level, in public advocacy, creating campaigns, and launching initiatives aimed at improving the situation of the media in the entire Western Balkans region.

Programme Curriculum

The Academy will cover a wide range of topics - both general issues in the media industry as well as specific challenges facing press freedom and independent journalism in the region. Participants will explore the evolving media sphere, examining industry trends, legislation, and policy frameworks - with a focus on how these factors relate to the realisation of fundamental human rights and align with European standards. Specific topics will include media regulation and self-regulation, the role of the media in diverse, conflict-prone communities, and the safety challenges journalists face, including direct threats from political and economic elites. The academy will also tackle the scourge of propaganda, manipulation, and fake news production by media outlets under the sway of political and economic powers.

Throughout the programme, media experts and experts in advocacy, campaigning, and strategic communication will lead workshops, guiding participants in simulating effective public engagement and awareness-raising tactics to combat these issues. By equipping the next generation of media activists with a robust understanding of the problems and practical skills to enact change, the academy aims to cultivate a cohort of empowered leaders capable of defending media freedom and pluralism in their communities.

Who is this Academy for?

The Academy specifically targets a diverse cohort of young activists, political party/movement members, citizen group representatives, journalists, social media influencers, and students from 21 to 35 years old to participate in this one-year programme.

Over a year, 3 representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with colleagues from Kosovo, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey, will work on developing skills and competencies necessary for media activism and aimed at reducing societal polarization.

To participate in the Academy, candidates must be fluent in English, as it will be the working language of the entire programme.

By investing in this diverse group of young citizens - activists, political actors, community leaders, journalists, and digital influencers - the Academy aims to cultivate a powerful network of empowered media literacy leaders and media activists. With both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, participants will be poised to defend fundamental freedoms, counter disinformation, and safeguard media pluralism in their home countries and across the region.

What does the Academy's programme include?

The Regional Academy includes a comprehensive educational programme with four key formats:
•    A 3-day intensive bootcamp in Istanbul, Turkey, 28 - 31 October 2024
•    Three online follow-up lectures/workshops, November 2024 - January 2025
•    One thematic study visit to EU member countries in April or May 2025
•    Design and implementation of one initiative in their field of engagement - with financial support of 600 EUR gross per participant

Selection of candidates

A selection committee will select 3 participants per country for the one-year programme. In total, 21 candidates will be selected from all 7 countries.

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

•    Candidates should be young individuals from 21 to 35 years old
•    Active and engaged in their communities
•    Experienced in activist actions
•    Initiators of projects with social impact
•    Participants in public advocacy and campaigns
•    Demonstrating a clear interest in acquiring new knowledge and skills in media literacy and media activism
•    Exhibiting multicultural sensitivity and understanding of diverse perspectives
•    Committed to actively participating in all phases of the programme

Special attention will be given to ensuring gender balance when forming the participant group.

How to apply?

Applicants should fill out the Google form by August 25, 2024.

The Regional Academy is implemented within the project “Our Media: A civil society action to generate media literacy and activism, counter polarisation and promote dialogue” with the financial support of the European Union by partner organizations SEENPM, Albanian Media Institute, Mediacentar Sarajevo, Press Council of Kosovo, Montenegrin Media Institute, Macedonian Institute for Media, Novi Sad School of Journalism, Peace Institute and Bianet.