Training and Mentoring
Report for America corps members receive intensive training to prepare them for the year ahead, plus continued support and mentoring coordinated by The GroundTruth Project throughout their term of service.
Boot Camp
This intensive training is provided at the beginning of the term by world-class editors, technologists, academics and other supporters of the future of journalism including: Google News Lab, Society of Professional Journalists, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, Poynter, Maynard Institute, Solutions Journalism Network, The Center for Investigative Reporting/Reveal and Online News Association.
Training includes:
- Advanced use of Google Maps, Public Data Explorer, Scholar and Trends — Google News Lab
- How to find great stories in a municipal budget — CUNY Ravitch Fiscal Reporting Project
- How to engage communities in creative ways to build an audience — CUNY Social Journalism Program
- Looking for “fault lines” in communities: race, class, gender, generation and geography — Maynard Institute
- How to find fresh stories by focusing on what’s working — Solutions Journalism Network
- How to chip away at an investigation over time and how to try your hand at podcasting — The Center for Investigative Reporting/Reveal
- How to connect with other journalists in your area, network and collaborate — Online News Association
Mentoring
Each corps member is paired with a mentor who is uniquely positioned to help them excel in their roles and who will provide continuing support throughout the year. For instance, Caity Coyne’s mentor at the Charleston News-Gazette is Eric Eyre, winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of opioid dumping in West Virginia.
Year-Round Training
Report for America provides year-round training and online events to help you enrich your skills and exchange ideas with fellow corps members. Topics: advanced audio training, going from good-to-great as a writer, how to protect yourself online, and more.
