Applications are being accepted for the Berlin Fellowship Programme: Empowering Journalists in the Digital Field by Reporters Without Borders Germany. Six journalists from crisis regions will be invited to Berlin for a period of six months, starting in May 2024 and ending at the end of October 2024.
The recipients of the fellowship will have time for leisure during their stay in Berlin, where they will also finish an extensive course on digital self-defense for journalists. The Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises provides funding for the program.

Numerous journalists from all over the world who have received death threats because of their unbiased reporting in dangerous areas and strategic places have benefited from the RSF Germany scholarship program. Students who participate in the RSF reporter scholarship program learn how to appropriately assess dangers. Participants in the program will certainly come to the realization that while there can never be “absolute security,” there are a variety of tools and techniques available for creating a well-thought-out security strategy. In addition to these technical training sessions, the participants remain together and take part in numerous social events, which helps them get to know one another, create an enduring relationship, and learn about other cultures. In summary, members stay with the program for longer than four years.

There are repercussions from the free training offered to journalists throughout Europe. When the journalists are able to defend themselves against emerging digital threats, the second part of the training commences. In this stage, each participant develops their training idea with the help of a team of highly skilled specialists who serve as trainers. After the idea is refined, the participants take on the role of trainers, imparting to journalists in their home nations the knowledge and abilities they gained from the Berlin exchange program.

Details

• Opportunity type: Fully Funded
• Opportujty: Fellowship
• Location: Germany
• City: Berlin
• Availability: International
• Gender; Male and Female
• Application type: Online
• No. of opportunity: 6
• Duration: 6 Months
• Deadline: Monday, December 4, 2023, at 23:59 (Central European Time)

Eligibility

• are exposed to digital threats of any form and
• experienced digital violence such as doxing or impersonation and
• want to educate themselves about digital security in order to improve their personal security and the safety of their sources and
• are interested in passing on the knowledge acquired during the scholarship program to colleagues in their home regions and, ideally, already have some experience in teaching or other areas of knowledge transfer and
• are able and willing to fully participate in the program. We expect the applicants to be available for all activities of the program, including the comprehensive training for digital security. Please plan to work about 20 to 25 hours per week during the training period.
• In the selection process, positive consideration will be given to applicants who work as investigative journalists on topics such as the climate crisis, corruption, labor rights, or migration

Benefits

It will cover your travel expenses, take care of all visa-related matters, provide and pay for an apartment in Berlin throughout the scholarship period, grant you a monthly allowance of 1000€, pay for your health insurance, and provide you with free public transportation in Berlin. As part of the scholarship, you will participate in an extensive training program in digital security, led by experienced trainers, for several months. Additionally, while in Berlin, you will gain insights into the activities of Reporters Without Borders Germany, a globally active journalist and human rights organization.

Topic of Fellowship

• holistic security basics for journalists, bloggers, media professionals, and citizen journalists at risk
• operational security, including risk assessments and security planning
• online identity management for investigative journalists, including technical background and practical use of anonymization tools
• secure online communication concepts, technology, and tools, including secure online conferencing for interviews
• password and account security and data protection on social media and other online accounts for media work
• device security for computers and mobile phones of journalists at risk
• website security for media websites under attack
• secure online and offline data storage, including encryption for media files
• online information verification and open-source Source Intelligence
• digital violence (online gender-based violence, doxing, impersonation,

Requirements

• must have a very strong command of the English language, as the whole fellowship program will be conducted entirely in English and
• must have adequate experience working as a journalist, be it as a professional journalist or as a citizen journalist and
• must show a strong interest in learning in-depth about digital security for journalists. A high level of proficiency in regards to digital security is not required. Anyone who is used to working with a computer and smartphone can apply
• must be able and willing to fully participate in all activities of the program (see above Who can apply)
• must show that you are willing to return to their home region after the fellowship in Germany

Application documents

If you want to apply for the Berlin Fellowship Program, please fill out

the application form

the questionnaire

Then please send the following four documents in four separate PDFs to apply for the program:

• a completed and signed application form
• the completed questionnaire
• your CV and
• an identity document (ID or passport)

• PDFApplication form
• PDFQuestionnaire

How to send your application

You can send your application documents either by sending them

• from your own Proton Email account to the Proton Email account of the program: [email protected]. If you do not have a Proton Mail account yet, you can create a free account here: https://proton.me/mail
• Alternatively, you can send your application by using Signal Messenger at +49 1636743853. If you haven’t used the Signal Messenger App yet, you can download it here: signal.org

For more information please visit the official website