In very simple words, this is the outline of the project that "gave birth" to the Informer. Feel free to ask us questions about it on eadevor@villageexchangeghana.org or aclarke@villageexchangeghana.org 

Basics of "Journalism, Creative Writing and RSH" Project

Public: Teenagers (16 to 26 years old)

Resume:  Through journalistic and writing skills, teenagers will be counseled to research and better understand their community whereas sexual health questions/ themes.

Periodicity: 1x Week

Group size: 10 – 15 people

MAIN GOAL:

The main goal of the project is to develop teenager’s social awareness and self awareness by introducing them basic notions on journalism skills and practice. eg:

 

-       Interviewing – learning HOW to ask questions and WHAT to do with the answers.

-       Planning – learning how to choose a topic for a discussion; article; piece of writing.

-       Sorting out information – understanding how one information is more important than another according to the context: priority and hierarchy

-       Writing – developing better quality in writing and learning how to pass along information in a clear and objective way.

-        

Justification: As the world-wide definition points out, journalism is “a style of writing or communicating, formally employed by publications and broadcasters, for the benefit of a particular community of people.” Therefore, the project will enable young people to better understand their community as well as their role on it.

RSH and Journalism:

Observing that the project will take place as part of Lady Volta Resource Centre, the group will also have to develop their knowledge on youth RSH, as part of the projects activities.

PRODUCT: The group of young people, after 3 weeks of capacitating “classes”, will develop a mural newspaper to be placed in initially 10 different spots/ places in Ho:

-       schools

-       Market

-       Lady Volta Resource Centre

The newspaper will be then “renewed” every 15 days for as long as the program lasts (13 weeks).

Ü The group will create everything in this mural newspaper: the name of the newspaper, its sections, its content, etc.

Ü By developing the structure of the newspaper, the group will be automatically forced to look into their community and its needs. What is information in Ho? Which public will they target? Will the information change/ adapt according to the public?

Ü In every week the project takes place, the group will have to observe and rethink their work. Is the newspaper reaching the people they expected? What is the feedback they are receiving?

Ü Every week the group will have to plan their activities as well as collecting the information they will need for the articles. That will lead them to develop important skills such as: autonomy, responsibility, respect to the others as well as respect for their own work and, obviously as the project advances, they will also lead them to developing journalistic and writing skills.

Ü Every person involved with the project will be attributed a function and will be expected to deliver their product on time.

Ü The writing (handwriting or typing) of the article will be done at their leisure time. They will have full support of the centre, but the interviews and writing of the material should be conducted/ done off the program hours.

Ü Due to the lack of time for the weekly meetings, the group will have outside meeting hours with the educator, who will be available for them in pre-scheduled hours during the week.