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Guidance for mentors

Two main types of person are involved in the New Australia Media project:

  • Reporters: young people who have joined the project to write stories and to develop their journalistic skills.
  • Mentors: experienced journalists who will help the reporters to write their stories.

Each reporter will be allocated a mentor when they first join the project.  They will also be given a website login with permissions to submit stories and to edit them online.

Reporters can write about any subjects that are important to them.  However, they should be careful not to write anything that could be seen as defamatory of another person.

Stories will appear on the New Australia Media website and be made available to the Leader Newspapers.

Induction and training

All mentors should read the advisory material published by the Department of Planning and Community Development - Office of Youth.

Training courses may also be organised in the future.

Matching reporters to mentors

We will match people based on story ideas, mentor expertise and availability. Once matched:

  • Our Mentor Coordinator will contact each mentor to provide their reporter's name and contact details.
  • It will be up to the reporter to make the first contact with their mentor.

The mentoring process

Mentors will give guidance to their allocated reporter(s) on how to write the story of their choice.

It is suggested that over, an average period of a month, at least four contacts between reporter and mentor should take place: face-to-face and by phone or email.

Any face-to-face meetings should take place in a neutral, public place that is convenient to both parties.

Feedback and evaluation

At the end of the mentoring period, both the mentor and the reporter will be asked to let us know how they felt about the program.

The Mentor Coordinator

The Mentor Co-ordinator co-ordinates and manages the overall process for the mentors so that the whole process is a productive and enjoyable experience for everyone.  She will keep in contact with each reporter during the mentoring period to make sure everything is going well.  If there are any concerns along the way, she can be contacted by phone or email.

Contact details:

Christine Elliott

christine.elliott@newaustraliamedia.org

0417 585481

  • By admin at 22 Apr 2010 - 7:06am