The project aims to train underprivileged youth from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro to become citizen journalists by documenting issues that surround them, via posting blogs, short videos or images to the VO1CE website. Participants will take workshops in writing, video recording and photography as a prerequisite. The goal is to empower voices that are often disfranchised and give them interactive space to share their ideas and advocate solutions.
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Describe the specific community with whom you will be working.
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
The content will consist of community-related problems that the program's youth feels compelled to address: gang violence, sanitation, low-quality education, stereotypes, police harassment, etc. Conversely, our population may feel drawn to the hope they find in their environments: community leaders, creative projects, etc. To fine-tune each participant’s vision, he or she will have a one-on-one mentorship as well as hands-on technical training.
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established that will contribute to the success of the project.
VO1CE Project has established a connection with the head of a program called “Justice for Youth”, an extension of Rio de Janeiro's Court of Justice. This has allowed us to meet youth who are in need of engagement. We have also established a connection with a professional journalist and a video journalist who will help edit and upload content as well as a Columbia University professor who teaches new media and would be willing to hold workshops.
How many participants do you think will be involved in your project?
We expect to train 20 – 30 participants. VO1CE will seek participation via coordination with the “Justice for Youth” program mentioned above. The program's participants will be notified via application and encouraged to spread the word among their peers. We will sustain the participation by continuing dialogue with each participant, encouraging them to continue posting, commenting and sharing their stories via the VO1CE platform as well as taking
Besides the microgrant funding, what other resources and support are you seeking for your project to ensure its success?
VO1CE welcomes any support in terms of digital media devices, such as bloggies, photo cameras, and video recording devices that the participants could use in order to create content. Rio De Janeiro's Court of Justice Youth Department will provide expert advice and will assist in the training of the participants. We also welcome Portuguese/English translators.
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