From WawatayNews.ca

Northern journalism training project heading to communities

June 22, 2013 - Shawn Bell

A partnership between Wawatay and Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) on a project training journalists in communities across northern Ontario kicked off last week.

The Northern Ontario Initiative will see two journalism trainers spend three months each in six communities, training community members in print and radio journalism and helping them develop their own freelance journalism business.

The goal is to create greater awareness of First Nations issues in Ontario by training up to 30 people in remote communities how to produce and sell radio and print news stories about their communities.

Kimberly Stinson, one of the trainers for the project, came to northern Ontario after spending a number of years working as a journalist and teaching in Afghanistan. Stinson said she is looking forward to getting into the communities and helping people learn to tell their own stories.

"This is an opportunity to make a difference here at home in Canada, to help people find their voice," Stinson said. "It's also an opportunity for me to learn about the culture and experience a way of life that most people in Canada never have a chance to experience."

Stinson will spend three months in Fort Severn starting in mid-July, before moving to Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug in the autumn and then North Caribou Lake in the winter.

Danny Kresnyak, another trainer, heads to Attawapiskat in July, Moose Cree in the autumn and Constance Lake in the winter.

While the trainers are in the communities, a project coordinator will be based in Thunder Bay to assist with the project while also hosting workshops in the city that bridge the gap between non-Aboriginal media outlets and Aboriginal communities.

Chris Kornacki, the project coordinator, said the Northern Ontario Initiative will be a good opportunity to "push the envelope" on getting mainstream media to adequately cover issues happening in the communities of the north.

"Whether it is a lack of housing, or lack of health care, in the longer term one goal is to have Canadians more involved in what's happening up north," Kornacki said.

But he also noted that the main outcome of the project is training community members to tell their community's stories, rather than having to rely on outside media sources.

"We'll be building the business side of being a freelance journalist as well," Kornacki said.
"One of the goals is teaching how to make a living as a freelancer, so when the trainer leaves they'll have a network of editors across the province and the country."

The project also involves the creation of a website where all of the training documents will be online, so that people in other communities who wish to learn the information can access it.

While the project is just getting started, it has already been recognized with a media award.
On Aboriginal Day, the Canadian Ethnic Media Association will award the 2013 Innovation Award to Wawatay and JHR for the Northern Ontario Initiative.

"When we entered into this partnership, we didn't anticipate to be recognized by such a prestigious association," said Mike Metatawabin, chair of Wawatay's board of directors. "Our goal at Wawatay is to support the communities in any way possible, to further their interests and development. This recognition will be very well appreciated by the communities."

Anyone interested in getting more information on the project or finding out how to take the training course can contact Chris Kornacki at chris@jhr.ca or by calling Wawatay's Thunder Bay office.

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Press Release from Journalists for Human Rights

Aboriginal Media Development Project Wins Innovation Award

By jhr (Journalists for Human Rights) - Jun. 21, 2013

TORONTO, June 21, 2013 -- /CNW/ - The ground-breaking Northern Ontario Initiative, a project by the Wawatay Native Communications Society and Journalists for Human Rights, aiming to improve Aboriginal media coverage in Canada, has won the Canadian Ethnic Media Association's Innovation Award.

The Innovation Award is given to organizations that demonstrate innovation and excellence in Canadian media coverage. The award will be presented at CEMA's annual award ceremony on National Aboriginal Day, June 21st, 2013, at the Velma Rogers Graham Theater in Toronto.

The Northern Ontario Initiative will create greater awareness of Aboriginal issues in Ontario. The initiative will improve the quality and quantity of news coverage focusing on Aboriginal issues, and will develop positive relationships between the media and Aboriginal communities in Thunder Bay. The Initiative will train 30 Aboriginal people living in remote reserve communities, to produce and sell radio and print news stories about their communities. The project will also host a workshop series in Thunder Bay for Aboriginal people and journalists, which will lead to improved media coverage of Aboriginal issues in the city.

Madeline Ziniak, Chair of the CEMA Board said, "The jury looks for the ways that the organization tells stories that contribute to positive Canadian citizenry, fair and accurate storytelling and positive portrayal."

Mike Metatawabin, Chairman of Wawatay's Board of Directors, and Rachel Pulfer, Executive Director of Journalists for Human Rights will be accepting the award on behalf of the organizations.

"When we entered into this partnership, we didn't anticipate to be recognized by such a prestigious association," said Mike Metatawabin, "Our goal at Wawatay is to support the communities in any way possible, to further their interests and development. This recognition will be very well appreciated by the communities."

"Journalists for Human Rights is delighted to be partnering with Wawatay Native Communications Society and Aboriginal communities in Ontario on this important initiative," said Rachel Pulfer. "We will work with talented young Aboriginal journalists on skills that will enable them to report on issues facing their communities to both Aboriginal and mainstream audiences. This project will build bridges between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities, and open up a constructive public conversation on common issues."

Established in 1974, Wawatay Native Communications Society serves the communication needs of First Nations people and communities of Nishnawbe Aski Nation. It does this through the distribution of a weekly newspaper, daily radio programming, television production services and a multimedia website that seeks to preserve and enhance indigenous languages and cultures of Aboriginal people in northern Ontario.

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) is Canada's leading media development organization. JHR helps journalists build their capacity to report ethically and effectively on human rights and governance issues in their communities. Since 2002, JHR has trained over 12,000 journalists and their stories have reached over 50 million people.

The Northern Ontario Initiative has been made possible through funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, and Accenture Canada.