Please note that the JFF Mentorship Programme ended in 2020.
This page is being kept here for archival purposes.
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What is the JFF Mentorship Programme?
The JFF Mentorship Programme places staff from philanthropic foundations that are new to (or have an interest in) the media funding space in meaningful and impactful mentoring relationships with seasoned peers. The aim is to shape the media funding sector by exerting a positive influence on the mentees’ careers and thereby improving the ecosystem by supporting transparency about the industry’s inner workings.
Throughout the programme, which can last from 6-9 months, the mentees benefit from professional development through one-on-one coaching sessions to advance knowledge and expertise in the field of media funding in one (or more) of the following areas:
- Introduction to the journalism ecosystem: What are the pain points and opportunities;
- How/where to start funding journalism: funding journalism through project grants and/or organisational grants, investments and capacity building in journalism;
- Successful approaches to funding journalism and media;
- Obstacles/challenges encountered in funding journalism and how to overcome them within one’s organisation;
- Strategic learnings on what to fund and what not to fund;
- Assessing whether your funding is working: Outcomes, impact, and change in journalism;
- Finding your potential grantees;
- Discussing openness and transparency in journalism funding;
- Designing clear/accessible application processes and building diverse application assessment teams;
- Funding innovation and experimentation in the field of journalism;
- Developing strategies on specific areas of interest: Funding investigative journalism;
- Difficulties/Experience with funding individual investigative projects;
- Setting up the right infrastructure on a national level in order to create a healthy climate for (investigative) journalists to operate in (how to fund, what’s difficult, etc.)
- Pooled funding;
- Supporting media to engage with citizens;
- Managing ‘reputational’ risks to funding journalism;
- Role as ideological shareholder, in relation to investing in media
Who can apply?
Staff working for philanthropic organisations that are new to (or have an interest in) the media funding space, from any field of work or level of experience.
How will the mentorship work?
- After filling out the online Application Form, we will match you with a mentor.
- JFF is setting up a group of mentors that are experts in the aforementioned areas, who can commit to providing regular support, mostly online and sometimes in person, to the mentees. Online, this support can be provided in the way that best suits both the mentor and mentee, whether that is through Google Hangouts, Skype, Zoom, phone call etc. A member of the JFF team will assist in setting up the mentoring sessions, or these can be arranged individually between mentors and mentees through online meetings. In person, mentors will have the possibility to connect with the mentees by attending the events the JFF will be hosting next year. These events will be a mix of smaller roundtable discussions, with the purpose of knowledge sharing, and larger, facilitated events with workshops on different topics.
- We will put you in touch with your mentor and organise a kickoff call in which we set expectations and clarify any questions together.
- The core of the mentorship will be monthly calls with your mentor. For these calls, you can provide the points you like to discuss or get help with.
- We will support you on the way. We will be present in your first session and will share onboarding information and other useful materials.
- We will be available to help you with any questions and concerns and will hold monthly check-ins with both parties to get feedback and make improvements along the way.
What does it mean to be a mentee?
- You can apply for the JFF Mentorship Programme 2020.
- Once your personal programme is confirmed it should (ideally) last between 6-9 months.
- You must be willing to dedicate at least 1’5 hour per month. Your participation should include one hour of interaction with your mentor (ideally via video/phone call) and filling out a quick survey on your experience.
- You are willing to actively participate in mentor-mentee interactions and to prepare questions for your mentor.
- At the end of the mentoring programme, you will be asked to complete a feedback form to gather relevant information regarding the planning process with your mentor, your learning experience, your personal take-aways as well as your recommendations and suggestions to the mentorship programme better.
Mentorship benefits
- Receiving regular feedback, advice, connections, and outside perspectives that can lead to professional success and personal improvement.
- Learning from mentors with different perspectives and experience in fields that are relevant to their organisations, and whose expertise they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
- Being inspired by the work of other individuals or organisations even from outside their immediate sphere.
- Acquiring skills, tools and resources from the media funding sector.
How to apply
Please fill out the online application form. Upon receipt of the application, a follow-up call will be organised to discuss the mentorship programme.
Timeline
24 Feb - 6 Mar: We will introduce you via email to your mentor.
9 Mar- 13 Mar: Introduction call with your mentor.
From mid-March onwards: Monthly calls with your mentor, monthly mini check-ins with the JFF.
October 2020: Joint event for mentors & mentees during JFLab 2020.
Dec 2020: End of programme & feedback survey.
Need more information?
Contact Biba Klomp at klomp@ejc.net for any questions you may have about the programme.
Apply now