This is an opportunity provided by the Reporting Climate Change programme: Find out more

The Covid-19 pandemic is impacting energy systems around the world, triggering a debate over how stimulus packages to kickstart pandemic-hit economies can either shape a low-carbon future or lock the world into fossil fuels.

This story is a relevant, timely and complex one for journalists across Southeast Asia.

To this end, Thomson Reuters Foundation, in collaboration with the European Climate Foundation / TARA, will be delivering a workshop entitled, ‘Reporting on Climate Change and Energy Transition’, which aims to equip journalists with the knowledge and skills to report on climate and energy transition issues in the region as economies decarbonize to meet national and global clean-energy targets. 

Expert speakers from the previous course include ECF/TARA's Kavita Sinha, John Eric Francia, President and CEO, AC Energy, Sara Jane Ahmed, Energy Finance Analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis; Daniel Mallo, Asia Pacific Head of energy, infrastructure, metals and mining at Societe Generale and Eugene Wong, founder of Sustainable Finance Institute Asia. 

The same workshop will be held twice in January and is an exciting opportunity for journalists to hear from experts and newsmakers in industry, finance and academia, learn innovative ways of content-creation and storytelling, share ideas with peers and develop new contacts to ensure that they and their newsrooms stay on top of this critical issue.

A joint networking session on the final day with media officers from regional NGOs working in this space will further expand journalists’ list of contacts and bolster their learning from more experts in the field.

During the workshop, journalists will work on an actual story project and refine its idea with feedback from TRF trainers. At the end of the week, journalists can apply to a two-month mentoring programme, where they will be supported by a TRF trainer as they work on a story that would be published it in their news outlets. TRF will also provide a £250 grant for each journalist to help cover reporting costs.

Journalists who graduate from this programme will join our alumni network and access our alumni forums, to exchange further insights, tips and ideas with peers. Alumni will be able to stay in touch with TRF for further learning and career development opportunities.

Programme Format

The programme begins with a “Meet & Greet” online session (3-4 pm Singapore time) with the trainers to explain how the learning will be delivered, connect with the cohort and conduct a practice run of the technology and platform.

During the workshop week, the group sessions will run for two hours online daily (9-11 am Singapore time), plus a “virtual office” time to allow for one-on-one coaching from TRF trainers.

In addition to the daily two-hour group live sessions, journalists should set aside an additional two hours of study and work time each day.

Programme Dates

Jan 4 Meet & Greet 60 mins 1500 (Singapore time)

Jan 11-15 Live workshops 120 mins/day 0900 (Singapore time)

COURSE TRAINERS
Darren Schuettler

Darren is a former Reuters journalist with 26 years of experience in North America, Africa and Asia. His roles included a six-year stint as Asia Editorial Learning Manager, responsible for training in journalism skills, newsroom leadership, ethics and standards, and talent development. He is a freelance trainer and editor based in Singapore. 

Kavita Chandran

Kavita is an international journalist who has worked for Reuters, Bloomberg and CNBC across countries as reporter, anchor, editor and trainer for the last 23 years. She is a published author and continues to write for various publications, including CNBC Asia. She also ran her own wellness magazine for three years, and currently works as a content consultant and journalism teacher. An alum of Columbia University, Kavita has been living in Singapore since 2011.  

 

Who Can Apply

· Must be full-time journalists or editors covering business, economic, environmental, energy, and/or finance news from countries in Southeast Asia or freelance journalists working for outlets in Southeast Asia with an interest to cover these issues.

· Must have at least two years of professional experience.

· Journalists must have permission from their editors to attend the training. Once selected, applicants will be asked to provide a letter from their editor supporting their participation in the programme, including a commitment to publish the story they will produce should they participate in the mentoring component of the course. This will only be requested by TRF once applicants have been selected for the course.

· Since the training will be conducted in English, participants must be proficient in spoken and written English.

· Applicants must have access to a minimum internet speed of 1 MB/second. (You can check the speed of your device by logging from it on www.speedtest.net). Applicants will also need access to a computer to participate in the training; participation from a mobile or smart phone will not be possible.

Course Logistics

Thomson Reuters Foundation will contribute to participants’ data costs.

Thomson Reuters Foundation will award £250 story grants and ongoing mentoring for 8 weeks to selected applicants following the course