The Kyiv Independent launches J-school 2.0

The Kyiv Independent and UNESCO launch J-School 2.0, a training course for journalists and media managers aspiring to report for foreign audiences
The Kyiv Independent and UNESCO have partnered to organize the Kyiv Independent J-School 2.0 — a training course for English-speaking Ukrainian media professionals aiming to enhance their skills in English-language reporting and media management. The program is part of UNESCO’s broader efforts to support the safety of journalists and freedom of expression in Ukraine.
J-School 2.0 will be divided into two study sessions and will take place offline in Kyiv and online from October 29 to November 2 and from November 26 to November 30. The call for application submission is open until October 7.
As Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine drags on and war fatigue settles in, there is an increasing need to strengthen Ukraine’s voice internationally. This training program is designed to boost the volume of quality news from Ukraine on the world stage. Last year, the Kyiv Independent organized J-School for the first time. Based on this experience, we have made the program more specialized and focused to provide in-depth knowledge in specific areas of English-language journalism.
“The world will never be the same again. Whether we want it or not, we, Ukrainians, are on the frontlines of world history, and the further development of events will depend on how strong and convincing Ukraine’s voice is on the global stage. Kyiv Independent has already become the voice of our country, but we cannot do it alone.
At our school, we are ready to share all the knowledge and experience we have gained in recent years of active work in the global information space. For us, passing on this experience and strengthening Ukrainian media is a natural step in fulfilling our mission. This is not about grandiosity; it’s about collective actions and efforts,” — says Daryna Shevchenko, the Kyiv Independent CEO and lead expert of the Media Management track.
The Kyiv Independent J-School 2.0 is an intensive training that will consist of two sessions each lasting five days. The program will be divided into four learning tracks: general track, reporting track, editing track, and media management track.
The topics covered during the program include differences in reporting style and approaches between Ukrainian and international media, funding independent journalism and developing a sustainable business model, growing an audience and building a community out of it, finding good stories and pitching them successfully, ethical front-line reporting, designing a dream newsroom and managing it, strategy development, leadership basics, and much more.
“I know from our experience that there are many Ukrainian journalists who want to write in English for a global audience, and they are very motivated, but they haven’t gotten the right skills yet, and often don’t know where to start. We want to help them and to share what we know. Ultimately, the goal is to bring more Ukrainian voices into the conversations about Ukraine, to make the reporting about Ukraine even better by involving more locals,” — says Olga Rudenko, the Kyiv Independent editor-in-chief and lead expert of the general track.
Training will be conducted by experienced journalists, editors, and media managers from the Kyiv Independent, as well as invited experts from leading international and national media organizations.
J-School 2.0. also provides two significant opportunities. All participants will have a chance to develop and pitch their project to the training committee. Three winning projects will have the opportunity to be implemented in collaboration with the Kyiv Independent team.
Also, five participants will be invited to attend a month-long paid internship at the Kyiv Independent’s editorial or management team. During the internship, each intern will publish at least two stories on the Kyiv Independent’s platforms. Management interns will help manage real projects and managerial workstreams.
The call for application submission is open from now until October 7 here. Participation is free of charge. Anyone, regardless of their place of residence in Ukraine, can participate offline, as all travel and accommodation expenses are covered by the training program upon request. . All applicants will receive an announcement of the jury’s decision within a week after the call for applications is closed.
The project “The Kyiv Independent J-School 2.0” is designed and implemented by the NGO “KI Media” (The Kyiv Independent), with the support of UNESCO and the People of Japan. The program is part of UNESCO’s broader efforts to support the Safety of Journalists and Freedom of Expression in Ukraine.