Africa-Press – Liberia. Youth Media Action (YMA) has launched Liberia’s first-ever journalism manual entitled “Liberia Youth Journalism Training Manual.” The expository and educated piece was written by an energetic team from YMA headed by the institution’s executive director, Varmah Kamara.
Kamara said YMA did the training manual to fill the gaps and provide a comprehensive training program that can be used by both the trainers and the trainees. Kamara, a Liberian journalist, is one of the few in the media landscape who is trying to standardize the profession of journalism from the onset, thereby creating practical knowledge throughout high school’s press club.
Through his institution, YMA, he has partnered with Internews Liberia and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), building the capacity of high school journalists by providing them with a firm practical grounding in journalism through training opportunities and exposure intended to inspire media reforms.
“Without a doubt, one of the fundamental challenges media development faces is low professional journalistic standards due to poor media education foundation or lack of early journalism and practice. So, high school journalism has got an important role to play in addressing the challenges,” he said.
YMA is currently in 10 of Liberia’s fifteen counties, creating platforms for young children, especially females, with a pathway to media mainstream. He further indicated that providing opportunities and mentorship for female journalists who are currently underrepresented in Liberia’s media would continue to be the institution’s priority.
He disclosed that the ten-unit manual covers contents of the relevant topic in journalism and can be adapted for an international audience. “The manual uses participatory instructional techniques based on learning objectives and activities. It also serves as a resource material for cub reporters and college-level journalism students,” he said.
He added, “Trainers are encouraged to adapt or develop exercises in line with the learning objectives as may be needed for the individual presentation.”
Speaking at the event, keynote speaker Madam Olive Thomas of the ECOWAS Radio proxy for her boss Madam Eva Flomo emphasized that youth journalism provides opportunities for young people to be creative, learn new technical skills, set up projects, confront their feelings and fears and biases about issues or their environment, and helps them to develop teamwork through collaboration.
According to her, a manual contains information that needs to either transform something into a workable tool or serve as a guide to how you do something, which is referred to as training. “To successfully apply a new idea or strategy, you will need a guide to help you get started. The skills you learn as a result of training help you to better disseminate information for others to understand,” said Madam Thomas.
Adding “The advantage you get into becoming professionals in journalism is much more beneficial when you start early as a youth. Some of the best journalists today started from press clubs in high schools and through the years were able to allow themselves to grow in the profession. You learn the interviewing techniques that will give you answers you seek-be it in the electronics or broadcasting.”
She disclosed the major challenge affecting the growth of journalism professionals in the country is mediocrity in practice, as a result of very poor foundational media education which can be attributed to a lack of early journalism practice. “There are some who have brought reproach to the practice of journalism because they don’t know the rules, refuse to be trained, and don’t want to adhere to the ethics of the profession,” she stated.
She added, “As Youth Media Action launches the “Liberia Youth Journalism Training Manual” today, we are hopeful that young journalists or journalism students will focus their primary attention on learning the basics in the trade, which will help to equip you for the world and the job market.”
Launching the training manual the Chief of the Party of Internews Liberia, Madam Lien Bach, acknowledged YMA for its extraordinary achievement in compacting the book. According to her, the manual is a comprehensive component of journalism art when carefully read through can make one a good and professional journalist.
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