A note for the Media Orientation of Child Reporters

The knowledge Management Satellite Cell (KMSC)
UNICEF in collaboration with the International Library & Cultural Centre (ILCC) and Child In Need Institute (CINI) has established the KMSC at ILCC premises. The objective of the Cell is to provide a platform for NGOs and students to bring up issues related to Rights of children and house resource materials on issues concerning children especially those related to education, health, nutrition, protection, water and sanitation etc. This Cell also proposes to develop strategies of participation of children and youth in matters of survival, development and protection of children.
The Child Reporters
Under the aegis of the KMSC a cadre of students has been envisaged to be capacity built as “Child Reporters”. These reporters from various schools will write and advocate on children issues in Ranchi. They will get a chance to work with Journalists of leading newspapers in Ranchi and to get their work published in leading newspapers. They will also be mentored by NGO personnel working on child related issues.
The expected outcome from the Child Reporters Programme:-

1. The Child Reporter will learn to look incisively at issues of children.
2. The child reporter will be capacity built on an advocacy tool in the form of creative writing.

The media orientation
Taking a step ahead from a Child Reporters Workshop held on April 30, 2008 a group of children (around 35) have been selected to be trained as child reporters. These children will be capacity built on creative writing, reporting style, deciding on a news peg and gaining in depth knowledge on the children related issue of their choice. The latter shall happen through the training programme as well as the planned field visits in association with various NGOs working on these issues.
Role of NGOs
The Child Reporters shall take up children related issues of their interest and report on the same. In order to give them hands on experience of the real situation at the field level, they shall be mentored by respective NGOs working in Ranchi Urban area on the selected issues. The NGOs shall:
Facilitate the field visit.
Provide relevant inputs so that the children can frame a story.
List of issues:
Child Labour, Child Education, Childhood malnutrition, Environment, Street Children or Rag pickers