Young Media Partners (YMP)
An international membership association of young journalists (ages 15 to 25) in broadcast, print, and electronic media, who are committed to using their skills to build a world of peace, social justice, and equality. Young Media Partners (YMP) was established as a Swiss-based not-for-profit association in the spring of 1997 with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Its mission is threefold:
- to provide young journalists the information, knowledge, training, resources, and communication networks necessary for developing their media competence and professionalism
- to assist them in developing media products that encourage greater cooperation, tolerance, and a sense of global citizenship among young audiences
- to promote greater acceptance of young journalists' contributions in the mainstream media, as well as to ensure an outlet through YMP's own newswire service and audiovisual productions.
Communication Strategies
YMP's programmes, projects, and productions are designed to enable young journalists to be involved in various aspects of the media and to report on issues affecting the lives of young people and others in their own local communities and worldwide. YMP offers media internships to young journalists at the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Switzerland and at its regional bureaus. It also provides opportunities for participation in international and multicultural youth media teams covering events organised by the United Nations system and other relevant international and regional organisations. YMP programmes and projects are facilitated by media professionals who have considerable experience working with young people and within the framework of the UN system.
The hope is that YMP's Intern Programme and Youth Media Team Projects give young people from different countries and cultures the opportunity to learn and work together in a cooperative international setting. These experiences provide an opportunity for them to engage in meaningful exchanges with diplomats, international and national leaders, social activists, and their peers.
To cite one example of a particular project, YMP convened a Youth Media Team to cover the World Youth Forum of the United Nations System (WYFUNS) and World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth - both in August 1998 in Portugal. The aim was to ensure that the concerns, issues, and projects of children and youth were given sufficient coverage in the media, especially from a youth perspective. A team of girls - 2 from Portugal, 2 from the UK, and 1 from Mexico - was provided with hands-on assistance/training to strengthen their techniques in interviewing, photography, writing and editing articles, and video. They also received guidance in working as a productive team, meeting deadlines, and in creating ethical and responsible media. Based on their attendance at the events, the girls produced articles and photos for dissemination and publication in local and international media. Team members were asked, in advance, to contact their local newspapers, magazines, radio stations, Internet sites, and television stations to request coverage of the events in the form of media products generated by the team. In addition, through YMP's previously established network as well as new requests for material, contacts were made with mainstream and youth media worldwide.
The hope is that YMP's Intern Programme and Youth Media Team Projects give young people from different countries and cultures the opportunity to learn and work together in a cooperative international setting. These experiences provide an opportunity for them to engage in meaningful exchanges with diplomats, international and national leaders, social activists, and their peers.
To cite one example of a particular project, YMP convened a Youth Media Team to cover the World Youth Forum of the United Nations System (WYFUNS) and World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth - both in August 1998 in Portugal. The aim was to ensure that the concerns, issues, and projects of children and youth were given sufficient coverage in the media, especially from a youth perspective. A team of girls - 2 from Portugal, 2 from the UK, and 1 from Mexico - was provided with hands-on assistance/training to strengthen their techniques in interviewing, photography, writing and editing articles, and video. They also received guidance in working as a productive team, meeting deadlines, and in creating ethical and responsible media. Based on their attendance at the events, the girls produced articles and photos for dissemination and publication in local and international media. Team members were asked, in advance, to contact their local newspapers, magazines, radio stations, Internet sites, and television stations to request coverage of the events in the form of media products generated by the team. In addition, through YMP's previously established network as well as new requests for material, contacts were made with mainstream and youth media worldwide.
Development Issues
Youth, Rights, Political Development, Media Development.
Key Points
There are 10 regional bureaus: Kenya, Philippines, Turkey, Slovenia, Russia, Portugal, USA, Costa Rica, and Brazil.
Sources
YMP Press Release sent to The Communication Initiative on July 9 2001; and YMP description in UNICEF's MAGIC Bank.
Comments
Dear sir.
good work.keep it up.Here in Ghana there are a lot of young journalists as a result of the 11 years of democratic practice.in the past many of my age group feared to get into it.One area that we need is capacity building to help tackle the issues well.i would be grateful if YMP can be established here to hI am jacob sarkodie of invisible fm in kumasi, Ghana.I have been visiting your page for quite some time now and i must say it has been a wonderful experience.thanks for the elp motivate young journalists.
I am willing to start the mobilization of my peers if you agree to help share the missions of the YMP.
COUNTING ON YOUR COOPERATION.
Yours faithfully.
jacob sarkodie
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