Lyra McKee Bursary Scheme 2024
We are delighted to announce that we received confirmation of funding for the CIJ Lyra McKee Investigative Journalism Training and Mentoring Scheme from the Lorana Sullivan Foundation for the next three years. This is in addition to the funds given to the scheme by Lyra’s family.
The applications for the #CIJLyraMcKee Bursary Scheme 2024 are now closed. Only successful applicants will be contacted.
#CIJLyraMcKee Bursary Scheme:
The #CIJLyraMcKee Bursary Scheme was established in memory of the young and courageous Northern Irish investigative journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot dead by dissident republicans in Derry in April 2019.
The aim of this five-month bursary scheme is to train and mentor people from underrepresented backgrounds, who aspire to become journalists or who are at the very early stages of their journalism career.
The Lyra McKee Journalism Training Bursary was inspired by Lyra’s determination to become an investigative journalist despite personal disability, the need to care for her disabled mother, as well as fighting the in-built bias against working-class entrants to journalism.
Launched in 2019, this will be our fifth intake (the 2020 bursary scheme was postponed due to the global Covid-19 pandemic).
What to expect?
It is not just a paid-for training.
The #CIJLyra McKee Bursary Scheme is a five-month programme which incorporates training at #CIJSummer Conference 2024 and online, as well as a mentoring programme with regular meetings.
It builds towards a Pitch to the Editors session, where the trainees will pitch stories to the working UK editors.
“My expectations were exceeded. Beforehand I thought it would have been paid-for training sessions but it was so, so, so much more. The mentoring and on-hand support was invaluable.”
“[The mentors] worked through bumps in my ideas; helped me hone my emails, media requests and pitch; and were on hand for the many questions, small and large, that I had throughout the programme. Having never personally known a working journalist I could turn to for advice, the mentors on this programme were such an integral part to my learning and development. I think I learnt as much from them in a few months as I would have on any full time journalism course.”
Time Commitment
Mentoring: 9-10 x 1.5 hour online evening sessions In May-July and then in September 2024. Dates – TBC.
#CIJSummer Conferece: 2 full days of training at Goldsmiths, University of London. Dates: 3-4 July.
Online data course: 6hrs of online data journalism course in July spread over 2-4 days. Dates – TBC.
Why apply?
#CIJLyraMcKee provides cutting edge investigative journalism training (online courses and in-person #CIJSummer Investigative Journalism Conference 2024), and regular online mentoring from leading investigative journalists, culminating in a “Pitch to the Editors” Day, when the trainees pitch their stories to working UK editors.
“I think it’s a really generous scheme that genuinely wants to equip people with the skills to further themselves. The addition of mentoring felt vital to me. I’ve been for job interviews where the interviewer was very impressed with the fact I was on the scheme. Thanks so much.”
It is a tough and very practical training programme with a great success record.
“The #CIJLyraMcKee scheme was one of the best things I did last year!”
Assisted by the mentors, lots of participants secured journalism jobs and internships following their training at #CIJSummer Conference, a fantastic measure of the programme’s success. These include positions at the BBC Scotland Disclosure team, The Times, The Belfast Telegraph, The Northern Echo, Deutsche Welle, BBC Humberside, and FE Week. In 2021 one trainee got a place on the BBC Future Voices Scheme for bilingual reporters.
Jax Sinclair (CIJ Lyra McKee 2021) was nominated for the RTS Scotland Awards 2023 in the Young Journalist category for their documentary Should I Tell You I am Trans?
Cherise Hamilton (CIJ Lyra McKee 2021) won Gold for The Creativity Award and Bronze for Best Current Affairs Podcast at the Brit Pod Awards 2021.
Francesca Hughes’ pitch to the editors, about the price difference of university accommodation for the able bodied and disabled students was commissioned by one of the editors Ramzy Alwakeel, and was published by openDemocracy. Since then she has interned at FT Weekend Magazine for three months as an editorial assistant, where her primary responsibility was fact checking. She was also recently accepted onto the NCTJ Diploma course with Ability Today. (CIJ Lyra McKee 2022)
Rhys Everquill (né Reece Stafferton, CIJ Lyra McKee 2022) co-founded a media co-operative in Leicester – Great Central Gazette.
Rachel Keenan (CIJ LyraMcKee 2022) received the Scott Trust Bursary at Goldsmiths.
Flávia Gouveia (CIJ Lyra McKee 2023) started doing paid shifts at the Belfast Telegraph and has recently had the story she worked on during her CIJ Lyra McKee traineeship about the disused properties in Northern Ireland published on the front page!
Darcie Rawlings (CIJ Lyra McKee 2023) started working as an Apprentice Reporter for The Northern Echo.
Who can apply?
We especially welcome applications from people from poorer backgrounds, people of colour, people with disabilities, carers, members of the LGBTQ+ community, Travellers and anyone who cannot afford to pay for the #CIJSummer training. It is open to the UK and the Republic of Ireland residents only. Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
What is covered by the bursary scheme?
The 2024 bursary scheme has funding from the Lorana Sullivan Foundation and from Lyra McKee’s family.
The bursary covers training and mentoring, as well as, depending on the trainees’ needs, travel and accommodation in London to attend the #CIJSummer Conference 2024.
Key dates:
Application opens: 29 January 2024
Application deadline: 1 April 2024 at 23:59
Offers to successful applicants made by: 1 May 2024
Programme starts: Mid May 2024
#CIJSummer Conference 2024: 3-4 July 2024
‘Pitch to the Editors’ Day: September 2024
Programme ends: September 2024
Application:
Applications for the 2024 scheme are now closed.
Testimonials:
“It is well recognised and quality training. It gives a great start for journalists in the industry and gives niche training not available elsewhere. Great for the CV! ”
“I really enjoyed [Pitch to the Editors]! Getting that level of feedback from people I would be pitching to in the future was really helpful, as I now understand what they would be looking for. Despite studying journalism at university I have always struggled to understand what an editor would want from me in a pitch and now I don’t feel in the dark anymore. It was also great to hear other people’s pitches and feedback for other stories.”
“I think the scheme is invaluable and one of the best opportunities I have had in the industry. It helped me network with other journalists, develop my data skills, and attend the CIJ Summer Conference. I now feel better equipped to continue pursuing a career in journalism.”
“I think it’s a really helpful scheme that genuinely wants to equip people with the skills to further themselves. The addition of mentoring felt vital to me. I’ve been for job interviews where the interviewer was very impressed with the fact I was on the scheme, so it’s given me opportunities to impress people and a boost for my CV. I’ve enjoyed it all. Thanks so much. “
More:
You can read Francesca Hughes’ (CIJ Lyra McKee 2022) account of her experience of the bursary scheme on the the Warwick University Website.
We also urge you to watch LYRA, an award winning documentary about Lyra McKee on Channel 4 On Demand.
Apply now:
Please fill this form to apply.
Only successful candidates will be contacted.
Deadline: Mon 1 April 2024. 23:59 BST