Young Journalists School at the National Centre RUSSIA: what future media specialists have already learned
Working on camera, speaking clearly, writing competently, accessibly, and engagingly. Students at the Young Journalists School of the National Centre RUSSIA have been studying for only a few weeks, but have already learned a great deal. And their training is not limited to applied disciplines. Media educators and mentors are helping them understand what a true journalist should be, what the secret to success in the media sphere is, and how to choose their career path.
Young Journalists School student and correspondent for the "News of the First" editorial team, Vera Polikarpova, admitted that she cannot see herself in any profession other than journalism. She would most like to work in social media, because, as she thinks, journalism is for people and about people. It is about covering topics that are truly important to society. The biggest revelation for her in the first weeks of training was understanding the role that responsibility and love for one's work play in a journalist's success.
"The most important thing is to love your profession. When you go on stage or on air, you need to remember that people are watching you. You have to be able to adapt to any situation. Here, we are learning to work on camera, ask questions, and conduct interviews. We are just starting, but we are already building the foundation that will be useful in the future," said Vera Polikarpova.
Project participant Maria Savilova noted that one of the main tasks of the Young Journalists School is, on the one hand, to teach future media specialists to articulate their own thoughts competently, and on the other, to listen and hear their interlocutor, and to know their audience. It also turns out that journalism is largely about love for the Motherland: "We are learning to properly showcase the achievements and successes of our country. I love Russia very much, and journalism is a way to show that love through creativity: texts, working with people, stories."
What Maria remembers most are the classes in public speaking and media practice: "I really enjoyed the articulation exercises, and how we worked on stage to overcome the fear of public speaking. We also were taught the basics of social media management — this helps us understand how to properly convey information to our audience."
Semyon Nikitin said that the classes helped him look at the demands placed on a journalist differently. He realised how important it is not to be afraid to try and to move forward despite failures: "If you truly love your work and are ready to put in the effort, success is inevitable."
Yekaterina Kocheshkova was particularly inspired by discussions of motivation and inner resilience. According to her, meetings with experts and classes at the National Centre RUSSIA have shown that a journalist must be competent, speak simply and clearly, not be afraid of complex topics, and be able to explain them in a way that ensures being heard.
The Young Journalists School at the National Centre RUSSIA is not only about theoretical and practical classes, but also about live communication with industry professionals and working on one's own media projects. Ahead of the students lie new modules for study, interesting challenges, and most importantly, the opportunity to enrich their portfolios with real publications.
