This 18-week real-time online course will prepare students for a career in journalism and provide a solid foundation in the principles of constructive, community-led journalism that has emerged as a response to the changing landscape of local media.
👉 Learn about community journalism
Learn about the future of local journalism
Stand out from the crowd by learning skills demanded for the future of journalism:
- Find stories that matter.
- Build audiences without click-bait.
- Inspire trust and loyalty in readers.
Trusted by the independent publishing industry!
Are you ready to learn about constructive journalism?
Are you ready to change the media from the inside out?
Our Journey Together
Most media courses are expensive and exclusive and often teach an old model of journalism that relies on sensationalism, negative bias and churnalism to engage readers. Through a combination of lessons, coaching and downloadable materials you will learn skills that will future-proof your career in journalism.
- An affordable, inclusive, and flexible course that fits around your life.
- Build loyal audiences, empower readers and generate constructive debate that makes a difference.
- Become a respected journalist with hero articles that editors will love.
Before Your Course
Starting in the competitive field of journalism can be daunting. Are you struggling to find a good story, nervous about your first interview, unsure how to develop an angle or structure your story, and constantly putting off pitching.
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After Your Course
This course offers proven techniques developed in the industry that will teach you how to re-engage media-hesitant audiences, find stories that matter to readers, and leverage digital platforms in a constructive way.
Hear from our past students…
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“I really valued the meetings we had with Tabitha. Having had little experience with long-form features, I learned about how to write a strong and engaging article. This course was pivotal in strengthening my confidence as a journalist, and I thoroughly recommend it to every early-stage journalist”
Gulistan Elidemir
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“By the end of the course, I was securing freelance commissions – one with a national newspaper – which the training gave me the confidence and portfolio to do. I feel immensely lucky to have been on this course and would unreservedly recommend it to anyone.”
Lily Wakeley
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“One of the most useful skills I’ve learned on the scheme is finding stories. It’s taught me how best to make useful contacts that will lead to stories, how to find stories out-and-about on the patch, and how to use social media as a source.”
Albert Toth
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“I loved meeting other community-minded journalists on the course and getting to ask Tabitha for advice about all aspects of the industry. I wish I had known about this scheme before as it would have been perfect to do alongside my NCTJ.”
Helen Brown
3 Pillars To Unlock Your Journalism Potential
Ethics
Change the way you approach journalism and use it as a tool to empower readers and improve society.
Strategies
Learn the most important strategies in the right order and why
Application
Learn the skills needed to apply your learning in a practical format.
How It Works
Here’s what you get when you join the Advanced Community Journalism course.
✔ Lessons
Multimedia lessons so you can learn the key ideas, strategies and tactics fast
✔ Coaching
World-class coaching to support you and challenge you on the path
✔ Community
A community of peers that totally “get” you and can support you on the way
Course Curriculum
Orientation
Module 1: Foundation in Community Journalism
Module 2: Furthering Community Journalism
Next Steps
Become a Better You
We help individuals, organizations, and more achieve their goals. Here’s an overview of the primary students this course serves.
+Newsrooms
Working with newsroom to improve coverage of local communities.
+ Universities
Working with universities to offer modules and summer courses.
+ Journalists
Working with writers to train the next generation of journalists.
Meet Your Instructor
Tabitha Stapely
All course participants are trained and mentored by Tabitha Stapely, who has 30 years of experience in the media industry.
Following her degree in English Literature and Language at Leeds University, Stapely trained as a journalist in 1995 at the London College of Printing. She has worked for blue-chip publishers including Condé Nast, Hearst and The Telegraph Group.
In 2016, Tabitha left her role as Digital Director of Elle UK to attend Cambridge Social Ventures, a social enterprise incubator at Cambridge Judge Business School. Here she formulated her idea for community-centred local journalism that strengthens the local community, working to unite not divide.
As well as being an alumna of Cambridge Social Ventures, Stapely is an RSA Fellow (see her published work here). In 2019 she was listed as one of the top 50 East London Innovators and in 2020 was recognised as a Natwest WISE100 Women of Inspiration in 2020 for her work in social enterprise.
Her knowledge in community journalism comes from her extensive media career as a journalist and editor, and her 100% commitment to building a sustainable model of local journalism. She is the founder of Social Streets, the pioneering community news publisher, and runs five newspapers in East London.
Tabitha is like no other educator in the industry. Her method follows a tried and tested process she has perfected through three decades in the industry and five years helping people just like you get results.
Drawing on her years of experience and innovation, Tabitha will help fast-track your career in journalism.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will it work for me?
If you are serious and ready to put some effort into it, then very likely yes!
When does the course start and finish?
What do I do if I need help?
Email us anytime and come with questions to the weekly office hours calls.
When do I pay?
You will need to pay upfront, at least one week before the course start date.
What do I do if I need help?
Email us anytime on info@cojoschool.org and come with questions to the weekly office hours calls.
What if I want a refund?
No problem. We stand behind our training 100%. Send us an email with your request.
What if I can’t attend a class?
Students must attend 80% of their lessons in each module in order to receive their Diploma in Community Journalism.
Are there assignments to complete?
Assignments are set every week but only three are obligatory. Students must submit their three best articles; one must be a news story, another must be a long-form article and a third must be an interview-based story.
Will I receive a Diploma?
Yes. You will receive a diploma and it will be graded FAIL, PASS, MERIT, DISTINCTION or DISTINCTION *.
Now Is Your Time
Danger In Staying The Same Or Choosing The Wrong Guide…
⚠ More Of The Same
Don’t learn the bad habits of legacy media. The new face of media requires journalists to implement constructure, community-led approaches that restore trust in media, engages the younger demographic and leverages digital platforms.
⚠ Lost In The Wilderness
Traditional journalism training courses developed by legacy news corporations, such as NCTJ, prepare students for a career in old-school journalism and don’t teach you the skills you need for the new face of media.
Ready to choose a better future in media?
Will you join us on a journey that people just like you have undertaken with great success through our unique method and personalised support?
100% No-Risk Guarantee
Your purchase is backed by our 30-day 100% money back “Love It or Leave It” guarantee
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