Following two programs in Africa and LATAM in 2024, the ACOS Alliance invites applications for its first USA-based Editor Safety Cohort training program, taking place in April 2025.
ACOS has fifteen free places available for editors and newsroom managers from US-based media outlets who are actively commissioning stories and involved in editorial decision-making processes within their organizations.Â
The Editor Safety Cohort training program brings together a small group of editors around the online course The Fundamentals of Safe Commissioning, allowing participants to dive deeper into course modules and apply the training to their own safety needs and practice through structured weekly webinars and a one to one online coaching session.Â
The USA cohort will be led by security consultant, Mike Christie. Mike is former Head of Safety at Reuters. He is also a veteran journalist, including roles as Reuters Bureau Chief in Iraq and US Southeast and Caribbean.
Objectives of the Editor Safety Cohort Training Program:Â
Provide enhanced, tailored safety training to editors and newsroom managers
Empower editors to adopt and implement best safe commissioning practices and create/improve safety protocols, with a focus on freelancers, vulnerable and under-resourced journalists
Foster a culture of safety within news organizations
Foster the creation of editors’ networks to provide peer support and the sharing of information and best practices in journalist safety.
The program will run for four weeks from Wednesday April 9:
Webinars will take place weekly on Wednesdays at 12.00hrs ET on April 9 (60 mins) and 16, 23 and 30 (all 90 mins). Participants will also need to make time to complete the required stages of The Fundamentals of Safe Commissioning course (around 10-15 hours minimum including practical exercises and self-reflection) and attend a 60 minute individual coaching session at the end of the program (date and time to be arranged).
All participants will receive a certificate on completion of the program.
Sessions will take place remotely on Zoom.Â
The ACOS Alliance is keen to evaluate the impact and performance of this program, and participants are expected to provide comprehensive feedback.
The deadline for applications is: Sunday April 9 @ 11:59pm ET.