AU Media Fellowship Programme 2023 – 2024 Open Call for Mentors

Date

آب/أغسطس 22, 2023 - 14:30 - أيلول/سبتمبر 1, 2023 - 15:00

TERMS OF REFERENCE

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS 1st September, 2023

1. BACKGROUND

The African Union (AU) Media Fellowship is a prestigious program that aims to empower African media professionals, journalists and content creators to promote development- focused stories using emerging technologies. The Information and Communication Directorate of the AU launched the AU Media Fellowship in 2022 with the aim of providing African storytellers and journalists a platform to utilise media to inform, educate and empower citizens; bridge knowledge gaps, and drive Africa’s development narrative in alignment with the aspirations and goals of the continent’s development framework of Agenda 2063.

Applicants to the AU Media Fellowship programme are citizens of Member States of the African Union.

Key to the AU Media Fellowship journey is access to industry professionals and experts who act as Mentors who support the fellows throughout the programme.

This Terms of Reference outlines the role and responsibilities of Mentors participating in the AU Media Fellowship.

2. MENTORING OBJECTIVES

The objective of the Mentorship program is to provide guidance, support, and expertise to the fellows, helping them enhance their skills, knowledge, and professional growth.

Mentors will play a critical role in shaping the fellows' understanding of the media landscape, providing industry insights, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.

3. SCOPE OF WORK

The mentors will be assigned to individual fellows or groups of fellows, depending on their expertise and the focus areas of the fellows.

The period of mentorship will span the duration of the fellowship, typically lasting for 12 months. The specific responsibilities of the mentors include:

Mentoring and providing guidance to the assigned fellow(s) based on their areas of expertise and experience.
Assisting the fellows in setting clear goals and objectives for their fellowship projects.
Conducting regular virtual or in-person meetings with the fellows to discuss their

progress, challenges, and provide feedback.
Sharing industry insights, best practices, and practical advice to help the fellows navigate

the media landscape.
Offering constructive feedback and guidance on the fellows' project deliverables;

ensuring quality and relevance.
Encouraging networking opportunities and facilitating connections with relevant

industry professionals and stakeholders.
Supporting the fellows in developing their professional skills, including research,

storytelling techniques, use of emerging technologies, and effective communication

techniques.
Monitoring the fellows' progress and providing timely recommendations for

improvement.
Participating in mentorship training and workshops organised by the AU Media

Fellowship program, as required.

4. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

10 years of experience and expertise in the media industry, journalism, or content creation.
Sound knowledge of emerging media technologies and trends.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide emerging professionals.
Understanding of the African media landscape, related sectors and development issues.
Availability to commit to regular mentorship meetings and support the fellows

throughout the fellowship period.

Ability to provide practical insights and industry expertise –would be an added advantage wherein practical knowledge and expertise that can be offered to Fellows on topics including amongst others

Business planning / Financial planning
Managing resources for effective operations (on site / in the field)
How to undertake Research (for content creation, news etc)
Critical Thinking
Effective grant writing and applications
Managing Digital assets for profitability
Managing your brand – the person / the business
Understanding your audience / market as a content creator / media player
Effective Public Sector / Development communication
Technology and the impact on communication

Partnering for success
Journalism /Content creation in the age of Artificial Intelligence (A.I)
Scriptwriting / copy writing
Disinformation / Misinformation in the digital age

5. REPORTING AND COORDINATION

Mentors will report to the AU Media Fellowship Program coordinators and participate in regular reviews and evaluation sessions.

They will provide progress reports and feedback on the fellows' performance and overall mentorship experience.

6. DURATION

The mentorship engagement will align with the duration of the AU Media Fellowship programme , typically lasting for 12 months.

Note: Mentors will receive a stipend or honorarium for their services, as per the agreement with the AU Media Fellowship program. Costs of travel (including accommodation) as and when required will be covered through the AU Media Fellowship as per the travel rules and regulations of the African Union or its participating AU Media Fellowship programme partners

7. Application Process:

Interested individuals should submit their applications, including a CV and a brief statement of interest, highlighting their relevant experience and expertise. The selection of mentors will be based on their qualifications, expertise, and alignment with the goals of the AU Media Fellowship program.

Submissions should be sent via email with the subject line “Mentor Application: AU Media Fellowship 2.0” AUMediaFellowship@africa-union.org

Learn more about the AU Media Fellowship Programme

Download the TOR

AUC

Directorate Tags

Information and Communication Directorate

Agenda 2063

Flagship Projects

Integrated High Speed Train Network

Connecting African capitals and commercial centers through a High-Speed Train Network; facilitating the movement of goods, factor services and people as well as reducing transport costs and relieving congestion of current and future systems through increased rail connectivity.

African Commodities Strategy

Transforming Africa from a raw materials supplier by enabling countries to add value, extract higher rents from commodities, integrate into global value chains promote diversification anchored in value addition and local content development.

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Accelerating intra-African trade and boosting Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations.

The African Passport & Free Movement of People

Removing restrictions on Africans’ ability to travel, work and live within their own continent by transforming restrictive laws and promoting visa free travel to enhance movement of all African citizens in all African countries.

Silencing the Guns by 2020

Ending all wars, civil conflicts, gender-based violence, violent conflicts and preventing genocide in the continent by 2020.

The Grand Inga Dam Project

Generating an estimated 43,200MW of power to support current regional power pools and their combined service to transform Africa from traditional to modern sources of energy and ensure access to clean and affordable electricity.

Single African Air-Transport Market

Promoting intra-regional connectivity between the capital cities of Africa by creating a single unified air transport market in Africa, as an impetus to the continent’s economic integration and growth agenda.

African Economic Forum

Multi-stakeholder meeting bringing together the Africa’s policy makers, private sector, academia and civil society to reflect on accelerating Africa’s socio- economic development and transformation by harnessing its vast resources.

African Financial Institutions

Accelerating integration and economic development through the establishment of organisations which will play a pivotal role in the mobilization of resources and management of the African financial sector.

The Pan African e-Network

Transforming Africa into an e-Society by implementing policies and strategies that lead to transformative e-applications and services in Africa such as broad band terrestrial infrastructure, cyber security and revolutionary bio and nanotechnology industries.

Africa Outer Space Strategy

Strengthening Africa’s use of outer space to bolster development in critical sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, remote sensing, climate forecast, banking and finance, defense and security.

African Virtual & e-University

Using ICT based programmes to increase access to tertiary and continuing education in Africa by reaching large numbers of students and professionals in multiple sites simultaneously.

Cyber Security

Incorporating emerging technologies in Africa’s development plans and ensuring these technologies are used for the benefit of African individuals, institutions and nation states by ensuring data protection and safety online.

Great African Museum

Preserving and promoting African cultural heritage by creating awareness of Africa’s vast, dynamic and diverse cultural artefacts and Africa’s continuing influence on world cultures in art, music, language, science, and so on.

Encyclopaedia Africana

Provide an authoritative resource on the authentic history of Africa and African life.

NOW

Agenda 2063

Key Resources