Future News Worldwide identifies, trains and connects the next generation of global journalists. It is a partnership programme between the British Council and some of the world's leading media organisations.
The aim is to support young people to develop a wide range of journalism skills and to establish the UK as a global leader in the nurturing of young journalists and media figures.
The programme centres around a two-day conference in London, which offers aspiring young journalists opportunities to develop practical and editorial skills and hear directly from some of the world’s most high-profile industry leaders, with a mixture of talks, interactive panel sessions, workshops and hands-on experiences.
Three young illustrious Ghanaian journalists were selected to attend this year's events. Read below to find out about their fascinating individual adventures they undertook while in London.
MEET THE PARTICIPANTS:
Stella Darley
My former boss, Bernard Koku Avle once told me, “It is good to have a story”.
I was born in Asesewa, they say it’s a village but I have always insisted that it is a small town. An unexpected series of events took me to Prekumase, a village in the Upper Manya Krobo district within the Eastern region of Ghana. My stay in a community without electricity, potable water, a school facility and having to walk miles to the next town every day to school was not by choice, but little did I know that it would come to drive my passion for journalism. It gave me a different perspective and if I would stay true to myself, as the Channel 4 news anchor, Jon Snow advised, then journalism would be the greatest tool ever gifted me. Fast forward, I was a level 400 student of Ghana Institute of Journalism and the British Council had selected me together with two other delegates from over 3000 applicants to represent Ghana at the Future News Worldwide conference in London.
Read the rest of her story here
Owuraku Ampofo
The excitement of graduation is often drowned with stints of anxiety as the next thought is usually how to tackle the real world. As the days go by after graduation, the feeling of utopia dwindles and the pending question gets ever louder – ‘what do you want to do with your life?’
Throughout college, I had a fair idea of the field I wanted to work in. My life has revolved around sports for as long as I can remember. I had the opportunity of gaining exposure in the journalism field throughout college as I wrote articles and analysed issues on radio and television. After college, I decided to get into journalism fulltime despite attaining a degree in Computer Science.
8 months into my journey as a sports journalist, a colleague sent me the link to apply for the Future News Worldwide 2019. My initial thoughts after reading the brief was “Wow, this will be extremely competitive”. These thoughts were a reflection of the uncertainty looming over my chosen career field. The question on my mind was ‘whether this was truly my calling’. Regardless, I still went ahead to apply for the opportunity with my fingers crossed.
Read the rest of his story here
Jemima Agyemang
When I received an email from the British Council in April, my heart fluttered while opening anxiously wondering what the message entailed. I just could not believe my eyes, felt like my heart was about to explode-I had just been selected as one of the delegates for FNW19.
It was indeed an honour to be amongst the 100 delegates worldwide to attend this prestigious conference. It was also a dream come true to be given the opportunity to visit London for the very first time.
On 14th July I flew to London with two other delegates from Ghana. Just as our plane took off, I knew we had stepped into an ambassadorial role. We had to represent our country internationally at this conference.