Write Here, Right Now

17 November 2009

Twenty-six young people from all over the UK are getting the chance to report on key global issues to their peers for the next six months thanks to funding from UKaid from the Department for International Development (DFID).

The team of young people, known as ‘Write Here, Right Now’ are aged between 13 and 19 and finished their training with experienced media professionals last week. Armed with these new skills and a new social networking platform, the team are geared up to raise awareness, to encourage young people to speak up for their world on international development issues at: www.writehererightnow.org.

Reporter April Williamson, 17, from Regent’s Park in London, says: “‘Write Here, Right Now’ is something really innovative. I’ve always wanted to get involved with local and international issues such as climate change, but I’ve always found that my age has restricted me. The project helps people like me get involved and talk to other young people about what’s going on.”

Two members of the team will be travelling to Copenhagen next month to report on the United Nations Climate Change Conference. As well as covering the event, the reporters will be attending MTV’s Play to Stop concert on December 7, which is a partnership between MTV and the European Commission, attend fringe events including the Klimaforum and also interview young people on the streets of Copenhagen.

The reporters will also be covering events within the UK including the Guardian’s International Development Journalism Awards this week, and the VInspired awards later this month where Tinchy Stryder is performing.

In the new year they will report on how UKaid is being spent on supporting poor countries as well as the 1GOAL campaign, which is running alongside the 2010 FIFA World Cup to get 75 million children into school.

This Friday one of the team will mark International Children’s Day by reporting from a school which is part of DFID’s ‘Schools for Copenhagen’ tour. She will interview the school children and quiz Secretary of State Douglas Alexander on how climate change affects developing countries. 

The project first began earlier this year where seven young people reported on the London G20 Summit, including two of the team who attended the summit and interviewed Bob Geldof. On the back of the success, the scheme has been extended and together DFID and LIVE have found 12 reporters for its core, London-based, team and 15 for its remote team who will bring a regional focus to the project and attend key events.

Reporter Robert Pretorius, 17, from Bicester, added: “This is my first real opportunity to voice my thoughts and have them heard by many people, not just those who know me well. The best thing about ‘Write Here, Right Now’ is that it encourages young people to be proactive – to communicate with others our own age, who are the people with the potential to bring about positive change in the future.”

Write Here, Right Now is a global youth reporting experience funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development and run by Live Futures.