Applications for Young Journalist Award now being accepted

Are you:

     • 35 or younger?
     • A member of the Canadian Farm Writers' Federation?
     • Interested in boosting your ag journalism or communications career?

The Canadian Farm Writers' Federation (CFWF) is now accepting applications for the 2011 IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agriculture Journalism Award.

CFWF will select one entry from the Canadian applications for further judging by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ). IFAJ judges will go on to select the winners of the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agriculture Journalism Award.

This award recognizes the leadership potential of 10 young members from the 29 countries belonging to the IFAJ, and supports the young persons' participation at the 2011 IFAJ congress. The award is designed to offset travel and registration costs.

At the 2011 congress, winners of the young leaders' award will participate in a Boot Camp workshop. This will provide participants with expert training and feedback through on-site writing or broadcasting assignments and further develop their leadership skills through formal in-class training. They will be teamed with mentors during the congress to help with learning.

Participants will also write or record spot news three times during the congress. The stories will be made available to the general media and posted on the IFAJ website, http://www.ifaj.org/.

The 2011 IFAJ Boot Camp and congress are September 10-18, 2011, in the Guelph, Ontario, Canada region. Details, including the agenda, are available at http://www.ifaj2011.com/.

The only way apply for 2011 IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agriculture Journalism Award is through the Canadian Farm Writers' Federation.

A team of CFWF judges, selected by the federation executive, will pick one entry to represent Canada and will submit the successful candidate's name to IFAJ for further judging. The remaining nine IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agriculture Journalism Award winners will be selected from entries from other IFAJ member countries.

Rules and procedures for nomination and selection

1. Applicants must be CFWF members.

2. Applicants must write a brief (500 word maximum) essay that addresses:

• why they believe they have leadership potential in IFAJ. 
• how attending Boot Camp and 2011 IFAJ congress will benefit them in their professional life.

Application essays, as well as the applicant's name, mailing address, email address, telephone number and regional farm writer organization, must be sent to Allison Finnamore, Canada's IFAJ executive member, at allison@finnamore.ca by 5 p.m. eastern time, Monday, February 28, 2011.

 

3. The IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism Award is valued at 1,000 Euro per winner.

4. The candidate must be able to attend Boot Camp and the IFAJ congress, September 10-18, 2011 in Ontario, Canada.

5. The Canadian Farm Writers' Federation will select one entry from the Canadian applications for further judging by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. CFWF will forward supporting information about the Canadian nominee, who will be required to provide CFWF with supporting information in a timely fashion.

6. Candidates must be involved in agricultural journalism or communications.

7. Candidates must be no more than 35 years old as of December 31, 2010.

8. Final judging will be conducted by a three-person panel chaired by the IFAJ general secretary.

9. Judges’ decisions are final.

Questions? Call Allison at 506-860-7761 or email allison@finnamore.ca

 

CFWF members, please share this with your regional associations.