IFCN Global Fact-Checking Mentorship Program 2021

Deadline: 3 December 2021
Open to: IFCN signatories, fact-checking organizations as well as ecosystem partners that have demonstrated success or expertise in a given area
Benefits: Selected mentors will receive $50,000, distributed in payments outlined in the Terms and Conditions. Selected mentees will receive $5,000 upon completion of the training.

Description

Applications are open for the IFCN Global Fact-Checking Mentorship Program 2021. The International Fact-Checking Network at the Poynter Institute in partnership with Facebook has launched a global mentorship program that will leverage the expertise of member organizations in peer-to-peer exchange of information.

These programs will later be scaled to be offered to the wider IFCN community; deliverables for scaled training can include webinars, online courses, case studies, etc. Up to $450,000 will be awarded, with both mentors and mentees receiving compensation.

The IFCN Mentorship Program will match signatories to the IFCN with demonstrated expertise in specific topics with other IFCN signatory organizations with an interest in enhancing skill sets in those areas. Applicants must define their area of expertise and intended audience for impact. Mentorship topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Detecting misinformation on social media. How to use monitoring tools and sourcing tips to identify potential misinformation.
Communicating fact checks with innovative formats. How to use videos, podcasts, memes and other unique formats to communicate fact-checks to a wider audience.
Industry collaboration. How to effectively partner with other fact-checking organizations and publishers, particularly during breaking news events, to better address misinformation.
Media literacy. How to start media literacy campaigns and other initiatives to help local communities spot misinformation.
Training and operations. How to build effective training programs and operational tactics to help fact-checking organizations better address misinformation.
Health and science misinformation. How to approach scientific claims and create a system to increase an organization’s capacity to debunk health misinformation.

Eligibility

The program is open to IFCN signatories, fact-checking organizations as well as ecosystem partners that have demonstrated success or expertise in a given area.
Mentors will be required to provide educational materials to support other fact-checkers & journalists.
Applications that include a partnership between an IFCN signatory and another organization will also be considered but would require an additional MOU which will be provided in the application.

Demonstrated expertise is defined as documented success in developing or implementing training and development on a core topic area. Examples might include:

Previously completed project in the subject area with success metrics.
Previously conducted training/teaching.
Existing training materials or curricula on the subject matter.
Public recognition or awards around the organizations establish success in a given area.