Peer to PeerMentoring Programme

The Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture in Kenya (MESHA), for purposes of improving the quality of health and science journalism among her members, seeks to place selected talented journalists under experienced science journalists with the aim of developing the latter professionally by involving them in the daily routines of their mentors. This will ensure a guided and stepwise development of mentees skills through daily and regular monitoring accompanied by appropriate interventions meant to accelerate the acquisition of good writing skills.

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TheProgramme

One mentee has been put under the responsibility of one science journalist identified by MESHA for their excellence in the field.

 
 
 

The journalist will write stories as recommended by their mentors and submit them for appraisal.

 
 
This phase runs for ONE year.
 
 
The program is meant to be a wholesome experience incorporating all aspects of health and science reporting including specialized skills such as accessing information from scientific journals as well as other essential components of health journalism such as accessing authoritative sources of information and maneuvering through the common challenges that the profession presents.
 
The mentee shall work closely with the mentor assigned to him/her through his/her daily work routine with the objective of familiarizing the mentee with best practices in the field.
 
 

Keen interest will be paid to investigative journalism and data journalism

Mentor, in consultation with the mentee to draft a six month schedule and curriculum at the start
 
 
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Objectives

The objectives of the Peer to Peer mentoring programme are to:

  1. Improve writing skills among the health and science journalists
  2. Equip mentees with skills for accessing essential resources necessary for their work
  3. Expose mentees with authoritative sources of information
  4. Expand the mentees’ range of contacts in the health and science reporting field
  5. Introduce data journalism to mentees

Expected Outcomes

  1. An increased number of skilled and motivated health and science journalists
  2. Improved quality of health writing
  3. More authoritative health and science stories in the media
  4. More health and science coverage in the media
  5. Vibrant data journalism in Africa

Evaluation

The mentee will be subjected to a monthly report by the mentor to be shared with MESHA on the progress of the mentee which shall contain gains made and challenges encountered during the mentorship period. After six months MESHA will collaborate with the mentor in conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the respective candidate and make recommendations for the improvement of the programme before embarking on the final six months.

Activities &Duration

The programme will last ONE year with the mentees expected to ‘meet’ their mentors at least twice during the mentorship period through skype where the mentor will be expected to review assignments being undertaken by the mentee. The mentor will particularly focus on the weak areas in the assignments while providing advice on how to improve them. The mentors will be expected to:

  • Share their skills and experiences with the mentees connecting them to important sources as well as best practices in the newsroom.
  • Assist mentees to prepare them for interviews
  • Discuss story ideas, building on those ideas and pitching skills
  • Provide progress reports to the programme coordinator

At the end of the programme, mentees will be trained on online research skills before being finally awarded with their certificates.

Beneficiaries &Imapct

The programme is expected to benefit journalists at all levels of their careers or graduates freshly out of college with the prerequisite skills required of health and science journalism while also building in them a critical knowledge of important contacts and organizations necessary for their work. The programme is also expected to contribute to the overall improvement of health and science journalism in Africa.

Past Mentees share their experiences about the MESHA mentorship initiative

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