Hostile environment training for journalists includes familiarization with protective equipment and emergency first aid in the field. Shown: Instruction in progress at a training facility in Ontario. (CNW Group/Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma)

Applications for the 2020 Forum Freelance Fund Bursaries have re-opened

The annual bursary competition, presented by the Canadian Journalism Forum for Violence and Trauma, is open until Aug. 31 Continue Reading Applications for the 2020 Forum Freelance Fund Bursaries have re-opened

Entries have re-opened for the annual Forum Freelance Fund bursaries, which provide up to $2,500 towards hostile environment training for Canadian journalists or those reporting abroad for Canadian media.

After being postponed in April due to the conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, courses will be offered through a combination of online and in-person delivery.

Recipients will have up to two years to complete Hostile Environment and Emergency First Aid Training, or HEFAT, as program providers gradually reinstate courses.

This year, the Forum is offering an additional 15 bursaries of up to $400 to support freelancers looking to take other online safety training.

“These are unprecedented times for journalists, with the pandemic compounding other safety and stress issues,” said Forum president Cliff Lonsdale. “Many organizations have responded by offering a variety of virtual courses, dealing with handling the pandemic itself, with covering civil unrest, digital security and so on. Our mini-bursaries are designed to help Canadian freelancers and freelancers of other nationalities serving Canadian media, take advantage of these opportunities.”

The bursary competition is run in association with the Rory Peck Trust and sponsored by CBC News.

Applications for the FFF bursaries are due Aug. 31 and will remain open for the smaller companion bursaries until the Forum announces they’ve been filled.

For more information about how to apply, visit the Forum’s website.