The New England First Amendment Coalition is providing a free mentorship program for all journalists working in the region.
The program — NEFAC Mentors — was offered exclusively to Rhode Island journalists last year but is now open to anyone working in New England.
Reporters, editors and producers looking for guidance in a variety of professional areas can apply to be paired with a veteran journalist with relevant expertise.
Mentorship focus areas include community storytelling, public records and open meetings, use of data in reporting, navigating the industry as a bilingual reporter, building relationships as a journalist of color, audio production and mining stories from beats.
“NEFAC Mentors is an invaluable resource for all journalists but particularly those in smaller newsrooms or those covering underrepresented communities,” Silverman said. “We have a deep roster of mentors ready to give their time and expertise to help those in the profession.”
Applicants must submit their résumé with links to their portfolio. When applying, applicants will be asked to name their top three mentor choices based on their specific goals and mentorship needs. Once the application materials are received, NEFAC will begin working to pair the applicant with a preferred mentor. When a match has been made, the applicant will be notified.
Mentors are required to provide at least an hour of their time each month for six months as part of the program, but mentees can agree to other time arrangements that work for both parties. Due to demand and the limited availability of mentors, NEFAC will only respond to applications once a match has been found.