Unlocking change: Pioneers Post kicks off journalism programme for 10 young trainees

Ten young champions of education from around the world have kicked off a six-month programme in journalistic storytelling, delivered by Pioneers Post. 

The training is provided on behalf of Theirworld, a children’s charity committed to ending the global education crisis and unleashing the potential of the next generation.

The participants, aged 18 to 28, are among thousands of ‘Global Youth Ambassadors’ – young people supported by Theirworld to build their skills as advocates and campaigners for education.

The trainees were selected from among hundreds of applicants for the journalism programme, a new initiative from Theirworld. 

• Read more about working with Pioneers Post to create bespoke training  

The programme runs from March until September 2025, and consists of online workshops covering storytelling skills such as photojournalism, solutions journalism, fact-checking and interviewing. It is led by Pioneers Post team members Anna Patton, Julie Pybus and David Lyons. Participants will also benefit from one-to-one mentoring with Pioneers Post journalists, insights from guest speakers from around the world, and a year’s free membership of Pioneers Post.

Stories produced by the group will be exhibited in September and presented to policymakers and others who can influence the education agenda. 

Young people know the realities of the education crisis and many in our network have firsthand experience of the education inequalities faced around the world - Dawn Humphreys

The participants come from a range of countries, and bring diverse skills in activism, journalism, creative arts, documentary film and more, as well as direct experience of displacement, migration, disability and other issues.

Dawn Humphreys, director of youth engagement at Theirworld, said: “Young people know the realities of the education crisis and many of them in our network have firsthand experience of the education challenges and inequalities faced around the world. Theirworld believes in young people as changemakers and that’s why we prioritise giving them the skills, resources and opportunities to advocate for themselves and their communities. We are excited to be collaborating with Pioneers Post on this project and look forward to seeing the stories the participants gather so that we can amplify and inspire others to unlock big change.”

Anna Patton, associate editor and training lead at Pioneers Post, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Theirworld for the first time to deliver this training. We were so impressed to see what these ten young people had already achieved, and we hope that the coming months will further equip them to create stories that illuminate the challenges and solutions in their communities.” 

“This project also fits perfectly with Pioneers Post’s commitment to social impact. This is something we work towards not only through our independent journalism and awards initiatives, but also by building the skills and professional experience of younger generations, particularly those who may have missed out on formal education opportunities. We’re excited to see where this cohort goes next!” 

The ten participants are:

• Andrea Eunice Vasquez - Honduras
• Ata Ullah - Bangladesh
• Ibrahim Abdulai Kargbo - Sierra Leone
• Imani Amanullah - UK
• Jackeline Maria Guerra Batista - Panama
• João Davi de Morais Barbosa Saraiva - Brazil
• Racheal Kalinaki - Uganda
• Victory Ashaka - Nigeria
• Yassmeene Saleh - United Arab Emirates
• Zhamana Hakim - USA

This project follows previous training delivered by Pioneers Post, including the DICE Young Storymakers programme, created in partnership with the British Council.

Read more about Pioneers Post’s training expertise, or contact anna@pioneerspost.com to find out more.

Top photo: Theirworld Global Youth Ambassadors in New York, where digital billboards for the #LetMeLearn campaign were displayed in 2022 (credit: Theirworld)