Community Journalist - Secwepemclecw

Discourse Media Inc.; Kamloops; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Discourse Media Inc. is seeking a community journalist for a full-time, one-year contract position based in Secwepemculecw. The role emphasizes storytelling within Indigenous communities, requiring connections to Secwepemc Peoples and a commitment to meaningful journalism. This position offers competitive compensation, benefits, and the opportunity to contribute to a collaborative newsroom environment.

Benefits

Extended health and dental benefits

Life and travel insurance

Three weeks of paid vacation

Bonus paid time off over winter holidays

Qualifications

• From an Indigenous community with knowledge of Indigenous protocols.
• Experience producing stories that center Indigenous perspectives.
• Demonstrated ability to produce accurate and engaging news articles.

Responsibilities

• Produce quality local journalism for Secwepemc communities.
• Engage with community members and organizations.
• Report on issues that matter to residents through newsletters and stories.

Skills

Engagement with Indigenous people

Understanding of colonial history

Knowledge of Indigenous governance

Connection to Secwepemc Peoples

Storytelling from Indigenous perspectives

Community connection building

Meaningful reporting

Time management

Collaborative work culture

Tools

Wordpress

Mailchimp

Adobe Photoshop

InDesign

Canva

GSuite

Slack

Asana

Job description

Discourse Community Publishing (DCP) is seeking a qualified candidate to fill a full-time, one-year contract community journalist position based in Secwepemculecw, serving the community through DCP's Kamloops, B.C. (Tkemlps) based outlet, The Wren. This position is funded through the federal Local Journalism Initiative.

As the purpose of this role is to tell stories based in Secwepemculecw, preference will be given to those with connections to Secwpemc Peoples.

DCP is a growing network of community news outlets dedicated to contributing to a more sustainable and equitable news ecosystem. This position offers the opportunity to learn from, contribute to, and be supported by our shared digital newsroom including The Discourse Cowichan, Nanaimo, and Comox; IndigiNews; The Wren; Sun Peaks Independent News; and the Revelstoke Mountaineer. We are guided by these 10 principles.

DCP aims to build an inclusive and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve and is working to attract and support candidates from diverse communities and backgrounds. Women, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply.

Compensation will be based on experience, starting at a $50,000 annual salary, with a full-time equivalent of $70,000, as DCP currently operates on a four-day workweek (32 hours from Monday to Thursday). DCP offers extended health and dental benefits for yourself and your immediate family, as well as life and travel insurance. This position also offers three weeks of paid vacation, in addition to bonus paid time off over the winter holiday period.

The community journalist role focuses on producing quality local journalism for Secwepemc communities through weekly reported stories and newsletters. General working hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Thursday, but some flexibility outside those hours is required for news coverage and community engagement activities.

We are looking for :

• You are from an Indigenous community, understand the nuance of Indigenous protocols, and prioritize engaging respectfully with Indigenous people.
• You have an understanding of Canada's colonial history, institutions, ongoing practices, and the impacts of systemic racism on Indigenous Peoples and communities.
• You are familiar with Indigenous governance systems in the areas we serve and/or your own Nation.
• You have a connection to and knowledge of Secwepemc Peoples, communities, organizations, and residents.
• You understand the TRC's Call to Action for the media and have experience producing stories that centre Indigenous Peoples' perspectives and issues impacting them.
• You know how to respectfully create new connections with community members and organizations.
• You have a passion to provide readers and communities with meaningful, original, and in-depth reporting on issues that matter to residents.
• You desire to be part of an independent media organization dedicated to shaping the future of community news.
• You are dedicated to serving underrepresented communities and peoples in our region.
• You have a demonstrated ability to produce accurate and engaging news articles for online mediums.
• You have a history of working independently with strong time management and prioritization skills and the ability to meet deadlines.
• You want to contribute to a positive newsroom environment and collaborative work culture.

Additional assets include :

• Experience in research, FOI requests, interviewing, writing, copy-editing, fact-checking, social media, newsletters, photography, and videography.
• Digital skills and experience with Wordpress, Mailchimp, Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, Canva, GSuite, Slack, Asana, and various social media platforms.
• Experience in audience development, community engagement, and event planning.

Please complete the application, including your resume, by Sept. 20, 2024.

This deadline was extended on Sept. 3, 2024.

If you worry you're not qualified, take the leap and apply anyway!