JST partners with LJMU to offer mentorships to undergraduate journalists

LJMU is one of six universities, John Schofield Trust (JST) has partnered with to offer 1-2-1 mentoring, to undergraduate journalism students. 

The mentorships aim to offer 1-2-1 support to help students develop the skills and experience they need to become successful journalists. 

The scheme will begin in January 2023 and run for 12 months. Successful applicants from LJMU will also become John Schofield Trust Fellows, gaining access to an individual mentor who aligns with their career goals, monthly masterclasses and other networking and development opportunities. The students will also join a growing network of 1,000 journalists who have been mentored, or who have mentored for the John Schofield Trust.   

Professor Rachel McLean, Director of Liverpool Screen School at LJMU, said: “We are delighted that The John Schofield Trust approached Liverpool Screen School’s Journalism team to partner with them in the pilot of the HE mentoring scheme. We share a vision and approach to widening access and social mobility and look forward to working with together to enhance our students’ career development.”  

Polly Sharpe, Senior Lecturer in Journalism at LJMU, said: “I am hugely excited to be part of this pilot programme and to see the impact it will have on our students. We speak a lot on the course about how journalism is changing and looking to much better reflect and represent our multi-dimensional society. I hope that working with the JST in this way will give those students who don’t always see themselves reflected back in the industry the confidence and support to realise they do have a place, do belong there and that their voice matters.“

The mentorship announcement with JST comes alongside a great month for Liverpool Screen School students as third year journalism student, Lucy Burns won a place on the Bauer radio mentoring scheme, giving her a year of industry mentoring and a two week placement with the major radio broadcaster.

JST’s aim is to help inspiring and early career journalists access and navigate the profession by providing world-class mentoring and training. 

CEO of the John Schofield Trust, David Stenhouse said: “Mentoring is transformative – the students who are selected for our new university mentoring scheme will gain direct access to established journalists at the top of their game and gain a real insight into what having a career as a journalist looks like. We’re really pleased to have such a great range of universities join us on this journey, and we are excited that the Trust’s mission to bring new talent and voices into newsrooms will now reach even more people.”   

University of Northampton, University of Central Lancashire, Dublin City University, Edinburgh Napier University and University of Kent are also part of the scheme. 

Find out more about John Schofield Trust 

Find out more about studying Journalism at LJMU