Data Journalism Trainer and Mentor

BBC Media Action is an International NGO working in Ethiopia since 2001 as a registered charity with the Authority for Civil Society Organisations (ACSO). BBC Media Action uses media and communications for good informing, connecting and empowering people around the world.

This assignment is part of BBC Media Action’s BRAVE programme, funded by the European Commission.

Background

Data-driven storytelling is an essential part of modern journalism. In Ethiopia, media outlets increasingly seek to produce evidence-based reporting but face gaps in skills related to finding, interpreting, visualizing, and presenting data.

This training aims to strengthen the capacity of journalists and newsroom staff to practice data journalism in a practical, ethical, and impactful way.

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to deliver hands-on data journalism training that enables participants to understand, analyze, and communicate data in compelling and accessible formats. The training will help media practitioners integrate data into regular reporting and produce more accurate, transparent, and audience-relevant stories.

Objectives

The specific objectives are to:

• Introduce the principles, value, and workflow of data journalism.
• Strengthen participants’ ability to find, clean, interpret, and analyze datasets.
• Equip participants with basic data visualization skills and tools.
• Improve participants’ capacity to produce data-driven stories grounded in evidence.
• Support participants to develop a data story idea or draft outline by the end of the training.

Scope of Work

Training Content

The trainer will deliver sessions covering the following areas:

• Foundations of Data Journalism
• Finding and Accessing Data
• Data Cleaning and Preparation
• Data Analysis
• Data Visualization (presentation)
• Storytelling with Data
• Ethical & Responsible Data Use- sensitive data

Training Methodology

• Interactive presentations
• Hands-on exercises
• Group work
• Tool demonstrations
• Guidance on developing a data story pitch

Deliverables

The trainer shall provide:

• Training agenda and session plan
• Training materials (slides, sample datasets, worksheets, templates)
• Facilitation of the training over the agreed duration
• Practical exercises for participants
• A short training report

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in journalism, with strong skills in data or evidence-based reporting
• Proven experience delivering journalism training or mentoring to media professionals
• Practical knowledge of data journalism tools
• Strong skills in data analysis, visualization, and storytelling
• Good understanding of journalism ethics and responsible use of sensitive data
• Experience working in Ethiopia or similar contexts is an advantage
• Strong facilitation, communication, and mentoring skills
• Ability to deliver practical, hands-on training in English

Deliverables

The trainer is expected to produce:

• Training agenda and session plan
• Training materials
• Facilitation of training sessions
• Brief training report