Call for Applications: Fellowships & Internships
Freelance journalists are invited to apply for funded fellowships and internships, developing investigative reporting projects with mentorship and editorial support from leading independent exile media organizations from Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Russia.
Media Resilience Lab is a new two-year programme strengthening independent investigative journalism across Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, and other Eastern Partnership countries. It supports independent journalists through targeted funding for exile-based investigative media, helping teams collaborate and increase impact under pressure. The Lab also delivers practical training on data journalism, fact-checking, security, video reporting, and collaborative investigations, building skills and networks for long-term resilience. The project offers fellowships and internships with structured mentorship for media professionals across the region.
Applications are now closed.
Thank you to everyone who applied. We received a strong response and are currently reviewing all applications. A second call for applications will open in the second half of 2026.
Learn more on the Media Resilience Lab project page.
What we offer
- €1,500 fellowship grant to develop and produce your investigative story, video report, or other media project
- 1–3-month internship with one of our partner media organizations
- Consultancy and mentorship support
- Access to specialized trainings in 2026 and a Summer School on investigative journalism in 2027
Who can apply
Media workers from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, other Eastern Partnership countries, and Germany, based in-country or in exile, who collaborate with displaced newsrooms or report across borders.
- Exile-based media workers
- In-country reporters and editors
- Early-career journalists from the Eastern Partnership region seeking internships, fellowships, and structured mentorship
- Journalists from Germany seeking a journalist or media organisation from the Eastern Partnership region for a collaborative media project
How to apply
Fill in the application form in English.
Include a short project description, methods, publication plan, and links to recent work samples. If you are interested in an internship or co-publication, indicate your preferred media outlet.
Please also share basic personal details and which training you would like to join.
Topics can include (but are not limited to)
Human rights, environmental issues, war crimes and sanctions evasion, Indigenous peoples’ rights, disinformation, and foreign information manipulation and interference.
Deadline
6 June 2026, at 18:00. Projects must be implemented and stories published by the end of 2026.
Training
Fellows and interns are invited to take part in online training in 2026 on storytelling, data journalism, investigative methods, and fact-checking. A Summer School in 2027 offers an in-depth programme on collaborative media work.
Contact
For any questions please reach out to team@jinn-media.org
The Media Resilience Lab is implemented by jinn gGmbH within the Eastern Partnership Programme and funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Donors
