Training of Trainers in Community Radio in the Pacific
In recent years there has been an increased demand for more participatory forms of media in the Pacific region, thus accounting for the emergence of community radios in certain areas. Community radios are important tools for development since they enable the participation of marginalized groups in the development process by offering a platform for democratic discourse. Unfortunately however, many rural dwellers in the Pacific are still unable to access radio due to technical challenges. Furthermore, the scope of existing Community Radios to exercise their full potential as development tools is limited in this region, due to a lack of training for community media practitioners. While established educational institutions offer courses in journalism and the media, none provides specific training in Community Radio. This project will attempt to bridge this gap by training ten civil society leaders with media backgrounds in the necessary skills required to initiate and maintain self-sustaining community radio stations in their own districts. This will include training in the use of ICT in community radio delivery, development of relevant programming content, and the preparation of training programmes in order to conduct community radio training upon return to the their respective communities. OBJECTIVE To train a group of ten civil society leaders as community radio trainers, in order for them to initiate and maintain self-sustaining community radio stations in their own districts, thus providing a platform for democratic discourse.