OUR GOAL:
Empowering underrepresented voices through digital media and citizen journalism. Providing an online platform to share stories and raise awareness about issues that are often overlooked by mainstream media and matter most to under served communities.
Many voices in society go unheard. Many of them lack the knowledge and know-how to communicate their concerns, needs and experiences. This project looks to provide a space for responsible and accurate reporting by offering people the skills to share the stories otherwise not covered by traditional news media--because of societal constraints, lack of resources, or poor access.
In PARTICULAR, this Interactive Citizen Journalism Project will produce citizen media documentaries in the following areas (http://vo1ceproject.org/community_journalism.html):
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Citizen Journalists Uncovering Censorship--Tracking and Identifying Censorship.
- Cross-Generational Dialogue on Social Taboos in Serbia.
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The People vs. The Stadium--Citizen accounts of the true costs of Brazil's hosting of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics (social/economic/personal).
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Taxi Takes on the World: a partnership in supporting film maker, Vandana Sood and her crowd-sourced web documentary on pressing global issues shot in taxis.
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WHAT WE DO:
The VO1CE Project is an NGO dedicated to providing citizen media trainings and support to community leaders, aspiring journalists, filmmakers and individuals eager to address critical issues within their communities through various online and interactive platforms.
We beleive in empowering underrepresented voices and offering tangible skills as an essential element in building sustainable societies that can identify and present issues, propose solutions, and take ownership of the process to engage appropriate audience and stakeholders.
WHAT WE NEED & WHAT YOU GET:
We have spent the past 18 months dedicated to building our network of volunteers and partners in the fields of film, video journalism, news reporting and community development. While we have executed a number of small trainings, camera drives, and awareness campaigns, we are now equipped with the resources to execute our first bigger-impact project.
Our funding goal of 20K will enable us to launch our projects by creating the interactive media platforms our stakeholders will utilize. Your money will specifically go to:
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Digital equipment - buying of bloggies, cameras, and mobile phones that will be used by participants in all corners of the world.
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New Media Instruction & Filmmaking - This will include providing New Media trainers and their teaching of techniques and methods for production of news pieces and short, interactive news pieces, advocacy, reports & documentaries.
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Web development, Interactive Platform Creation and Awareness material.
WHY IS THIS PROJECT IMPORTANT?
Providing the space and know-how for empowering voices via new media technologies can:
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Promote transparency and open dialogue on crucial issues such as censorship, social taboos, and the impact of various government actions
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Create a bridge between digital media and development
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Advocate innovative ideas and increase quality citizen media reporting,
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Empower individuals and drive social change.
ABOUT US:
We are two friends, International Affairs graduates from Columbia University in NY and American University in DC, who have spent years working at home and abroad in the fields of development, consulting, research, and non-profit management. We left those careers to start an NGO adressesing our belief that information and access are the first steps to empowerment. VO1CE works to provide a bridge for those lacking the resources and opportunities presented by the newest media technologies. We want to allow people who are left out of the digital revolution to have a say and be able to change their communities.
More About VO1CE:
The VO1CE Project works to capitalize on its network of high level professionals, eager volunteers, and bloggersin the fields of print & video journalism, media communications, and community development. Journalists, reporters, and experts in community development will work to strengthen local approaches to identify problems, communicate challenges, and work collaboratively with locals, business partners and prospective donors on ways to address them. Our target is to help underserved communities lacking the resources, access, and knowledge about innovations in new and social media as a catalyst for change.
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