IndigiNews is hiring!

Are you passionate about decolonising yourself and sharing with the world stories about and from First Nations communities throughout so-called Canada? Are you passionate about uplifting Indigenous peoples and showcasing our beauty, strength and wisdom? IndigiNews is looking for two trauma-informed, full-time storytellers to join our team! We have two positions available. Okanagan Storyteller can be based anywhere in the Okanagan region, and will report (almost) exclusively within and for this region. The Child Welfare & Education Storyteller can be based anywhere in B.C. and will report on Child Welfare & Education across the colonially-bordered province of British Columbia, with a focus on Vancouver Island.

IndigiNews is a young, Indigenous-led digital publication that was created through a partnership between Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) and The Discourse. We are dedicated to covering the news in a way that allows for your stories to be heard, understood and respected. We aim to produce valuable, relevant, and trustworthy content by listening to the communities we serve through our work.

We are passionate about decolonizing the media, which means looking at our own protocols and practices and removing any that don’t align with or uphold our Indigenous ways of knowing and being. We are intentional in our work, and we share them transparently with all of our cuzzins (readers) here. 

The details: 

• Two full-time positions that will start as soon as possible and continue through to March 31, 2023, with the possibility of extension.
• The annual compensation is $50,000.00, plus benefits after three months
• You will be paid with funding from the Local Journalism Initiative. 
• All of your stories will be published by IndigiNews. Where relevant to a national audience, stories will be republished by APTN National News. Additionally, your stories will be added to the Local Journalism Initiative news portal run by The Canadian Press, where they will be made available to other media through Creative Commons. 
• Please fill out this application form by April 10, 2022 to apply for either position.
• We encourage candidates with an understanding of Indigenous history, including the ongoing impacts of genocide, to apply.

The Job: 

• Producing a minimum of 2-4 regular and in-depth stories per week (including pitching, interviewing, researching, writing, fact-checking, taking photos, shooting video, developing social media posts, etc.)
• Editing and uploading content to the website. 
• Engaging on an ongoing basis with community members in person, at events, over email and on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). 

We’re looking for folks who:

1. Okanagan position: Are dedicated to covering the Okanagan region. You live in the Okanagan area or are willing to relocate and bring relevant context to your work. You have experience centering Indigenous perspectives in your coverage and are equipped to build authentic and trusting kinships with communities. 
   Education and Child Welfare position: Are dedicated to covering the topic of education provincially and nationally, as well as the Child Welfare system regionally, with a focus on Vancouver Island. You have experience centering Indigenous perspectives in your coverage and are equipped to build authentic and trusting kinships with communities. 
2. Believe in our values and mission. You are passionate about taking part in decolonizing the future of media. 
3. Listen. You are curious and willing to listen to a range of people about what issues matter to them. You like to put yourself out there, host events, build community and invite people to meaningfully contribute to the storytelling process. 
4. Produce and edit great content. You have a voice, you can write and edit quickly, you can upload content to a website and you’re into social media, video and photography. 
5. Are committed to accuracy. You are a meticulous fact-checker who understands the importance of using primary sources, lived experiences and various experts to get it right. You question data and information when you get it and are able to show your process.
6. Are entrepreneurial. You like that this is a young endeavour. You love experimenting, testing, and learning and are committed to building IndigiNews’ audience and contributing to our sustainability. 
7. Are team players. We are a collaborative, Indigenous and women-led organisation that are trying to shake up typical newsroom dynamics. We want to work with people who are excited to challenge some of journalism’s established structures and co-create a positive work culture with us.

We’d like to hear from as many people as possible. If you’re not sure you qualify, please email [email protected] She’d be happy to chat with you and learn more about your experience.