Risk Assessments for Freelance Journalists

Abstract:

Risk Assessments are an essential tool for evaluating threats and risks to you as a freelance journalist on assignment. This course will help you to understand the principles of a good risk assessment and show you how to put together your own professional document with tips and techniques from security experts and experienced freelance journalists. Important: This course does not replace Hostile Environment Training and we recommend that anyone planning to travel to, or work in a hostile environment should undertake certified safety and first aid training. For more about approved course providers and Rory Peck Trust training bursaries for freelance journalists visit http://bit.ly/2aZ8vEW

About this course:

This course is designed for freelance journalists preparing for an assignment. It is aimed primarily at those with little or no previous experience of producing a risk assessment but it is also a useful refresher for more experienced freelancers. Through a series of course modules, videos, quizzes and downloads, It will teach you why risk assessments are an essential part of your assignment preparation, planning and production. This course will cover all of the main elements required to produce a comprehensive risk assessment, from the practicalities of travel and accommodation to preparing a communications plan.

What do I learn:

Through real-life examples and the guidance of experienced media security experts and freelance journalists, you will learn essential tips for completing a professional and comprehensive risk assessment (including a communications plan and proof of life document) and how to identify risks to yourself and others over the course of the assignment.

What do I need to know:

Anyone can do this course and everyone should complete a risk assessment for each individual assignment - in a hostile environment or otherwise. This course will take you through every stage of a comprehensive risk assessment, with downloadable templates for you to fill in at the end of most lessons. These downloads can also be accessed via this folder so you can re-use them for future assignments. Altogether they form a complete risk assessment (See resource folder)

Trainers

Chris Lawton

Chris Lawton is Head of High Risk Services for 1st Option Safety Group. Previously, he was on the high risk team at Bloomberg L.P., supporting the deployment of news and media teams globally. Before this, he was part of the BBC High Risk Team. Chris has consulted with the UN and NGO sector on major incident response and served in the British Army. He is a graduate of Sheffield University.

Olly Lambert

Olly Lambert is documentary filmmaker who’s won multiple international awards for his conflict reporting, including an Emmy and two BAFTAs. He’s been commissioned by Channel 4, the BBC and Sky1, and his film “Syria: Across The Lines”, which documents life on both sides of Syria's civil war, won the 2013 Rory Peck Award for Features.

Jenny Kleeman

Jenny Kleeman is an award-winning journalist. She made 13 films for Unreported World - Channel 4’s critically acclaimed foreign affairs documentary programme - from across the world, including Afghanistan, Liberia, Cambodia, Nigeria and beyond. She's reported for BBC One's The One Show and writes regular features for the Guardian, the Sunday Times, VICE and others.