Media development organisations
Journalists themselves have organised coalitions and training programs and initiatives for collaborative projects, new business models and media management skills. Sembramedia, for example, provides mentorship for independent digital startups and their long-term sustainability. The network Periodistas de A Pie also offers journalism training, as are other organisations that offer annually events aimed at training and development such as hackathons, workshops, courses and so on. Another example is Quinto Elemento Lab (Fifth Element Lab), an initiative led by veteran and respected professionals aimed at funding and mentoring investigative journalism projects across the country. Another initiative is Chicas Poderosas (Powerful Girls), a female-based collective that offers digital and new media skills and leadership training to facilitate professional mentorships, and to provide fellowships to girls so they can learn from innovative news and media organisations.
Another solid initiative is the Latin American Net of Young Journalists, headquartered in Mexico City. This organisation, launched by Distintas Latitudes, a digital platform of political and social analysis, links digital mentors of key organisations to young, promising talent from the region to help them develop collaborative projects through online courses and training. This initiative also organises an annual Forum on Digital Media where journalists from all over the continent discuss their challenges and present their work, and also runs seminars and workshops by senior digital journalists. Another transnational, well-known non-for-profit initiative is Connectas, an innovation and training hub that promotes the production, exchange, training and dissemination of journalistic content on key social issues in the Americas. Another coalition with important tentacles in Mexico is Hack and Hackers, a collective aimed at bringing together coders and technology experts and journalists in order to use technology to find and tell stories in innovative ways.
In the private sector, Taller Arteluz offers a vast range of courses and workshops for journalists and communicators. In the non-for-profit sector, NGOs such as Social TIC offer data, digital and security training to journalists and social activists, whereas Factual links mentoring initiatives to investigative projects.