Applications Open for Editor Safety Cohort Program in Southeast Asia
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
ACOS has opened applications for our Southeast Asia Editor Safety Cohort Program taking place in July and August 2026.
Up to fifteen free places are on offer to editors based in or covering Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
This program is designed specifically for the needs of editors working for media across Southeast Asia who are making commissioning and editorial decisions under ongoing threats and repressions from government and political actors, economic insecurity, and increasing risks for local journalists, freelancers and local sources.
The cohort brings together a small group of editors for structured weekly webinars built around the ACOS and WAN-IFRA online course The Fundamentals of Safe Commissioning. Structured discussion, peer learning, and practical exercises allow participants to apply training directly to their own editorial situations, and build working relationships with peers navigating commissioning decisions under similar conditions. Each participant also receives a personalized 60-minute one-to-one coaching session.
Course Leader
The cohort will be guided by Jaemark Tordecilla, a journalist, media advisor, and technologist with deep roots in Southeast Asian newsrooms. Jaemark spent nearly a decade as editor-in-chief and head of digital media at GMA News and Public Affairs, the Philippines' top news organization. He began his journalism career at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, where he investigated threats to media workers and delivered digital safety training to journalists across the region. In 2023–24, he was a fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.
What You’ll Get
Practical tools for safe commissioning, with a direct focus on journalist and source protection in Southeast Asian contexts
Skills to build or improve safety protocols, with a focus on freelancers and local journalists across the region
Peer learning with editors across Southeast Asia facing similar responsibilities to facilitate the sharing of information and safety best practices
How the Program Works
The program will run weekly for four weeks from July 16 to August 6, every Thursday at 4:00pm GMT+7 (Jakarta time). Convert to your local time zone here.
July 16: Opening session (60 minutes)
July 23, July 30, August 6: Weekly webinars (up to 90 minutes each)
All sessions are held via Zoom and conducted in English. English proficiency is required.
Participants will also need to complete the required stages of The Fundamentals of Safe Commissioning online course (approximately 3-5 hours, including practical exercises and self-reflection) and attend a 60-minute individual coaching session at the end of the program. All participants who complete the online course will receive a certificate.
The deadline for applications is Sunday, 31 May 2026 (your local time).
