PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
RESOURCE
FOR EDITORS:
LEADING RESILIENCE: A GUIDE FOR EDITORS AND NEWS MANAGERS
WORKING WITH JOURNALISTS IN UKRAINE
This guide from the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma and ACOS Alliance focuses on trauma-informed leadership for editors and news managers working and living in Ukraine.
It offers suggestions for practical measures news organizations can take to support their staff during Russia's continuing full-scale invasion of Ukrainian territory.
In covering this war, Ukrainian journalists and media organizations have shown impressive levels of resilience and innovation. Journalists have managed to hold steady and continue to publish the news, counter Russian disinformation, and investigate war crimes with unprecedented responsiveness and depth.
This guide aims to offer concise definitions of what psychological trauma is and how it affects journalistic work. It also seeks to consolidate key ideas in one place so editors and news managers have a resource that will assist them in planning and newsroom crisis response.
Click on the relevant resource to download:
This ACOS toolkit, produced in partnership with Dart Asia Pacific, is designed specifically for news editors and managers working with freelance journalists. It contains practical information, tips and guidance to help editors assess trauma exposure among freelance contributors and plan the necessary action and support.
The guide is divided into five key sections:
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Understanding Trauma and Journalism including signs of trauma exposure and risk factors.
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Trauma and the Freelancer which looks at particular issues that may increase the likelihood of on-going trauma exposure among freelance journalists.
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Trauma Support: step-by-step guidance on how to provide the right support before, during and after an assignment.
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Myth-Busting around trauma.
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Self-Care for editors and managers.
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It also contains a helpful appendix which include Dart’s psychological health and well-being risk assessment and practical tip sheets.
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This resource aims to empower editors and news managers to actively engage with the psychological safety and well-being of the journalists they work with.
FOR JOURNALISTS:
Dart's website contains a wealth of resources to help journalists report ethically and responsibly when it comes to trauma. They also support journalists with programs, training and resources on self-care and management.
The following provide excellent introductory information and guidance for journalists and editors:
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Covering Trauma: Impact on Journalists
An overview of current research on the occupational hazards for journalists covering traumatic events, the risk factors that aggravate those effects, and some suggestions for mitigating those factors.
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This resource helps journalists understand the stress reactions they may typically experience when covering difficult stories and provides coping and management strategies to help journalists stay resilient and provide support to their peers in the face of persistent pressures.
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A 40-page guide to help journalists, photojournalists and editors report on violence while protecting both victims and themselves. Also in Ukrainian and Vietnamese.
Mental Health Tips and Resources for Journalists
Produced in the context of Covid-19 this resource provides guidance and information that is universal to most situations with tips and tools to help journalists and editors identify and manage stressful situations, including how to draw up a self-care plan when working remotely. And the role of newsrooms in advocating for the mental health of their journalists.
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