JOURNALISM students at the University of Worcester have been helping with coverage of the Coronavirus while on placements and remotely with course staff acting as editors.
Student stories which have been published in the region’s newspapers include everything from tracking the daily death rates to covering the work of a Midlands charity raising funds for a Zambian village to fight Covid-19.
Some students have been blogging to raise awareness and offering tips on how to maintain good mental – as well as physical- health.
Sports has not been overlooked with one student interviewing the Worcester Warriors’ coach after games were called off.
As many work placements were cancelled due to the pandemic the journalism team set up a news hub with lecturer
Christine Challand, who works for the nationals, co-ordinating news coverage.
She said: “There is never a quiet day when you work for a news agency. If news doesn’t smack you in the face then you go out or online or connect with family and friends to find it. That’s exactly what our journalism students are trained to do.
“Lockdown has not been barrier to their ability to rise to the reporting challenge. It’s made them more confident and creative in their ability to source ideas. And to connect with everyone from councillors to key workers.”
Students pitch stories to her at a morning news conference and once written they are offered to the local and national media for publication.
Pieces have included an upbeat story about Dudley Zoo’s oldest penguin reaching 29-years-of age appearing in the regional press, to interviews with the former wife of an ex-SAS soldier and a member of the high profile travellers website
Principal lecturer Claire Wolfe, who oversees the Year 3 work placements, said: “As our academic staff are also journalism professionals we have fortunately been able to support our students – now scattered about the country-while providing them with the opportunity of helping with the coverage of this dreadful pandemic.”
