Journalism - GHANA Project Information for Journalism in Ghana

Our Journalism Placements in Ghana

Ghana is a country which can proudly call itself an example of peace and stability within an area of unrest, West Africa. With a successfully established democracy, and a politically-motivated youth, there is always plenty to report on!

Volunteers in Ghana work for well-established newspapers and radio stations in the capital Accra and the smaller town of Cape Coast. In all placements volunteers benefit from being self-motivated and showing initiative, and as with so many things, the more you put in, the more you will get out.

Radio Journalism

Volunteers work at a radio station in either Accra or Cape Coast and are warmly welcomed even without previous experience. Enthusiasm, energy, imagination and initiative are the only requirements.

The radio stations tend to cater for a wide range of interests within the field of broadcasting journalism. Volunteers try their hand at news production, features, editing and even presenting. Issues discussed and reported on are broad and may include areas such as the environment, current affairs, democracy, human rights and health. Volunteers will have the chance to develop their own ideas and once they get a grasp of the workings of a typical Ghanaian radio station, will be able to work on a variety of projects to reflect their interests and abilities.

Print Journalism

Volunteers who work for a newspaper will have the independence to fish around for their own news, using their initiative to search out stories and report back to the press office with their findings. Volunteers can begin by shadowing a professional Ghanaian reporter in order to get a feel for journalism in Ghana. Alternatively, they can dive in head first!

Placements are flexible and accommodate each volunteer's interests, allowing articles on all subjects from sports, to entertainment, to business and even photography work. Newspapers are also keen for volunteers to lend a cultural flavour to their publications by reporting on events through their own eyes resulting in an added cultural insight to the paper. Volunteers also have the freedom to report on international affairs which could involve shadowing live reports, interviewing and press conferences.

All newspaper volunteers in Ghana now have the opportunity to spend one or two days a week working at a Liberian Refugee camp on The Vision newspaper. Projects Abroad have helped to fund the production of this paper which aims to educate, raise social consciousness and assist the emerging democratic process in Liberia. Volunteers can research and write articles, assist with the editing process and get involved in all aspects of putting together each edition.

Volunteers work with highly professional journalism teams and have the opportunity to further the standard of their own reporting and journalism. These placements are thoroughly rewarding. They offer the volunteer the chance to experience another culture through the eyes of a journalist, while increasing the impact of their CV or portfolio, and therefore their future job prospects.