Youth Journalist Jack Ward on Giving Young

People a Voice

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Youth Journalist Jack Ward on giving young people a voice

Once you have finished watching the video, answer the questions below. Feel free to watch the video
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 Questions
What first inspired Jack Ward to become a youth journalist?

When Jack says he was "ahead of his time", what does this mean?

What were the things that Jack is most proud about from his time with AC News?

What one example does Jack give of youth voice in the media in recent times?

How does Jack feel about youth voices in the media at the moment?

Describe the main issue that Jack finds is important for young people today.
According to Jack Ward, what is the current danger to journalism, and why is it important to keep journalism
alive in smaller communities?

What, do you feel, is Jack Ward's main message to young listeners in this interview?

How does this message relate to your experience as a young person? Write a paragraph describing an
experience you have had and how this message relates to your experience.

In your opinion, do you think it is important to have young people such as Jack Ward working as
journalists? Justify your answer.

See next page for last question

Using the internet, research youth journalists around the world. Choose three young journalists who you
feel have had a big impact on their communities.
Using these three people as examples, respond to the following question (approximately 500 words):

Young voices in the media impact the way communities see issues in the world. Discuss.
 Transcript
What drives your passion for storytelling in journalism?

My passion for journalism really started in primary school and I always used to watch the news at
night-time, watch Peter Hitchener on Channel 9 and read the papers. Broadcast journalism is probably
the main way I was consuming media in primary school and still is the ones that stand out now and
yeah ever since then I guess it’s just growing. When I turned 12-13 I was thinking for a way to actually
do journalism, already which was looking back on it I was on way ahead of my time, but I guess when
you had that passion you can always go for it whenever you like, there’s no age barrier, which has
been a learning experience for me. In recent times age is no barrier but yeah when I was 12, I was
sorting out opportunities and I found an organisation in America that I started writing for a kind of
correspondent from Australia. I had a really good support network there and they were really
supportive. I’ve never done anything like that before I was 1, in schools you don’t Brighton news
articles that was a learning experience for me as well, that’s kind of where I grew.

Then I launched AC news in Year 8 and turned into a massive project. It went within three years and
last year was huge. You launched the website and we were doing TV style segments and then we
moved into a website. We’re creating written content online, we have a team of 12 student journalists
and cameramen, camerawomen and editors. It turned into a massive source of news for Ararat and I
think there were thousands of views every month and people accessing that. Regional journalism is
struggling, we did have a local paper here in our Ararat, but they’ve been struggling. We’re providing
something about it, when the community got behind, it was great to see that. My passion was always
about bringing the stories to the community.

When we started, we thought maybe the community won’t consume what we put out there any kids so
that we are not going to look into that. But the community was really responsive to that and it was
amazing, and AC News were an amazing three years and all of us team members really enjoyed it.
Then transitioning to the podcast this year, I stepped down from AC News end of last year. It was just a
huge commitment and I was running a team as well as covering the news and I wanted to focus on
that. I’m covering the news while working my craft.

Starting this year I launched Ararat’s Latest and that’s been going ever since and now pay journalists
at our new local paper, so it’s just amazing that’s where the passions come from watching the news at
6:00 o’clock at night when I was in primary school.

In your opinion do you believe that issues that affect young people are mentioned in current
mainstream news as prominently as they should be?

That’s a really interesting question I did actually get right that an earlier and it’s one that I was thinking
about. I think the recent climate strikes have seen a lot of coverage on young people. I think it’s great
to see organisations arising that really focus on young people as well as news organisations out there
that are really focusing on bringing news to the younger generation a lot different too I guess the
mainstream media that we have as well which is The Herald Sun, The Age which are the most sort of
sources of news. I think the issues of young people are being covered but I think there’s always room
for improvement and room for more issues to be covered.

But in a time of such change in society when we are seeing things like climate change coming into it
and we can look at the coronavirus now we had the bushfires so much is going on and I think young
people are getting a say. Sometimes the issues can be covered but people won’t necessarily seek that
information from young people to interview to find out what their thoughts are. So, I think that can be
improved and I think there’s always improvements but in my opinion. The issues that are affecting
young people are being covered.

What youth issue are you most passionate about at the moment, for example, youth mental
health is brought up because of the coronavirus? Do you have an issue that in particular
resonates with you the most?

Back in 2018 I was a part of Victoria’s first youth Congress and we focused on a lot of issues for the
state government around young people. In that year we focused on mental health in particular in the
workplace and how workplaces can support mental health. This has always been something that I’ve
thought of as very important, especially around young people. Statistics don’t lie; I mean you look at
those and you can see how big the issue is. That’s been something that I’ve always strived to share
that message and also ensure that people only some adults out there that still look at mental health
and think it’s a joke and it’s not something that is of a necessity.

But people are coming around to that and we are seeing a lot of changes in the mental health space,
which is fantastic in supporting schools. My school has implemented counsellors, we had a therapy
dog, we’ve got so many things in place now. I think school is a huge one and when we say education,
it’s not just in the classroom for me because I love hands-on learning. During my years of following my
passions of journalism, I've already learned that what happens in the classroom is important but what
happens outside the classroom like life experience and extracurricular activities that you take part in
are also important.

I think sometimes regional students are always a step behind those in the city and I guess that’s
moving space at the moment and we’re seeing him with this pandemic, things are probably even more
of an even playing field at the moment everyone at home and everyone’s online. But sometimes
regional communities can be left a little bit behind. My main issue when it comes to young people is
definitely education.

Turning on a bit of a positive note throughout your journalism journey so far, what's been the
most rewarding story that you’ve worked on to date?

Ararat is vibrant and the community always has so much going on. In the early days when I was writing
for Youth Journalism International which is an organisation based in the US; the one that I was
speaking about earlier, I covered a story on the future of journalism, and I went down to Melbourne and
that’s when I first met Peter Hitchener and I interviewed him and what his opinions were on the story. It
provided me with great insight about what’s going on in the industry at the moment. That was one story
that I remember, and I guess that was a personal moment for me as well getting a chance to meet
Peter Hitchener, who I had been watching since primary school. But the biggest stories were actually
in my second year at AC News, one of our local primary schools had actually burnt down in a fire that
destroyed the school. That’s where I finished my primary school and it was only a couple of years later
and the students from our primary school ended up coming to our school and then we did a lot of
coverage on how the students were feeling.

I interviewed the principal. It was really moving seeing the community come together. There are so
many interesting stories on a weekly and monthly basis here and there’s always something. I think
everyone has a story to tell. But the story on the school fire, it’s great to see that the school has rebuilt
since then and they are back on their feet. It was a pretty touchy one for me as well. I was at the scene
on the day covering it and you have to hold back tears sometimes when the personal element comes
in and comes into it but sometimes you can’t help that.
Speaking to someone like Peter Hitchener, he really encourages young people to pursue a
career in journalism. But there is that stereotype that journalism is a dead-end industry and
news is what it used to be. So, when people say things like that, what words of advice would
you say to them in terms of pursuing this career?

I don’t think you can let anything like that stop you from doing something you’ve just had to chase. If
you put in the hard work it’ll happen. There is a lot of negativity about journalism and the future of
journalism and I remember speaking to Peter Hitchener about it. You know there are concerns about
what’s next. We’ve seen the struggles with print media especially recently and leaving the last five or
ten years. I think journalism is struggling, but I think it’s changing, and we’ve got an organisation that is
adapting with that and I think there will always be a place for journalism in communities because they
need to know what’s happening.

There’s no point if, you know, just got something on Facebook and social media. People actually need
to know the facts. Also, at the moment with coronavirus, we know the gossip that happens in all
communities at the moment about cases and what’s going on and who’s not staying home and that
sort of thing. Journalism is there to bring you that factual information.

You can’t let those negative negativity talk and get you down and I think a lot of talk is negative but
there’s a lot of positive talk. Sometimes we can focus on that negative but as long as you’re doing your
passion and following your dreams, I think yeah there’s always a possibility for something to come out
of that, not necessarily journalism. There’s lots of different areas in the media and marketing and PR
and so different ways for people to get involved in the industry but yeah, I think you just have to stay
positive.

Speaking of positive feedback about journalism in this day and age, COVID-19 has actually
proved that journalism and news and storytelling is an essential service. What’re your words of
advice for journalists and people in the media that have lost their job during this time even
though we are essential?

I mean everyone, I think, all industries are affected by this at the moment and it’s hard to watch. I
interviewed a young man who used to go to the local high school here, when he was back in his high
school years. He works in the Arts industry, he was working on Billy Elliot the musical in Melbourne
and he’s out of his job. It’s just so widespread at the moment and I think it’s a struggle for everyone.
The local paper here in Ararat suspended printing and the staff stood down from the old paper. She’s
had to look at alternatives so maybe creating her own blog where she can cover some stories. You’ve
got to remember that we’re not all in the same boat but we’re all in a very similar situation. Not
everyone’s situation is different, but we are all struggling at the moment and you might have a job. I
know I’m probably not the best person to give advice about this. I’m not being affected like other
people.

My parents still have their jobs and I’m lucky to have a new job. But there are people out there that are
struggling and I think you’ve just got once again to try and stay positive and seek out those
opportunities, and even if you aren’t being paid at the moment maybe just seeking out some volunteer
opportunities and helping out with some organisations that might be struggling as well. Even if you are
out of a job some news organisations who might employ you down the track are struggling as well with
ad revenue.

You are definitely right about finding your own in creating your own opportunities. Because of
COVID-19 youth unemployment rates have soared and minimum wage roles like hospitality and
retail were the first to go and marked as a non-essential service. But you’ve taken the initiative,
you know, to follow your passion still and create opportunities for yourself. What’s your advice
to young people to keep pursuing their dream even though they have restrictions? How can
they create something of their own?

I think you first need to seek out the opportunities and if there’s not an opportunity to make the
opportunity. There’s so much opportunity out there for people to use on digital platforms. You make a
website, create an online space, create an online business. There are still ways to I think wasted to
have positive moments out of this. I was speaking to one of my friends, you know some of my friends
in the hospitality industry.

One of my fellow school captains, she works as an apprentice at a local restaurant and they are out of
work and they’re actually working for free a lot of them at the moment. But I think you know you’ve just
made those opportunities to yourself and we also have to stay connected at this time. I know that’s an
important thing that we all keep talking about, but I think the opportunities can have that support
behind you to really seek out those opportunities.

If your parents are there with your friends there and are pushing you along, you’re more likely to seek
them out. Sometimes it might come straight away. I'm one of those people who are quite impatient, but
sometimes you do have to wait, and these things will come in the future.

Do you think the voice of young Australians has been prominent during the COVID-19 crisis?

I think we’ve had a very heavy focus on schools. I know that’s been something that’s been quite high
discussion and particularly about parents. I think in that situation there probably have been the ones
that have been most covered by that forum. I think students are getting a voice and I’ve been
contacted by news organisations to get quotes on how we’re dealing with it. I'm in my community. On a
national level I think that can like I said earlier that can always improve.

But I think students are having a voice about COVID-19 and especially around education because they
are not yet out of school or out of University that is quite an effect on them. I think we’ve probably
heard a bit too much about that in the media recently and it’s been quite a heavy topic in the media. I
think young people’s voices are being heard in regard to COVID-19. In my opinion I’ve been contacted,
and I’ve been able to have my voice and my school communities have been able to have their voice.
On a national platform, I think it’s always hard to have young people have their voice.

I’ve been watching numerous programmes which actually had young people on panels. I was watching
The Today Show a couple of weeks ago and one of my friends was on it. Other news platforms have
been doing the same and getting young people and I’m in university and schools to share how and
even year 12 how it’s affecting their schooling, so I think it is being covered.

What’s your final words of wisdom for every young Australian in the COVID-19 crisis?

Stay positive and support each other. I know a lot of the talks have been around social isolation and I
know talk in my community has kind of drifted into more physical isolation. We still got those social
aspects online. We could still use FaceTime, House Parties and still get together virtually. Also, I think
just stay motivated, it’s hard sometimes to stay motivated when you stay in your bedroom all day and
staring at a wall with screens in your eyes are getting tired and you just want to go to bed and sleep.

But I think we do have to stay motivated and that comes with the support of each other and we can
kind of push each other up, go for a walk, go for a run and stay motivated and stay physically active.
That will be what gets us through. We’re all supporting each other, and I think that’s the key to getting
out the other side, that’s hopefully not too far away.