YRE’s 4-Step Methodology

YRE engages participants aged 11-25 in environment-focused citizen journalism, encouraging them to investigate local environmental issues and solutions, and report on them through articles, photos, or videos.

The programme develops participants’ skills and knowledge about the environment, enhances communication and citizenship skills, individual initiative, teamwork, critical analysis, social responsibility, and leadership abilities.

YRE uses a tried and tested four-step methodology:

 
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Step 1 - Investigate

Investigate a local environmental issue:

  • Identify and define a local environmental issue

  • Investigate (look up, compare, interpret, evaluate) relevant information from primary and secondary sources

  • Identify key individuals and groups and find out what their different perspectives on the issue are, their approaches to resolving it, and their assumptions and goals

  • Conduct original research, such as surveys/questionnaires, and interview key individuals or groups to obtain first-hand information

  • Cover relevant historical, economic, social and/or political implications and possible consequences of the issue

  • Link the local environmental issue to the bigger global picture

Step 2 - research solution

Research solutions to a local environmental problem or issue:

  • Identify possible solutions through experts/stakeholders voices to the environmental issue and evaluate its likely effectiveness, giving reasons for and against (pros and cons)

  • The solutions presented have to be thoroughly explained, well argued and justified

step 3 - Report

Report on the local environmental issue and its possible solutions through a journalistic piece:

  • Identify your target audience and choose the best way to reach and communicate with them, i.e. which media do they read/watch/listen to?

  • Plan how you will report on the issue (who needs to be informed? how? when?) and use the appropriate journalistic format and style

  • Create an article, photograph, or video that documents the environmental issue; where possible you should suggest a solution through the experts/stakeholders voices

  • Take a positive approach to inspiring change and finding a solution

step 4 - disseminate

Disseminate with the local audience:

  • Share (disseminate) your work to a local audience through the media, e.g. newspaper, magazine, radio, television, social media, exhibition, film show, local events, etc.