Photo credits: Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe
Written by: Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe
Edited by: Stefan Alijevikj
With only 18 years on board the EVS Large scale “Let’s Play Handball – Sport Reporting”, Sofia Arthurs- Schoppe makes the youngest journalist who participates in the ongoing Mladiinfo program taking place in Struga and Skopje, Macedonia. In the article bellow see her short reportage from Struga for the Mladiinfo audience.
In August 2015 the 12th Women’s U17 European Handball Championships will be hosted in Skopje, Macedonia. Mladiinfo International is supporting this event by enabling media coverage and has assembled 30 young volunteers from a multitude of European countries to form a journalistic team reporting on the championship. This team form the participants of the EVS large scale “Let’s Play Handball- Sport Reporting” volunteering project.
Currently this ambitious young team resides in Struga where they are rigorously preparing for the imminent event. Daily workshops are being conducted where the volunteers are learning skills such as: the fundamentals of sport journalism, photographic practice, and the power of social media. With each participant coming from a unique background these workshops are enriched with diverse discussion and globally applicable techniques, as well as being conducted by professionals in their respective fields- one noteworthy workshop must be that of Thomas Schöneich from the European Handball Federation (EHF).
Photo credits: Samet Kucukonder
For many of the volunteers this is their first opportunity to work as sport journalists in a semi-professional environment whilst others have extensive experience and are enjoying the chance to share their knowledge. One volunteer states that she is using this opportunity to explore her future career options and is excited to experience the field of journalism.
With only days left until the opening match of the championships the volunteers are currently frantic in their preparations, testing the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed organisational structure through simulation meetings and writing exercises. While the task of working together with 30 strangers and establishing a new publication to comprehensively cover this championship is surely daunting the volunteers are optimistic and thoroughly enjoying the experience.
Photo credits: Samet Kucukonder
Through this EVS large scale project supported by Erasmus + programme, Mladiinfo International has allowed a vast array of individuals to gain experience, pursue their dreams, and become exposed to a wealth of new perspectives. This invaluable experience is simply one step in the journeys’ of these volunteers yet, half way through the project, it has already bought them to a vantage point from which they can reach previously unseen new heights.
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