The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) engages journalism professionals, organizations, scholars and communities in programs, tools, resources and workshops aimed at strengthening community-centered journalism through practical innovation.
The Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) is partnering with Wordslaw (wordslaw.org) to create a public storytelling event guide. Help us test and refine it! We are looking for newsrooms that want to try this event-type to connect with members of the intellectual and developmentally disabled (IDD) community.
We will guide you through the process of hosting a public storytelling event and working with the IDD community. This will include a step-by-step event planning guide, support in finding storytellers with IDD, best practices for interacting with the IDD community, etc. This is a collaborative event, but the primary workload will fall on you.
Here is a definition of IDD adapted from the University of Minnesota's Institute of Community Integration
Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) are differences that are usually present at birth and that affect the trajectory of the individual’s physical, intellectual, and/or emotional development. Many of these conditions affect multiple body parts or systems. Intellectual disability starts any time before a child turns 18 and is characterized by challenges with both intellectual functioning or intelligence – which includes the ability to learn, reason, problem-solve, and other skills – and adaptive behavior, which includes everyday social and life skills.
The term "developmental disabilities" is a broader category of often lifelong disability that can be intellectual, physical, or both. "IDD" is the term often used to describe situations in which intellectual disability and other disabilities are present. Examples of developmental disabilities include autism, behavior disorders, brain injury, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, intellectual disability, and spina bifida.
Please fill out this application if you are interested.
Questions? Email Innovation Project Manager Sriya Reddy -- sreddy@rjionline.org
The Reynolds Journalism Institute Innovation Team is accepting pitches for collaborators in building programs, tools and resources for journalism.
Have an idea that tackles a current need, gap or challenge in journalism? Do you believe in being completely transparent, whether you succeed or fail? Want to share, collaborate and be a part of building something together?
We want to work with you! Not sure if your idea is a good fit? Set up a meeting with Sriya.
As collaborators we share the work & the cost of the project, these are collaborations - not gifts or grants.