Pioneers Post launches second year of journalism training for young education campaigners

Pioneers Post has once again teamed up with global education charity Theirworld to train 10 young campaigners from around the world in journalistic storytelling. 

The participants, aged 19 to 28, were selected from among 2,000 Global Youth Ambassadors – young people supported by Theirworld to develop their skills as advocates for education. 

This year’s programme follows a successful pilot edition in 2025, which culminated in an exhibition of the group’s stories in New York (pictured above) attended by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, former UK prime minister Gordon Brown and many UN and government leaders. The 10 stories – from countries including Sierra Leone, Bangladesh and Honduras – were also published in The Education Issue, a print and online newspaper produced in partnership with the Observer Studios.  

• Find out how to work with Pioneers Post’s training team  

This year’s programme, led by Pioneers Post team members Anna Patton, Julie Pybus and David Lyons, runs from January until October 2026, and consists of online workshops covering skills such as photojournalism, solutions journalism, fact-checking and interviewing. Participants will also benefit from one-to-one mentoring, expert tips from guest speakers and one year’s free membership of Pioneers Post.

The participants (pictured below) come from a range of countries, and bring diverse skills in media, creative arts, education, healthcare and community engagement, as well as direct experience of issues including displacement and disability.

​​​​​​Guided by the Pioneers Post team, they will each produce at least one story highlighting the problems and potential solutions to education access in their own communities. Their stories will be published in the 2026 edition of The Education Issue and form part of an exhibition presented to policymakers and others. 

• Sign up for our Impact Storytelling masterclass 

Theirworld is a children’s charity committed to ending the global education crisis and unleashing the potential of the next generation. Dawn Humphreys, director of youth engagement, said: “Theirworld believes that when young people are supported to develop their skills and have the opportunity to share their experiences, they are able to unlock big change and end the global education crisis. The Education Issue is an incredible, youth-led platform with an international reach that not only shines a spotlight on the education challenges communities are facing around the world, but also the solutions. The work led by the Pioneers Post team has greatly impacted the individuals on this programme, giving them the tools and confidence to shape the wider education policy landscape.”  

The Education Issue is an incredible, youth-led platform with an international reach

Anna Patton, associate editor and training lead at Pioneers Post, said: “We loved working with last year’s cohort of ambitious, thoughtful storytellers – it was great to see their articles, videos and photos get deserved recognition in New York and far beyond. We’re really looking forward to building on last year’s programme with this new cohort, and to seeing what stories they surface from around the world. 

“Working with Theirworld on this project fits perfectly with Pioneers Post’s commitment to making an impact beyond our independent journalism and awards. This kind of partnership means we can help to build the skills and professional experience of younger generations, particularly those who may have missed out on formal training opportunities, while bringing underreported stories to light – and hopefully influencing policymakers to take action.”

Ibrahim Abdulai Kargbo from Sierra Leone (pictured above, with some of the pupils he interviewed) completed the journalism training programme in 2025. He said: “Through this programme, I received invaluable training in journalism, learned directly from global experts and engaged with like-minded young leaders from around the world. Most importantly, it empowered me to identify, document and amplify a critical education challenge affecting my home community in Gbainty and Katic Wallah, Sierra Leone... This programme has reaffirmed my belief in the power of storytelling as a tool for advocacy, policy influence and social change.”

The ten participants in 2026 are:

• Alfred Rugongo, Kenya 
• Braa Malik Basheir, Egypt 
• Carolina Riera, Argentina 
• Christine Murage, Kenya 
• Ibrahim Tukur, Nigeria 
• Lara Sayees, UK
• Nischal Raj Gautam, Nepal
• Precious Phyllis Apolot, Uganda
• Sharanpreet Padda, UK 
• Wajiha Mekki, United States 

This project follows previous training delivered by Pioneers Post, including the DICE Young Storymakers programme, created in partnership with the British Council.

Read more about Pioneers Post’s training, or contact anna@pioneerspost.com to find out more.

Top photo: Trainee Andrea Eunice Vasquez speaks to a visitor at the New York exhibition of The Education Issue in September 2025 (Theirworld/Paola Chapdelaine)