Ten young people took part, between 25–27 June 2026, in Chișinău, in the workshop “Youth Media Labs Moldova 2026”, organised by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) in partnership with the International Media Academy (IMA) from Germany. Over three days, participants worked alongside mentors to turn ideas into journalistic topics with publication potential and to develop the skills needed to produce content relevant to their communities.
The programme included practical sessions, interactive exercises and mentoring. Participants worked on developing their own journalistic ideas, while the workshop covered topics such as identifying and developing news stories, fact-checking and working with sources, observing ethical standards in journalism, techniques for writing and presenting content in digital formats, as well as the responsible use of artificial intelligence and adapting content for social media.
Throughout the three days, participants presented and discussed their story ideas, carried out field observation exercises and analysed how these can be developed into well-documented journalistic materials. By the end of the workshop, each participant had formulated an idea for their own journalistic story and will be able to continue developing it with the support of mentors, in order to prepare it for publication.
Participants say the workshop provided both practical knowledge and the opportunity to exchange experiences with professionals in the field.
“This was a very useful experience, during which I had the opportunity to meet experienced journalists. I gained valuable information about journalism and how to choose topics, and the practical exercises were very interesting and useful,” said participant Cristian Guțu.
In turn, Francesca Ceban noted that the workshop offered new perspectives on journalistic work: “Although I already work in journalism and am familiar with the news writing process, this course gave me new perspectives on generating story ideas, integrating artificial intelligence into journalistic work, and adapting content for social media. At the same time, I had the opportunity to exchange experience with other participants and establish valuable professional contacts.”
“This training was very useful for developing my journalism skills. One of the most important things I learned is that people want to see people in stories, not just data and statistics. For example, instead of only talking about mental health, it is much more powerful to present the experience of a person who waited months for a psychological consultation,” added participant Mihaela Proca.
Both trainers noted the participants’ engagement and progress throughout the workshop.
“We discussed with students and young professionals how to identify story ideas, where to draw the line in the use of artificial intelligence, about journalistic language, and how to adapt content for social media. I was pleased to see how engaged the participants were and the diversity of topics they chose to develop, ranging from culture to social issues,” said Valeria Batereanu, editor-in-chief at Diez.
Maria Rudenko, project manager at the International Media Academy and trainer in the programme, noted the participants’ evolution over the three days: “What impressed me most was how quickly the participants moved from discussing journalism to actually practicing it. Over just three days, they became more confident asking questions, verifying information, and telling stories that matter. I hope they leave not only with new skills, but also with the curiosity and courage to keep learning long after the workshop.”
“Whether or not you choose to pursue journalism, we are confident that the skills you have gained will not be lost. You will use them to contribute to a cleaner information space, as we are all content creators on social media. The ability to verify information, ask questions, and understand how media messages are constructed will be useful in any field you choose,” said Anastasia Nani, Deputy Director of the Independent Journalism Center.
Similar activities will be organised in the second half of 2026 in Comrat and Bălți. After all three workshops are completed, selected participants will have the opportunity to present their developed journalistic materials at a joint online event.
The activity was implemented with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office.
