The Inclusive Journalism Cymru team is incredibly proud to announce a groundbreaking new Fellowship for journalists in or from Wales, in partnership with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
Building on Inclusive Journalism Cymru’s mission to drive systemic change in Wales and beyond, the fully funded Cynefin Fellowship will have a particular focus on inclusion and innovation.
Cynefin is a Welsh word with no direct English translation, and it can be read in a number of ways – as “habitat”, “familiar” or “place”. Its real essence though lies in a deeper and more visceral sense of belonging and rootedness – physical, spiritual and cultural – all of which align with the kind of experience and feelings (at both individual and societal levels) that Inclusive Journalism Cymru wants to help create.
It’s the perfect word to describe this Fellowship, because the Reuters Institute was first inspired to approach us by projects like Cymru & I our book of non-fiction essays, and News for All, a participatory R&D programme which centred the knowledge and insights of some of Wales’ most marginalised people and communities. Both these projects embody how our work is motivated by an understanding of how people, place and culture can intertwine to help build healthier communities and societies.
We are delighted to be working with the Reuters Institute which, alongside its globally renowned research and practice, has consistently highlighted the need to remake journalism through inclusion and innovation, in service of all of us – not just a privileged few.
As its Director, Mitali Mukherjee, puts it: “When I reached out to the Inclusive Journalism Cymru team, I was struck by how our mission and goals were complementary and aligned.
The focus of our fellowship programme at The Reuters Institute has always been that our journalist fellows’ projects must speak to real-world issues within journalism. Our news and audience research at RISJ is also motivated by journalism’s understanding of how people, places and cultures can intertwine to help build communities and societies.
What audiences bring to their relationship with journalism is in large part a function of what journalism brings to them. I am so delighted to share this incredible opportunity for outstanding journalists from Wales who want to work on systemic change.”
"Building on Inclusive Journalism Cymru’s mission to drive systemic change in Wales and beyond, the fully funded Cynefin Fellowship will have a particular focus on inclusion and innovation."
For the Inclusive Journalism Cymru team, this is a proud moment. We all know from personal experience, what it’s like to be marginalised or excluded. That’s what motivates us in our work towards a fairer, safer and more representative journalism industry.
The Cynefin Fellowship sends an important message about how we, and the Reuters Institute, see genuine inclusion and systemic change as critical to the future of journalism.
We look forward to our Fellows’ work challenging the status quo, sparking change and delivering innovation rooted in Wales but resonating far beyond.
The Fellow will spend the spring term of 2026 (January to April) in Oxford, working alongside industry peers from all over the world, on a programme of seminars, networking events and personal research as part of the Institute’s world leading scheme for practising journalists.
In line with the aims of the Fellowship, the personal project they work on will specifically address the themes of inclusion and/or innovation and will be designed to help inspire systemic change in the interests of marginalised people and communities.
After their time in Oxford, the Fellow will then spend time working alongside the Inclusive Journalism Cymru team as one of our Network Weavers, building on their research and sharing the insights from their time at the Institute.
Both the Fellowship and the Network Weaver programme will be fully funded, meaning all tuition and accommodation in Oxford will be covered through Inclusive Journalism Cymru. The Fellow will also receive a stipend of £5000 (approximately £500 per week) during their time at the Institute. The Fellow’s programme as a Network Weaver will be agreed with the Inclusive Journalism Cymru team and paid at our standard day rate of £200.
Members of Inclusive Journalism Cymru are now invited to apply for the Fellowship by Monday 29th September – with full details of the application process here.
Membership of Inclusive Journalism Cymru is completely free, and open to anyone who feels they or their community has been systemically under-represented or marginalised. The network is inclusive, so there’s no test. If you’d like to be part of it and think you could benefit or have something to offer, then you’re very welcome.
We will be holding an online Q&A if you’d like to hear more about the Fellowship at 7pm on Wednesday 10th September. Register here to join.
If you’re an organisation or individual who’d like to support the Fellowship or any of Inclusive Journalism Cymru’s work. You can email us at: info@inclusivejournalism.cymru or make a donation here.
