Walkley Mentorship Program

Applications for 2025 will open in September 2024.

Are you a journalist with a drive to get ahead, hone your skills, or workshop your ideas with a master of the craft?

No matter your career status, age, or area of specialty, the Walkley Mentorship Program could be for you.

This fee-free program matches 10 participants with a highly experienced journalist for one-on-one sessions over the course of a year.

2024 Mentees and Mentors

More about the Walkley Mentorship Program

Who is eligible?

Applications are invited from journalists of all ages and experience levels. The program aims to benefit journalists who might not otherwise receive support, and applications will be assessed on the basis of need. 

For example, you may be a senior print journalist who needs support to improve digital or vertical video skills so you can use TikTok. You may be an editor working in a remote or rural community who needs tips on attracting subscriptions or managing your time. You may be a freelancer who needs guidance on developing story ideas. You may be an early career reporter unsure about how to turn a wide range of possible opportunities into a clear career pathway.

How are mentees matched with mentors?

As part of their application, mentees complete a questionnaire listing career goals they want to work on with a mentor over the next 12 months, and describe the skills and expertise they are looking for in a mentor.

The Walkley Foundation matches selected mentees with mentors with relevant experience, based on selected mentees’ career goals and desired areas of development. 

Mentors will be drawn from a pool of senior news journalists, including Walkley winners and industry leaders.

How does the mentoring process work?

The Program requires participants to have a minimum of 4 x 1-hour meetings – at least one a quarter – over the 12 months. Meetings can be held more frequently by mutual agreement. 

Meetings can take place face-to-face, via videoconferencing using platforms like Zoom and Google Meet, or over the phone. 

Mentors share their experience, insights and expertise to help their mentee refine and work towards specific career goals, and to build contacts in an industry that relies heavily on connections and networking. 

The Foundation supports both mentors and mentees with guidance and quarterly check-in surveys, to support a productive and successful relationship. 

Can I be a mentor?

Absolutely! We’d love to hear from senior reporters and newsroom leaders who want to share their expertise. There’s an option to offer to be a mentor in the application form – or you can email our Senior Manager for Programs and Education, Corinne Podger, at corinne.podger@walkleys.com with the topics or skills you would like to share with others.

We support mentors with quarterly webinars and resources. We are grateful to our donors who have made it possible for us to offer mentors an honorarium of $1600 for the 12-month Program. 

Guide for Mentors and Mentees

If you would like to learn more about how the mentoring process works, and your responsibilities if you are selected as a mentor or mentee, download and read our guide here.

Selection Criteria

• The Walkley Foundation will be looking for a diversity of mentees encompassing different ages, geographic locations, genders, ethnicities, and levels of experience. 
• Journalists of all ages and experience levels are eligible to apply for this Program. Mentees will be selected on the basis of demonstrated need.
• Freelance, part-time and full-time journalists are all invited to apply.
• Applications from journalists working in regional and rural areas are encouraged.
• Applications from journalists with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are encouraged.
• Applicants must be Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia or able to work in Australia on an appropriate work visa.
• Past recipients of Walkley Mentorship Program mentoring are not eligible to apply. 
• Journalists who are not eligible for this Program, or who are not selected, remain eligible to apply for other mentoring opportunities in the future.

Terms and Conditions

• If you are selected as a mentee you will need to set aside time for a minimum of 4 meetings over the 12 months and take responsibility for setting up the first meeting.
• The Walkley Mentorship Program requires a time commitment from both parties to make it work. 
• Once a mentee has committed to participate, if for any reason they cannot see the Program through to its conclusion, they must notify the Walkley Foundation and their mentor as soon as possible.
• The confidentiality and privacy of the mentor-mentee relationship must be strictly adhered to at all times.
• This relationship covers 12 months from the introduction to the mentor. Once the 12 months have concluded, the mentor and mentee are no longer formally required to continue the arrangement. If both parties agree to continue a mentor-mentee relationship, they understand that it is not subject to any oversight or responsibility on the part of The Walkley Foundation.
• The Walkley Foundation expects that if the mentoring relationship is not working for any reason, one or both persons will notify the Foundation promptly and in good faith to address the issue. The Walkley Foundation reserves the right to allocate a new mentor or mentee if other options are exhausted.

Do you have questions?

Get in touch with corinne.podger@walkleys.com.

Support the Walkley Mentorship Program

This program is made possible with the support of the Hantomeli Foundation, and the Walkley Public Fund. Donations to the Public Fund are tax-deductible, and help support Foundation professional development programs including grants, scholarships and fellowships, and training.

Learn more and donate here.

With thanks to our Mentorship Program support partners

Want to know more?

Need help? Get in touch with corinne.podger@walkleys.com.