'Reporting Safely in Crisis Zones’ Course
2950 Broadway
New York, NY, 10027, United States

2018 course participant Ahmer Khan reports in the field.
In partnership with the ACOS Alliance, Rory Peck Trust, and the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, the Dart Center will be offering its annual four-day crisis zones reporting course to 16 US-based freelance journalists at no cost.
Covering crisis presents some of the biggest challenges in the journalism profession. Reporters must make quick decisions about whether to trust an interpreter or drive down a dangerous road. This course will teach you how to operate safely in volatile situations, with an emphasis on conflict and civil unrest. The training is also relevant to working in disaster situations such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis. While most hostile environment training for journalists deals with ducking crossfire and evading kidnappers, this course will teach you how to avoid unnecessary peril through preparation and planning before, during and after assignments. Participants will emerge from the course with a better understanding of how to hire fixers, mitigate threat and harassment, and protect their digital footprints.
Expert trainers will provide instruction in the following areas:
Risk assessment: making the right decisions before and during an assignment, setting limits, employing sound practices amid riots, snipers, mines, shooting, roadblocks, infiltrators and general mayhem.
Digital Security: safeguarding sensitive digital data and communicating with others in a secure manner. Coding, encryption and cloud computing skills will be taught.
Emergency first aid: tourniquets, triage, fractures and bullet wounds.
Trauma awareness: emotional self-care techniques while covering difficult stories.
Rape/sexual assault prevention: setting boundaries, delaying tactics, basic self-defense and healing.
Lead Instructor: Judith Matloff, adjunct faculty, Columbia Journalism School and former conflict correspondent with more than 40 years of experience. The course will be held May 19-22, 2022, at the Columbia Journalism School in New York City.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
The application deadline – Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at 11:59 pm EST – has passed.
The course fee – regularly $1175 USD – has been underwritten by the ACOS Alliance, The Rory Peck Trust, and the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation. Accepted applicants will not be responsible for any tuition fees associated with the course. However, all participants are responsible for travel, lodging, ground transportation and meals outside the program.
Sixteen freelance journalists from the United States will be selected to participate.
Participation is open to US-based freelance journalists only.
Selected participants must produce proof of vaccination and boosters by May 1, 2022. Additionally, participants may need to show proof of a negative Covid test within 48 hours of the program start, as per Columbia policy.
TRAINER BIOS
Karen Chasen is Vice President of Prepare, Inc., an educational services company that offers comprehensive violence prevention programs and evidence-based programs for personal safety, communication skills and self-defense. All Prepare, Inc programs are part of a larger movement to create social change, prevent abuse, and support healing. She is a certified IMPACT Instructor, has completed a year-long certificate program at the International Trauma Studies Center at New York University (now at Columbia University), and is a certified Project Alert instructor and a certified LifeSkills instructor (adolescent substance abuse prevention). Chasen has edited two award-winning books on personal safety, is the co-author of the IMPACT Personal Safety Workbook, and has written numerous articles on safety and empowerment. She is a frequent lecturer on personal safety for major corporations as well as prestigious universities. She created Prepare Leadership Seminars for 3 Executives — a curriculum for enhancement of personal and professional leadership and communication skills. She served on the Board of Directors for the Family Business Foundation where she developed and coordinated programs and conferences designed to build and preserve businesses and family relationships.
COURSE TESTIMONIALS
It was such a joy to attend the class. The course was incredibly informative and helpful. It is things like your course that make me proud to be a journalist and hopeful for the industry. It will make the next generation safer, wiser and more informed.
– Andrew Burton, photographer and filmmaker
I used to operate with a mindset that either one of two things would happen to me: 1. Nothing, and hence I'd be fine; or 2. Something bad, and hence I'd probably die. Now, thanks to [the medical instruction], I realize there's a third option: Something could happen to me and I could survive, simply due to being more prepared and having some basic training. And that's a great feeling.
– Joshua Hergesheimer, independent writer and photographer
I appreciated Judith's candor, support and words of guidance over the four days we spent together. Too often people tell me, "You can't go there, you can't do that story," and it was refreshing to meet someone and receive instruction from a group of people who, instead, said, "Look I know you're going to go there, so here's how you do so safely." Working as a journalist in Myanmar, I use a lot of the techniques taught in the course on a regular basis. Information and cyber security, surveillance awareness, and pre-trip planning have become a vital part of my safety plan and ability to keep working here. The course also covered issues that women journalists are at higher risk of encountering, such as assault and rape. I find myself thinking back to the skills I was taught and feeling confident in the fact that I am better equipped to protect myself.
– Victoria Milko, multimedia journalist and writer
This was the most informative four days of my life and put my previous trainings and degrees to shame. It has really motivated me to stay active and pursue a successful career in journalism.
– Venetia Menzies, journalist and photographer
Please email any questions to [email protected]