NUJU Webinar Series: Session 3 - Trauma-Aware Leadership
Telling the hardest stories: innovation in trauma-informed reporting
The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, in collaboration with the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, announces an essential professional development opportunity for Ukrainian journalists covering conflict and tragedy.
This specialized webinar series brings together seasoned reporters and expert trainers from the Dart Center's global network to share invaluable insights drawn from their extensive experience in conflict zones and crisis reporting. Through examining diverse international case studies, participants will discover innovative approaches to enhance their reporting practices while maintaining both professional effectiveness and personal resilience.
The program addresses critical aspects of trauma-informed journalism, including such key focus areas:
Maintaining fresh and focused reporting in prolonged crisis situations
Developing sensitive approaches to survivor and witness interviews, with special attention to children
Implementing strategies for newsroom managers to prevent emotional burnout
Crafting stories that honor the deceased while serving community needs
These sessions will take place on February 6, 19, and 26, 2025, providing Ukrainian journalists with advanced methodologies and practical insights that can be immediately implemented in their critical work documenting current events.
Participation is free.
Languages: English, Ukrainian (simultaneous translation)
Session 3: Trauma-aware leadership
Wednesday, February 26,
The final webinar is designed for editorial leaders, newsroom managers, and journalists who mentor colleagues covering violence and tragedy. The session introduces modern, evidence-based approaches to news management that enhance both team resilience and journalistic excellence.
We will be discussing how trauma-awareness, a modern, science-informed approach to news management can help sustain morale and productivity in a newsroom. The session will introduce an important trauma management manual adapted specifically for Ukrainian media. The session emphasizes actionable measures that newsroom managers can integrate into their daily operations to address critical challenges:
Implementing effective trauma-aware management practices
Maintaining team morale and sustainable productivity
Reducing staff turnover due to emotional burnout
Preserving organizational capacity for impactful journalism
Through this science-informed approach to news management, participants will gain valuable insights and practical tools to foster a resilient newsroom environment while maintaining high standards of journalistic excellence. The focus remains on achievable, practical solutions that can be immediately applied within Ukrainian media organizations.
The speakers:
Bruce Shapiro is Executive Director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. An award-winning reporter on human rights, criminal justice and politics, Shapiro is a contributing editor at The Nation and U.S. correspondent for Late Night Live on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Radio National. He is a founding member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network and a recipient of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Public Advocacy Award for "outstanding and fundamental contributions to the social understanding of trauma."
For more information: https://dartcenter.org/bio/bruce-shapiro
Gavin Rees is the Dart Center's Senior Advisor for Training and Innovation and has run discussion groups on trauma awareness, resilience and interviewing skills for working journalists in more than 25 countries. In that role, he has advised many of the world’s leading international news organisations on handling the potential impact from traumatic imagery and other forms of threatening news content.
Since the full scale invasion, Rees has been a frequent visitor to Ukraine, producing resources and leading trainings for journalists investigating war crimes. This session builds on a recent series of trauma-leadership workshops that the Dart Centre ran at the end of last year in the Kyiv region with financial support from UNESCO.
For more information: https://dartcenter.org/bio/gavin-rees
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The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) is the largest professional media organization in Ukraine. Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, the NUJU has been actively working to support journalists in combat zones by providing protective equipment, conducting safety training, and offering psychological support. The Union also consistently advocates for journalists' rights at both national and international levels, documents violations of freedom of speech, and promotes the development of independent media in Ukraine. The NUJU's key emergency response mechanism is the network of Journalists' Solidarity Centers.
The Dart Centre is a network of journalists, filmmakers and mental health experts dedicated to the ethical and informed coverage of violence and trauma. A selection of our resources in Ukrainian can be found at https://dartcenter.org.ua
The project is developed and implemented by Dart Center Europe in partnership with UNESCO with the support of Japan. This project is part of UNESCO's broader efforts to ensure the safety of journalists and freedom of expression in Ukraine.