Off Page Project • Youth Speaks

Reframing Journalism Through Youth Perspective

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING • IMMIGRATION • ECONOMIC & GENDER VIOLENCE

Problem

Youth aren’t seen as viable witnesses, let alone journalists, for the social issues they face

Data

According to a study on the demographics of journalists in America, the average age of professional journalists is 40 years old and more than half of them consist of white men and women. The Off/Page Project asks, how can we give marginalized voices and youth a seat at the table of investigative journalism?

6047

The number of employed journalists employed in the U.S.

53.4%

of all journalists are women, while 46.6% are men

The average age of an employed journalist

66.8%

The most common ethnicity of journalists is White (66.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.6%), Asian (9.6%) and Black or African American (6.4%)

72%

Journalists are 72% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies

NY

Journalists are most in-demand in New York, NY

Age

40+: 44%
30-40: 32%
20-30: 24%

Sources: Pew Research Center • Zippier

Solution

Living at the intersection of youth voice and civic engagement, the Off/Page Project provided a multimedia platform for young people to investigate the issues and stories that would otherwise be silenced.

The Off/Page Project combined the analytical lens of Reveal News (formerly The Center for Investigative Reporting) with the groundbreaking storytelling of the literary non-profit Youth Speaks to:

Push the boundaries of journalistic storytelling with youth at the core of the conversation, challenging who has power to tell the truth

Recognize the life experiences of Youth Speaks poets by supporting their stories with fact-based reporting

Activate Youth Speaks' national Brave New Voices network, alongside the Center for Investigative Reporting's journalist and media partners, to address the issues most affecting young people nationwide

Engage & Impact a new generation with the strong principles, ethics and values of comprehensive investigative journalism to demand accountability from those in power, uncover injustices, and work towards policy changes on the issues most critical to them.