Media work experience (TV, radio, newspapers)

Our journalism projects in China are ideal for those keen to get hands-on journalism experience. There are a number of publications in China that are produced in English and principally targeted at the business community.

You will be working on a monthly magazine with a readership of around 200,000 that covers stories across a wide range of interests, from international and local news to entertainment and light hearted stories. Although the focus of the publication is business, topical content and the daily news is covered in-depth. The magazine also covers culture & history, economics, health & science, sports and telecommunications, amongst others, so your experience here will be diverse and wide-ranging, with lots of hands-on work under the guidance of the publications staff.

Your work on the publication will be very varied and could include accompanying and assisting reporters as they investigate stories, preparing and conducting interviews with distinguished visitors from abroad or local celebrities, or getting popular public opinion on current topics of interest. Other areas of work will include proof-reading and editing articles, possibly contributing to layout ideas, and just generally helping whenever and wherever your assistance is required. Knowledge of computers and working in Word, Excel, etc., are an advantage as is any previous experience at home.

This is a serious work experience programme and applicants must be able to demonstrate a very real interest in following a career in media. The publication will expect you to contribute ideas and make suggestions rather than sit around and just make the tea.

• Accommodation
• UK support (including predeparture information on your placement and accommodation)
• Airport pick-up
• Local induction
• Culture and language course (where applicable)
• Local overseas support
• Food (in project accommodation)

During your time with us in China, you will be staying in hostel type accommodation in Beijing. Whether you are teaching, on the journalism placement or working in hospitals, all the volunteers stay together in the same accommodation which means that you are never far away from someone to socialise with in the evenings or travel with at weekends.

The hostel also hosts other international students and students from China, so even if there are not that many other volunteers in China at the same time as you, there will always be someone to meet! Four people usually share a comfortable bedroom. The standard of the accommodation will basic and not be what you are used to at home so please don’t expect all mod cons, but it will be clean and tidy.

The accommodation is centrally located for all our placements and for site seeing in Beijing. Tiananmen Square, The Beijing Theatre House, The Forbidden City and many of Beijing’s attractions are within easy commuting distance. In fact you may pass some of them on your way to your placement or project!

You will be able to travel around easily and cheaply on Beijing’s very efficient underground metro. All the stops are listed in Chinese script but you’ll soon get the hang of it and our staff will give you an introduction on how to use the system and what to look out for. The Great Wall of China is only a short bus ride away too!

The cost of our programmes includes 10 basic Chinese lessons and these will be conducted during free time in the evenings. Not only is learning some Chinese incredibly useful, we also feel that it is important in understanding a bit more about Chinese culture.

Weekends are free and, depending on how many volunteers are overseas with you, you are based in the same accommodation which means that you can easily go travelling at weekends. However, you are ideally placed to visit some of China’s most important monuments. Historic Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City and many other interesting sites are only a short commute away.