The John Schofield Trust is delighted to announce a new partnership with Tortoise Media.

As part of the collaboration, the Trust will be able to offer fully-funded Community Network memberships for mentees on its 2022 mentoring scheme for early career and apprentice journalists.

Tortoise is committed to giving everyone a seat at the table. They do journalism differently, opening up their newsroom so members are really listened to, improving the stories Tortoise covers. To ensure that everyone is heard, Tortoise created their Community Network – helping thousands of people join for free as fully-funded Tortoise members. These memberships are funded by paying members of Tortoise. Through joining the Tortoise Community Network, we can make an impact, together.

To redeem the offer, 2022 applicants to the John Schofield Trust should opt in to Tortoise membership on their application form. If they are successful in their application, their fully-funded Tortoise membership will then be activated.

David Stenhouse, CEO of the John Schofield Trust, said, ‘We’re delighted to be able to offer this added bonus to mentees on our 2022 scheme. We hope that they will be able to access an interesting and varied range of events, pieces and slow news items through the Tortoise community.

‘This will allow our mentees to build their networks and gain more exposure in the industry.’

Katie Vanneck Smith, co-founder of Tortoise Media, said, ‘We’re delighted to be partnering with the John Schofield Trust, sharing their vision to have UK newsrooms as diverse as the people they serve, and helping aspiring journalists get the tools and training they need to start their careers’.

In addition to this Community Network membership, current and former mentees of the John Schofield Trust will be able to access Tortoise’s Open News event on Tuesday 7th September free of charge, where Trust staff member Tristan Marris and current mentee Nabihah Parkar will be speaking.