Canadian Forces Newspaper Youth Reporter Competition

The Canadian Forces Newspaper Youth Reporter Competition is back for its fourth year! This exciting program offers an incredible opportunity for young people to showcase their writing talents and gain valuable experience in journalism.

The program was created to encourage young military community members to share their perspectives on important issues.

Their Voice Matters

“Children and youth from military families can be some of the most resilient kids out there. But they also face several unique challenges,” says Vice President of Personnel Support Programs Bruce Plowman. “Their voice matters, and their stories deserve to be heard.”

Last year’s stories included personal growth, immigration, and living with a veteran. Entrants must submit a story idea relevant to the Canadian Forces community to participate.

There are five topics to choose from:

• growing up in a military family,
• health & wellness,
• heroes in my community,
• inspired to inspire, and
• an open category.

$1,000 Scholarship

Once the story ideas are submitted, a panel of judges will review them and select the top entries. The selected reporters will be invited to work with professional journalists and editors to develop and publish their stories in the Canadian Forces Newspaper. In addition, the winning reporters from each category will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Canadian Forces Newspapers organize the program. Nine in ten Canadians (88%) read newspapers each week across Canada on different platforms at different times of the day. Local newspapers are a trusted source of information in communities across Canada and continue to be the preferred source for local news, with a preference for printed products.

Develop Writing Skills & Gain Experience

“The program is an excellent opportunity for young people to develop their writing skills and gain experience in journalism and self-expression,” Ploughman says. “It also highlights the value of local Base/Wing news to the Canadian Armed Forces, and the role our teams play in communication and community engagement.”

To submit a story idea for the Canadian Forces Newspaper Youth Reporter Competition, visit the program’s website here and complete the submission form. The submission deadline is April 30, 2023, so don’t delay! We can’t wait to read your ideas and see the incredible stories that young Canadians have to share.