Pictured are TY students Dylan McCartney, Ava Moore Sutcliffe, Jack Williams and Ellen Golden from the Institute of Education, Leeson Street, who are all taking part in this year’s programme.
Almost 10,000 Transition Year students from over 200 schools nationwide have signed up for the 2025 Young Journalist Ireland programme from NewsBrands Ireland.
Previously known as ‘Press Pass’, the Young Journalist Ireland news literacy programme has been running in schools since 2012. It aims to encourage the next generation of journalists, and to foster news literacy skills in young people. The programme teaches students to understand the principles and ethics of fact-based journalism, to think critically like a journalist by questioning information sources, and to develop skills in identifying misinformation and disinformation
As well as developing critical thinking skills, the programme encourages students to create their own journalism with advice and resources from journalists on how to create a school newspaper, write an impactful opinion piece, match report, or feature article on a local issue. A highlight of the programme is the annual competition to find the Young Journalist of the Year. Categories include School Newspaper, Features Journalism, Opinion Journalism, Sports Journalism, and Photojournalism. Entries are judged by a panel of national news journalists and editors.
CEO of NewsBrands Ireland Ann Marie Lenihan said: “There is increasing demand from schools for our Young Journalist Ireland programme, and we have collaborated closely with teachers and media literacy experts to create new resources and a dedicated website. To combat disinformation and misinformation, it’s crucial for young people to learn how to distinguish credible news sources from unreliable ones, and understanding the standards and protocols followed by professional journalists is essential in this process.”
“Encouraging young people to pursue journalism is more important than ever, as it provides them with the skills to tell their own stories and the confidence to engage in discussions about politics, social change, and more. Young people often feel their voices are overlooked on these issues, so offering them the chance to express their opinions through journalism is essential for fostering active citizenship in their communities.”
Registration is now open for Young Journalist Ireland 2025. Registered schools receive:
Complete lesson plans designed by teachers for teachers
Curriculum aligned resources to teach the four main language types – information, argument, narration, and persuasion – through journalism
Free subscriptions to Irish news websites and award-winning journalism
School talks from journalists and editors
Journalism and News Literacy CPD workshops for teachers in partnership with Oide, the support service for teachers and school leaders
