Join Media Trust’s Volunteer Newsroom

We’re looking for a small group of experienced journalists and media professionals to join our new Volunteer Newsroom!

Each month, we’ll work with up to two charities to develop a newsworthy press release before it’s distributed through PA Media Group. As part of this process, our Volunteer Newsroom will review charities’ draft releases and provide constructive feedback to help strengthen their stories and their potential of media coverage.

What you’ll do

Once a month, we’ll invite you to review a draft press release from a selected charity.

You’ll be asked to read it through the eyes of a journalist, sharing practical feedback on areas such as:

• The strength and clarity of the news angle
• Whether the story feels timely, engaging and relevant
• Whether the structure, headline or quotes could be improved
• Whether anything important is missing that could strengthen the story
• Anything that could help make the release more compelling for journalists.

We’ll collate your feedback and share it with the charity, before working with them to make the necessary changes and finalise the release for distribution through PA Media.

Time commitment

We anticipate this role will ask for no more than 30-60 minutes a month, with feedback shared remotely at a time that suits you.

You would usually be invited to review one press release each month, but there’s no expectation that you’ll be available every time.

We know work and personal commitments vary, so you can contribute whenever you’re able. Simply let us know if you’re unavailable, and we’ll invite another member of the Volunteer Newsroom to review that month’s story.

Who we’re looking for

We’re seeking a small group of volunteers with experience in journalism, news, editorial or media who can bring a strong editorial perspective to charity stories.

Whether you work in national, regional, local or trade media, your experience of recognising what makes a strong story could be hugely valuable to charities wanting to share their stories more effectively.

How to apply

Interested in joining our Volunteer Newsroom? Complete our brief sign-up form, telling us a little about your experience and why you’d like to get involved.

We’ll review applications on a rolling basis and be in touch shortly with further information.

Why volunteer?

This is a flexible way to use your professional expertise to make a tangible difference to small charities.

By joining our Volunteer Newsroom, you’ll help organisations with limited communications resource build confidence in engaging with the media, strengthen their stories and give important issues a better chance of reaching journalists and wider audiences.

If you’re passionate about great storytelling and want to use your editorial expertise to support charities making a difference, we’d love to hear from you!

Any questions?

For any queries on our Volunteer Newsroom role, contact us at volunteering@mediatrust.org.