Mount Lourdes Grammar School has been chosen as the first school in Northern Ireland to take part in a journalist mentoring programme linking students with reporters from the BBC, ITN and Sky News.

Budding young journalists from Year 13 are being offered individual mentoring as part of a new partnership between the John Schofield Trust and the Enniskillen school aimed at diversifying newsrooms and giving young people an insight into the media sector.

Five students from the A-Level English Literature course at the school are taking part in a ten-week programme and are being given access to established and successful journalists.

They will have regular and structured conversations covering the students’ interests, giving insight into the media sector and developing relevant skills and confidence.

As part of the ten-week programme, the students will be asked to complete a journalistic piece – in written, audio or video form.

One of the journalists who is involved in the mentoring is Julian Fowler, from BBC NI, who recently visited the school to meet Georgia Mulligan, whom he is mentoring as part of the scheme.

He also met with Maeve Mooney, who is being mentored by a journalist from Sky News.

Mrs. Sinead Cullen, Principal, Mount Lourdes Grammar School, said: “I am delighted that students from Mount Lourdes can be part of this exciting partnership with the John Schofield Trust and have the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills to potentially have a career in journalism in the future.

“I would also like to acknowledge the significant work done by Ms. Sarah Saunderson, teacher of English and Drama, in establishing the partnership.”

David Stenhouse, Chief Executive Officer, John Schofield Trust, said: “We’re really excited to partner with Mount Lourdes Grammar School for our first venture into Northern Ireland. The Trust exists to create pathways into the media for young people and to diversify the news industry. We are lucky to have access to a range of volunteer mentors from the sector helping us do just that.”

The Trust was founded by the friends and family of John Schofield, a 29-year-old BBC journalist who was killed while reporting in Croatia in 1995.

On completion of the scheme, the Mount Lourdes students will become John Schofield Trust Junior Fellows – a title that they can use on university applications and CVs for future job opportunities, as well as taking advantage of the network of journalists involved in the Trust.