10.08.07
Falmouth's Hostile Environment course is already helping
young journalists to keep safe
Britain's first Hostile Environment course to be offered
to journalism students as part of their curriculum is already
paying off. The three-day residential course for students
taking the MA in International Journalism at University College
Falmouth is run by former Royal Marines and includes risk
assessment, conflict resolution, check point negotiation,
hostage negotiation and first aid. Now students are using
their training to keep safe in places as far flung as Ethiopia
and Sri Lanka where they've been making documentaries.
One student, Dan Morgan, was forced to take evasive action
while covering the G8 Summit in Germany when anarchist groups
clashed with riot police. "During the G8 riots I
felt I was far more aware of the potential dangers of entering
such a situation. I therefore came equipped to deal with the
hazards of a riot. Rather than rushing into the thick of things,
I considered these potential hazards first, always looking
out to secure my own personal safety. At no point did I fear
for my own wellbeing, as I always had a secure escape route."
Ned Baker has been filming in some of the areas of Sri Lanka
where tourism has been badly affected by the tsunami and the
ongoing Tamil conflict there. Ned says the dangers faced by
Westerners in Sri Lanka are confined to a small geographical
area. "Whilst filming in Sri Lanka I was lucky enough
not to encounter any of the more potentially lethal situations
we prepared for on the course. However, the confidence I gained
from knowing that if the worst was to happen I would be able
to handle the situation effectively was invaluable."
Danielle Taaffe was researching and interviewing in Spain
for her documentary on crime. "On the Hostile Environment
course, I learned how to risk assess a situation. This proved
to be useful during the filming of my documentary, as I had
to weigh up the safety of situations I was entering as I was
looking into the criminal world on the Costa del Sol."
George Matheson, former International reporter and now course
leader of the MA in International Journalism at University
College Falmouth is naturally happy to see the young journalists
using their training to keep safe. "The Hostile
Environment course at Falmouth gives students that vital instinct
– to stop and think about the dangers while caught up
in the excitement of getting a story. It also gives them the
practical skills to avoid trouble. What's more the students
all had a great time taking the course – so it's
a win-win situation."
The MA in International Journalism is a one-year course aimed
at giving aspiring journalists the skills they'll need
to work in TV, radio, print and online journalism. There is
still time to apply for September 2007 entry.
University College Falmouth is a founding partner in the
Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative
to promote regional economic regeneration through higher education.
The CUC is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective
One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the
Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support
from Cornwall County Council.
For further information, please visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/internationaljournalism,
email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk
or telephone Admissions on 01326 214389.
For further information about this press release, please
contact Jilly Easterby, Head of Public Affairs, University
College Falmouth on 01326 213792 or email jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk.
The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the
Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities
in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, through
the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European
Social Fund (ESF). University College Falmouth is a partner
of the CUC.
Editor's notes:
Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439
cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
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