Entries open for Native Youth Media Project (US)

Vision Maker Media’s Native Youth Media Project works in partnership with Native youth organizations to mentor and train Native youth in storytelling skill sets for short-format media. This partnership between Vision Maker Media and Native organizations and communities will work together to strengthen Native youth’s story development for short-format media. Finished videos are expected to be shared in a community engagement activity that is determined by the partner organization.

The call for Native Youth Media Project partners is directed towards existing Native youth programs of 2-years or more, working with youth ages 15-24 years, in Native organizations and communities. The partnership is 100% collaborative where the partner has autonomy and oversight on the progress of the project, while Vision Maker Media contributes resources from their network of film and media makers. Vision Maker Media will collaborate with the community or organization on the training structure that works best for media development within the community and the existing youth program.

Vision Maker Media’s Native Youth Media Project will engage Native youth to build skills towards story development for film and media. The intended outcome for the Native Youth Media Project is to produce a video piece around topics such as health & wellness, science, climate & environment, education, art, culture, history, language, and empowerment; and then the videos are shared in a community engagement that is determined by the partner organization.

Goals

• Develop a creative outlet that can set ideas for a career and/or educational path in media
• Work with experienced Native American public media makers as mentors
• Conduct community engagement that empowers self-worth and nurtures artistic talent

Funding Information

• Vision Maker Media is accepting applications with up to $25,000.00 in funding support from its existing Native American youth programs.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible communities or organizations must have a sustainable youth program of 3+ years.
• All completed projects should be in an exhibit able digital format and archived in the highest quality available to the original medium with little to no media or file compression.
• Eligible communities or organizations must reside in the U.S.
• Eligible communities or organizations should meet Vision Maker Media’s mission of empowering and engaging Native people to share stories.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Communities or organizations with a youth program of less than 3 years.
• Industrial or promotional films and videos.
• Student productions of any sort, such as thesis films.
• Communities or organizations that reside outside of the United States.

Selection Criteria

• Vision Maker Media convenes a panel of Public Media professionals, independent filmmakers, educators, and Native American story content experts to evaluate proposals. Panels will consider: the existing youth program’s infrastructure and resources, how long the program has been active, the number of youths already engaged as well as the potential additional reach of the proposed program to serve Native youth. Particular attention will be given to the quality and scope of existing programming and the experience and stability of the program leadership. Following in-depth evaluation and discussion, the panel recommends projects for Vision Maker Media to support.

For more information, visit Vision Maker Media.