Description
Our paid communications fellowship now offers three distinct pathways for storytellers at different career stages. Whether you're discovering your voice, looking to hone your mid-career craft, or ready to coach the next generation, we have a place for you. As always, we’re looking for a diverse set of directly-impacted writers and multimedia producers to do solutions-based reporting on the personal stories, organizing, and policy that impact their lives and their communities. We offer a publishing platform in-house at ChangeWire.org and help place pieces for outside outlets.
Our mission: To cultivate the storytelling, journalism, and editorial skills of directly-impacted communities while amplifying grassroots voices for social change.
About Community Change:
Community Change works to realize an affirmative vision for the future — where a grassroots movement of organized people holds the power to abolish poverty in the United States. Poverty abolition is essential to undoing the violence of systemic racism, misogyny, and white supremacy in our country and achieving the promise of the American experiment — a robust multiracial democracy and a fair economy.
These positions also support Community Change Action, an affiliated 501(c)(4) advocacy organization. While motivated by the same core values – equity, inclusion, and justice – Community Change and Community Change Action operate independently of one another and each organization has its own board of directors.
Storytelling Opportunities
Emerging Storytellers
For those building foundational skills and discovering their storytelling voice
Focus: Foundational training, portfolio development, and mentorship.
Ideal for: Early-career storytellers, career changers, or those new to professional storytelling.
Your commitment: You’ll be contracted for at least one published piece a month on ChangeWire.org, attendance at monthly workshops and peer coaching sessions, working with our team to amplify your published pieces
What you’ll get: Structured curriculum, hands-on mentorship and editorial support, skill-building workshops, and portfolio development support. Monthly stipend $400.
Qualifications:
Demonstrated passion for storytelling (through any medium: writing, video, photography, etc.)
Willingness to learn and grow through structured curriculum
Basic familiarity with your chosen medium(s) (i.e. print, video, audio)
Eagerness to develop your unique voice
Receptiveness to mentorship
Mid-Career Practitioners
For established storytellers ready to explore how personal, solutions-focused storytelling can deepen their impact
Focus: collaborative projects, style experimentation, amplification techniques
Ideal for: Journalists, content creators, or communicators with 3-8 years of experience who can work collaboratively and on tight deadlines.
Your commitment: You’ll be contracted for at least 3 stories a month, with at least one of those published on ChangeWire.org, be willing to take assignments as well as pitch ideas, attend monthly editorial meetings
What you’ll get: Access to on-the-ground sources and stories, collaborative opportunities, channels for amplification, editorial support, consultation and coaching. Monthly stipend $1000.
Qualifications:
3-8 years of professional experience in journalism, content creation, or communications
Portfolio demonstrating skill in your medium
Experience developing stories from concept to publication
Interest in honing your solutions-based storytelling craft and developing leadership skills
Fellow Advisors
For experienced storytellers seeking to mentor while pursuing meaningful projects.
Focus: Mentorship, coaching, and strategic project leadership.
Ideal for: Seasoned professionals with 8+ years experience seeking coaching roles or flexible engagements.
Your commitment: Lead at least one skills-building workshop for fellows and make yourself available for coaching follow-up for 1-2 fellows
What you’ll get: You’ll be contracted per project as you gain leadership development, coaching opportunities, flexible project options, and professional recognition. Stipend: Workshop $500, plus $250 per month coaching 1-2 fellows.
Qualifications:
8+ years of professional storytelling experience
Demonstrated excellence in your field
Experience mentoring or coaching others
Desire to contribute to the next generation of storytellers
Interest in flexible, project-based engagement
Requirements
specific to each of the 3 storytelling paths (Included in description).
