Dataharvest 2024 - the European Investigative Journalism Conference

As reporters and editors, we are constantly confronted with a lot of negativity in our daily work routines. Not only because of the topics we cover but also because of hate speech or even physical violence we experience on duty. While only major news organisations provide psychological support structures, many smaller newsrooms and especially freelance journalists struggle to cope with the resulting mental health challenges (e.g. anxiety, moral injury, depression etc.).

Aside from individual care and how to built-up resilience, we particularly want to introduce the concept of peer support as an easy solution for our industry which is facing the risk of mass burn-out and other mental health related dropouts. Support schemes like the German "Helpline" believe that a journalist knows best what a journalist is going through on a tough assignment, during a shift at the photo desk after a mass shooting, or on a pressing deadline. Often, we don't need a clinical psychologist (sometimes we do!) but someone to talk to, who listens and who can relate to our problems - like a fellow journalist.

If you want to take care of yourself AND learn how be a supportive colleague as well as easily set up a support scheme for affected colleagues, this is the right session for you.