Div-A – Diversity accelerator for Media is the Council of Europe's project aiming to increase inclusion in the media through support and development of new media startups.

Increased inclusion will come from the 10 mentees who are being helped to move from the ideas stage towards becoming sustainable media producers who will contribute to the diversity of the media scene and through the lessons learnt which will be transformed into training modules to be used by other journalists willing to build up their own independent media outlet.

Within the project, Div-A mentees and mentors attended the IJF17 and presented their experience at a panel on sustainability and inclusion on the 7th April.

Speakers were Kathryn Geels (Digital Catapult) who was co-author of Europe wide research into revenues for hyperlocal media, Sebastian Esser (Krautreporter) who is one of the mentors, Ivana D'Alessandro (Council of Europe) on the Council's work and resources for media diversity and Diane Kemp (Div-A coordinator) on the project and also embedding inclusion in production.

Our mentees come from Armenia, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands and the UK.