We are now accepting applications for The Next Page, a new mentorship programme for three emerging feature writers to work full-time for 23 weeks in 2022 across a range of publications. Nau mai, haere mai!

Growing emerging writers has always been core to the kaupapa at The Pantograph Punch. That's why we're humbled and excited to be part of The Next Page, a collaboration hosted by The Spinoff that will provide three writers with a fantastic opportunity to work across multiple publications. We encourage anyone who has an inkling of a drive to tell Aotearoa's stories, and in particular, Māori, Pacific and Asian writers.

If you're interested but not sold yet, we're hosting two online events where you’ll get to hear from some of the editors and journalists you might be working with, including our interim director Lana Lopesi and editor Ataria Sharman.

Te kaupapa

There are very few opportunities to develop as a feature writer in Aotearoa. We want to change that. Hosted by The Spinoff, Metro, The Pantograph Punch, North & South and New Zealand Geographic, The Next Page is a paid full-time mentorship programme running for 23 weeks, commencing 1 February 2022 and running till Friday 8 July 2022.

The three successful candidates will be mentored by acclaimed journalist Donna Chisholm, as well as being paired with a secondary mentor in the industry.

Paid a living wage across the period, writers will spend four weeks at each of the partnering publications — working across a range of forms including essays, criticism, opinion and feature-writing — and will have the opportunity at the end of the programme to pitch and then develop a final feature to one of the publications they have worked with.

As well as working across these five publications, writers will also take part in weekly workshops and monthly masterclasses, focused on developing the skills that are essential to excellent journalism and compelling storytelling. These monthly masterclasses will be open to all freelance journalists in Tāmaki Makaurau.

We strongly encourage emerging Māori, Pacific and Asian writers to apply to this programme.

Please note that while this opportunity is open to anyone residing in Aotearoa, you will need to be residing in Tāmaki Makaurau for the duration of the programme.

Paearu Tuku

To apply to the programme, just fill out this form.

If you have any questions, please contact Rosabel Tan at [email protected]

Submissions close on Tuesday 2 November, 2021 at 5pm.

This initiative is made possible with the support of NZ On Air’s Public Interest Journalism Fund

Meet us!

We’re hosting two online events where you’ll get to hear from some of the editors and journalists you might be working with — their journey, the challenges and their advice — and to ask any questions you might have!

How I Got Here — Edition 1: Wednesday 20th October, 1-2pm. Register here.

Join Madeleine Chapman (Co-Editor, The Spinoff), Henry Oliver (Editor, Metro), Ataria Sharman (Editor, The Pantograph Punch) and Rachel Morris (Editor, North & South) as they share how they got to where they are. Hosted by Simon Day.

How I Got Here — Edition 2: Thursday 28th October, 12-1pm. Register here.

Hear from Donna Chisholm, Leonie Hayden (Editor, Ātea — The Spinoff), Rebekah White (Editor, New Zealand Geographic) and Lana Lopesi (Director, The Pantograph Punch). Hosted by Simon Day.