Second year Journalism students are being taken out and about to report live from different communities across Merseyside.
Over a four-week period, small groups of eight to 10 will be based in a variety of places. So far they have reported from The Florrie in Liverpool and spent the day with the ‘Make it Happen’ organisation based in Birkenhead.
It’s part of a Diversity and Inclusion-funded project designed to give students confidence in reporting on a variety of communities and understand the importance of including voices which are often under-represented.
Reflecting on the tasks, Ruby Broome said: “I found the best part of the newsday for me was how authentic it felt. Real people with real stories and it was so great to give them a platform. I felt like a proper journalist.”
This was echoed by Adrienne Facey, who added: “I felt the community newsday was great for truly getting to know our patch. It’s made me appreciate the importance of local voices even more.”
The community newsdays have been embedded in a second year module, Multimedia News Production, and the students have been encouraged to produce material for a website, social media, radio and TV platforms.
This content is then shared with the various communities as well as on the students’ own platform, Mersey Focus.
Project lead and senior lecturer, Polly Sharpe, said: “Working with our students on developing the skills they need to be truly inclusive and representative journalists is something we are passionate about at LJMU.
“This project has challenged students to take the skills they’ve learnt in the classroom out into under-served communities and give people a voice.”
The community newsdays will run until the end of the semester.
Some of the team are in Birkenhead today, covering stories about local charities and organisations making a positive impact in the community. One of these is Rek 41, a sober bar and welcoming meeting space for anyone who wants to socialise without alcohol. pic.twitter.com/sHJjIh5HPl
— Mersey Focus (@focus_mersey) March 24, 2026