Travel Podcast Scholarship 2009

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If you’re interested in travel and new media (and we think you must be, given that you’re listening to this podcast), you should definitely apply for the World Nomads 2009 Travel Podcast.

The scholarship is brought to you by WorldNomads.com, GVI and the Indie Travel Podcast.

The successful applicant will be flown to Guatemala to spend time at the San Andres Itzapa and Santa Maria de Jesus Indigenous communities. WorldNomads will also pay for your visas, vaccinations, and insurance, and you’ll get Spanish lessons and a translator while you’re there.

Equipped you with a digital recorder, you’ll stay in a homestay and work with GVI to help build an energy efficient stove for a family. Interviews with the people you meet will make the basis of an audio podcast that you produce on your return home.

You’ll keep an online diary through WorldNomad’s blogging platform and, once you get back, you’ll work with ABC journalist Tim Latham’s assistance to present a podcast for the Indie Travel Podcast. We’ll also be distributing it through other websites and podcast channels along with radio stations around the world; so you’ll be getting a lot of airtime!

Who can apply?

Anyone can apply – it’s open to students, emerging and non-professional journalists and lovers of travel looking for a career change from any country.
You must speak fluent English.
Minimum age 18.
You should have a sharp, inquisitive mind, excellent speaking and presentation skills, a lust for adventure travel, and a burning desire to enhance your journalism skills.

Apply now

Preparing a meal in a homestay. We definitely think you should apply. It’s easy:

Produce a three minute (or less) travel-focussed podcast documentary in English around the theme ‘Is Home Where the Heart is?’. It’s up to you to convince our judging panel through your podcast documentary that you have the spirit of adventure and passion for travel journalism to be chosen for this scholarship.
Upload your podcast documentary anywhere you wish on the internet (e.g podcast hosts such as bigcontact.com, blogamp.com, ipodnetwoks.com etc) and note the url address.
Go to WorldNomads.com and complete the 2009 World Nomads Podcast Documentary Scholarship application form which includes personal details and a 300 words (or less) essay on why you should be chosen. Copy and paste the link to your podcast submission into the entry form.

Applications close Midnight Sunday April 5, 2009 (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

Hints and tips

Answer the question!

The judges will be looking for:

originality
clarity of ideas
excellent presentation and interview skills (we strongly recommend you include an interview in in your podcast)
ability to source and tell a compelling story

So…

A lot of hints from our “how to win the best job in the world” podcast also come in helpful here.
Keep it under three minutes.
Answer the question!
Do include an interview.
Storyboard your podcast, do the interviews, then script it last.
Don’t neglect the application form. The podcast’s of primary importance, but the essay should also be tight and well-constructed.

We’ll soon publish a how-to on producing a short podcast. Subscribe to the Indie Travel Podcast RSS feed and make sure you don’t miss it.

Continue to part two: scripting a podcast >>

by Craig and Linda

Craig and Linda Martin have been living on the road since February 2006. Both born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand they are currently travelling Europe and looking forward to visiting more of Asia, Africa, the Americas, Antarctica, Europe and the Pacific. Craig and Linda host the Indie Travel Podcast - you can get in touch with them here.