Albanian Woman in Audiovisual
Twenty-two early-career women journalists from across Albania successfully completed the mentorship programme organised by Albanian Women in Audiovisual (AWA) as part of the “Breaking the Moulds – Shaping the Future” project, funded by the European Union.
Designed to support the professional and personal development of women at the beginning of their careers, the programme created valuable connections between experienced media professionals and the next generation of women journalists. Through one-to-one mentoring, participants strengthened their professional skills, expanded their networks, and gained greater confidence to pursue careers in journalism and the audiovisual sector.
In April 2025, AWA launched an open call inviting experienced members of the Network of Women in Media to become mentors. Out of 21 applications, eight mentors were selected: Alida Tota, Esmeralda Keta, Ilda Hoxha, Ina Allkanjari, Doreada Mio, Irena Shabani, Juljana Mezini (Ristani), and Esiona Konomi.
The subsequent call for mentees attracted 30 applications, with 22 early-career women journalists selected to participate in the programme.
Between June and August 2025, the eight-week online mentorship programme provided up to 20 hours of personalised mentoring for each mentoring group. The curriculum covered career planning, women’s leadership in the media, professional networking from a gender perspective, gender-sensitive journalism, scriptwriting, visual storytelling, and gender-responsive production and post-production planning.
Through regular mentoring sessions, participants received tailored guidance to strengthen their journalistic, editorial, and storytelling skills while building professional relationships that will continue to support their careers long after the programme’s completion.
The mentorship programme concluded on 9 October 2025 with a certification ceremony, where both mentors and mentees received certificates in recognition of their dedication and successful completion of the programme. By fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and women’s leadership in journalism, the initiative has contributed to building a stronger and more inclusive media community in Albania.