Published on October 10, 2024
10/10/2024 – The New Jersey Civic Information Consortium is excited to announce that Atlantic Cape Community College has been selected as the third host site for the NJ Documenters program, a groundbreaking civic engagement initiative powered by City Bureau that trains and pays community members to document public meetings.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Atlantic Cape Community College to expand the NJ Documenters program to South Jersey,” said Ayinde Merrill, Program Officer of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium. “This collaboration will give community members the tools and platform they need to engage in local government and ensure their voices are heard.”
The NJ Documenters program is powered by City Bureau, a Chicago-based nonprofit that launched the original Documenters model. City Bureau’s innovative approach to civic journalism fosters community-driven reporting and ensures residents have a stake in the information shared about their local governments.
“City Bureau is proud to support the expansion of the Documenters model in New Jersey,” said Max Resnik, City Bureau’s Director of Network Services. “By partnering with organizations like Atlantic Cape Community College, we’re able to provide more communities with the resources they need to hold public officials accountable and engage in civic processes.”Atlantic Cape Community College will join coLAB Arts and NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice as a host site for the NJ Documenters program, which now covers South Jersey, New Brunswick, and Newark, respectively. This expansion furthers the Consortium’s mission to bridge local information gaps across New Jersey. Residents of South Jersey counties can now learn more and sign up to participate here.
About the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium: The New Jersey Civic Information Consortium is a first-of-its-kind initiative established by the State of NJ to support the revitalization of local news and information across the state. The Consortium provides funding to projects that meet the information needs of underserved communities, encourage civic engagement, and strengthen local journalism. By investing in innovative and sustainable local news models, NJCIC is committed to ensuring every New Jersey resident has access to reliable and trustworthy community-based news and information.
About City Bureau: City Bureau is a nonprofit journalism organization based in Chicago. With a mission to bring journalists and communities together, City Bureau strives to produce equitable and impactful journalism while encouraging civic participation. By providing training, resources, and platforms for collaboration, City Bureau equips individuals to use their voices and play an active role in shaping their communities. The Documenters Network was created in 2018 and focuses on equipping people to access and produce the information they need. Since then, the network has trained over 2,000 Documenters who have covered more than 5,000 public meetings across 11 cities.
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