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The Documenters Field Guide is a collection of resources for participants in local Documenters programs.
Looking to become a Documenter or take assignments? Go to Documenters.org.
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Public meetings are important spaces for democracy, where any resident can participate in civic life and hold public figures accountable. But it isn’t always easy for the public know when meetings are happening or what’s going on in them.
Based on the idea that journalism is for everybody, City Bureau launched the Documenters program in Chicago in 2018 to train and pay people to monitor local government, contribute to the public record, and hold power to account.
Documenters creates points of access that allow anyone to participate in the production of journalism while also establishing a people-powered mechanism of government accountability.
Since launching Documenters in Chicago, City Bureau has supported more than 20 local news and community organizations across the country—in urban metros, mid- and small-size cities, and rural communities—to adopt the program through the Documenters Network, which has collectively trained more than 3,000 people to find, analyze, and share information relevant to their lives and communities.
Want to become a Documenter? See if there’s a program in your local area and learn more about the program through the links below.
Become a Documenter | Documenters.org
Sign up to become a Documenter here.
Learn more about the Documenters program here.
Learn more about City Bureau here
<aside> 💡 Documenters.org is the platform that you’ll use to sign up for orientations and workshops, apply for assignments, and submit your work. Learn more about how to use the website through the articles below.
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<aside> 💡 Check out these help articles for tips on preparing, completing, or revising Documenters assignments. Looking for guidance specific to your local program? Find it here.
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