Citizen Matters is a civic media platform with insightful reporting on critical urban issues, ideas and solutions for cities across India. Our local chapters in Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai focus on civic journalism and citizen engagement. Our work is supported by Oorvani Foundation (https://oorvani.org/), a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering citizens through open knowledge platforms for civic engagement and community revitalisation.

We are expanding our team and are looking for enthusiastic committed individuals with a rapid learning curve and an interest in urban and community topics. If the idea of bringing citizens, data and journalism together to make better cities excites you, do apply!

Application Process

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stage of the recruitment process.

Note: We strive to be an equal opportunity organisation with an open and inclusive environment. We do not discriminate on the basis of religion, ethnicity, caste, class, language, gender (identity/expression/status), sexual orientation, appearance, disability, age, beliefs or any other basis.

Current Vacancies (Full time)

1) Reporters

Number of requirements – 1

Location: Chennai

Citizen Matters seeks a skilled reporter who can dive deep into local topics and develop a range of stories. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who is open and collaborative, with the stomach for hard reporting on tough issues, while being able to mix up their workload with feature writing from time to time.

Responsibilities:

• Track developments in the city – both emergent news and systemic issues. 
• Write news reports, analysis, interviews, long form features etc, working in parallel with the rest of the team across India.  
• Develop multimedia content like audio, video as required
• Support the team with social media outreach / engagement as planned. Including activities like social media chats, live interviews, panel discussions etc.

Our expectations:

• Excellent command over English. Local language knowledge is important.
• Keen interest in urban and local topics like economy, sustainability, transport, water, waste, local governance and children.
• Curiosity and articulation, and a love for the written word!
• Self-learner, highly productive, efficient, capable of multitasking
• Excellent communication and social media skills
• Data journalism and hard reporting skills
• Experience: 0 – 2 years Education: Graduate. Background in Journalism, Mass Comm. or English Literature preferred.

Freelance contributors/Columnists

We are open to writers, especially experts in specific urban topics. If you can regularly write solid 1000-1200 word stories – hard news reports / analysis about your city, mail us your profile, with links to two published stories and story pitches.

Interns

If you want to intern to gain experience in media, community engagement, marketing or fundraising, reach out to us. These are 3-6 month opportunities.

Volunteering opportunities

Community Anchor

We are looking for people passionate about bettering their cities. If you are a writer or editor, or knowledgeable civic activist, and want to contribute updates and highlight stories for an independent news platform committed to empowering citizens, we’d like to hear from you.

You’d need to commit 8-10 hours a month, and be based in any major city of India. Do send us a note about yourself and why you’d like to help.

Citizen Journalists

We work with a large pool of citizen contributors who share stories of change from their own neighbourhoods or spheres of work. Citizen Matters has been recognised for its innovative model combining professional journalism and community stories with high standards of editorial stewardship!

We believe citizens have better knowledge and context of what is going on in their own neighbourhoods. Citizens have a point of view — “what is in it for me and my community” that drives their commitment and action. Citizens can also connect the dots between policy and how it impacts them. (See: What is Cognitive Surplus)

You could share an update on a local happening, or have in-depth knowledge of a field that you could share with others. You can write, contribute photo essays or make short films! It could be a report, opinion, analysis, interpretation, or a  commentary on a local development, written with balance, fairness and an open attitude. 

If you have a story to share, click here.

Note: citizen contributions are voluntary.

Researchers

We also welcome volunteers who can support us with research and data analysis. Email hr@oorvani.in explaining your interest, expertise and time commitment.