Canal France International (CFI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), SINGA, and the Maison des journalistes (MDJ) are implementing Voices in exil (“Voix en exil”) a project to support and assist journalists in exile in Paris, supported by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, with the aim of enabling journalists in exile to continue their mission of providing information from France. The role of journalists, media and civil society actors in exile is essential in disseminating reliable information to their fellow citizens who have remained in their country, to the diasporas, and to the rest of the world. Given the deterioration of the international context, the risk of a significant increase in the number of journalists and media forced to leave their countries is very high.
This project, with an initial duration of 3 years, was launched in April 2024 and aims to:
– Provide support to journalists in exile in France who wish to continue their professional work:
- Strengthening editorial and digital capacities, networking, etc.,
- Socio-cultural support, psychosocial support, and legal and administrative advice.
– Support these journalists in their professional careers and facilitate the realization of their journalistic projects ;
– Contribute to sharing and building connections with existing initiatives supporting journalists and media in exile in Europe.
4 cohorts of about fifteen journalists will be welcomed and supported as part of this project.
This call for applications is dedicated to the third cohort of this project that will benefit from support between October 2026 to April 2027 (6-month support program followed).
THE LAUREATES
The support is offered to independent journalists in exile who are already in France and who wish to continue their journalistic work.
THE PROGRAM
Applicants should indicate the type of support they wish to receive to continue their journalistic work by choosing one of the following two tracks:
1) “Support for Professional Remobilisation” track:
This track is designed for individuals who wish to regain professional motivation after a period away from the employment market or a loss of professional direction. It aims to restore confidence, highlight skills, and clarify a realistic career plan (updating resumes, socio-professional procedures).
2) “Editorial Project Incubation” track:
This program supports editorial project leaders in transforming an idea into a structured and publishable editorial project. It is designed for journalists who wish to develop a podcast, a documentary, a platform, a publication, or an innovative editorial project.
Tailored and personalized support will be provided based on the chosen program, with a common core curriculum shared by both programs.
In order to participate in the program’s activities in Paris, each laureate will have their transportation costs within the Île-de-France region covered. For recipients based outside the Île-de-France region, the program will cover transportation costs (one round trip per month) and provide housing for the duration of the activities (1 week to 1.5 weeks per month).
In addition to professional guidance, the program will offer support in the following areas, based on needs and requests:
1. Daily Life:
- Social and administrative assistance;
- Psychosocial support;
- Safety support, as needed;
- French classes with UniR;
2. Workspaces and Equipment:
- A laptop;
- A vlogging kit;
- Access to a workspace;
- Access to a podcast studio;
DURATION AND LOCATION OF THE PROGRAM
The third cohort of the project will receive 6 months of support and guidance between October 2026 and April 2027.
The workspaces, support programs, and most activities will take place in Paris, in particular within the Gaîté Lyrique.
PROFILE & ELIGIBILITY
Applicants will be required to meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
– You work as a journalist, are a national of a country outside the European Union, and are in exile in France because of your journalistic activities;
– You already have refugee status or a long-term residence permit issued by the French government.
– Your professional project fits into one of these two categories:
- You want to return to work as a journalist in France to continue your career, and you wish to acquire new skills and knowledge—both practical and theoretical;
- You wish to develop an editorial project (podcast, documentary, video report, photography project, etc.), whether it is currently in development or in the initial planning stages, and you would like to have several months to work on your project and/or acquire new practical and theoretical skills and knowledge.
– You undertake to respect the principles of ethics and editorial independence specific to journalism according to the Munich Charter of 1971;
– You have a sufficient command of French and/or English (level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) as an oral working language (and you undertake to take French courses if necessary). For more information on language levels: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F34739
APPLICATION FILE
The application must contain:
- The attached form duly completed;
- Up-to-date CV;
- Portfolio or examples of media content available online;
- 2 professional references.
The application can be written in French or English and must be submitted via CFI’s secure call for applications platform.
SELECTION OF LAUREATES
The selection of beneficiaries will be carried out in two stages:
- Step 1: Pre-selection after study of the application file;
- Step 2: Final selection of profiles after individual interview.
When selecting journalists, special attention will be given to applications in which the needs and expectations expressed align with the type of support that the Voix en exil program can provide. Special attention will also be given to the diversity of profiles in order to foster a balanced representation of different situations of exile and professional experiences, as well as gender parity.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
The candidates’ application and file will be examined and decisions made by a panel composed of representatives of CFI, RSF, SINGA and Maison des journalistes.
The selection will be made on the basis of the relevance of the candidate’s profile and project.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
The evaluation criteria are:
Consistency and relevance of the applicant’s profile for the program (/20)
– Education and professional experience;
– Level of journalism experience:
- Experience with independent media;
- Journalistic specialization (OSINT/investigative journalism/fact-checking, etc.)
- Professional network in the country of origin;
- Journalistic portfolio.
Expressed needs and motivation (/20)
- Consistency between the expressed needs and what the program offers;
- Motivation for joining the program;
- Availability to fully attend the program.
Consistency and relevance of the applicant’s professional project (professional remobilisation or editorial project) (/20)
– For journalists wishing to join the “professional remobilisation” track:
- Relevance and consistency of the professional project with the program’s objectives;
- Consistency between the candidate’s professional background and professional project ;
- Desire to strengthen their professional network in France ;
- Relevance of the journalistic production’s project and/or professional development plan (e.g., development of Media and Information Literacy activities)
– For journalists wishing to join the “editorial project incubation” track:
- Relevance and coherence of the project with the program’s objectives;
- Cohérence between the applicant’s professional background and the editorial project ;
- Project’s social impact and inclusive nature (combating misinformation, contributing to diversity of viewpoints and societal representations, and promoting freedom of expression);
- Ability address target audiences (existing online community);
Oral interview of shortlisted candidates (/40)
For those shortlisted, an oral interview will take place in person or online.
CALENDAR
The support provided is based on a serie of activities that vary depending on needs. Each cohort receives support for 6 months.
For this third call for applications for the project, the provisional timetable is as follows:
- August 10, 2026: Launch of the call for applications
- August 28, 2026: Online information session in French and English
- August 31, 2026: Deadline for receipt of applications
- September 16 to 29, 2026: Online or in person one-on-one interviews with preselected candidates
- October 2026: Announcement of results and launching of the third cohort
For more information about your application, register for the online information and Q&A session organised on 28 August 2026: click here to register (surname, first name, email address)
If you have any other questions, please contact Elise Veyssière : elise.veyssiere@cfi.fr or clara.alegre@cfi.fr
