'Why are student journalists working in a vacuum?'

Student publications are plagued by problems: money troubles; lack of training; trouble over autonomy; and having to watch experience and talent graduate and leave each year. It can be a tough ride.

There is very little in the way of support for incoming editors aside from the often sub-par, in-team training passed from year to year. As a result, the quality and voice of any given publication can vary widely from one year to the next.

In spite of all these problems, there is some great innovation taking place at student publications, such as Nouse’s coverage of the 2010 general elections or the Alligator’s unique publish-and-reply format, and both the Linc and the Student embracing apps.

Students are finding themselves in a position to take a risk with how they report news and engage their communities and yet they exist in a vacuum, separate from each other and the news community they exist within. They are being closed off from working newsrooms, environments in which they could test their skills and ideas.

Local and regional papers should be actively fostering relationships with student publications - inviting writers and editors in, swapping ideas, passing on experience and helping to cultivate young journalistic minds.

And it needn't be an act of charity, the relationship can be a mutually beneficial one: students get guidance, highly valued experience and an opportunity to learn new skills; the paper can spot upcoming talent, learn from minds that are not clouded with concerns about the bottom line and develop new sources and leads.

Yet these relationships are few and far between. Sam Lear, editor of Redbrick thinks that local editors are often "intrigued by the approach [from student publications] but often fail to see the benefits that such a relationship would have on both parties."

Lees sees the major benefits of such partnerships being for individual students rather than the their newspaper as a whole, but there are advantages to be had across the publication. Many student editors are faced with very difficult decisions from time to time, so even if a relationship with a local editor extends to just being able to send an email for some advice once in a while, it's a start.

Student publications themselves are a great place to take those first tentative steps on the journalism career ladder, but with the right ecosystem around them they could be doing so much more.

Local and regional papers are missing a trick by not bringing younger, web savvy minds into their newsrooms - we often forget that we can learn from those younger and less experienced than ourselves if we are prepared to stop and listen. 

For those student editors looking to approach their local or regional paper, here is some advice to note down.

Always be polite and humble, the person you're approaching is probably very busy, don't give them a reason to not want to speak to you. It is staggering how many people won't bother to construct a well written and concise email or to sub it before sending it off - first impressions count.

Talk up your strengths and qualities - you need to show that your paper is worth the time. Come across too arrogant, however, and you will be rebuffed. Come across too timid and you will be ignored.

Have a vision. Often as a student editor you will only have a year in charge, that doesn’t mean you can't have a longer term vision for the paper. What is your online strategy? What new technology do you want to use? How are you going to increase your investigative journalism? Show that you have thought these things through and that you are engaged with the wider conversation taking place about journalism.

Think about your approach - is the newsroom around the corner? Can you drop in in person - or would an email or phone call be better? Email is often a good place to start, but it is always a good idea to follow up with a phone call.

Follow up - don’t be a pest but do be persistent, emails get lost - messages misplaced, sometimes an editor needs a timely reminder you tried to get hold of them. 

Remember that if you don’t ask, you don’t get - you have nothing to loose by approaching a local paper and trying to cultivate a relationship with them, but everything to gain - and you will never be a journalist if you can’t ask people for something you want.

Are you a journalist under 30 interested in the media industry and its future? Journalism.co.uk is relaunching its Tomorrow's News, Tomorrow's Journalists blog (better known as TNTJ to many) for young and student journalists today. This month's debate topic will have a hyperlocal focus in conjunction with Wannabe Hacks' Hyperlocal Week.

Already registered with TNTJ? Log in to post your thoughts on hyperlocal journalism, and feel free to cross-post content from your own blogs or other websites.

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