About The Sentinel by Yuvoice The Sentinel by Yuvoice is a global media nonprofit (501(c)(3)) and the beating heart of citizen journalism. We publish award-winning stories from real people worldwide, breaking news, community stories, mental health journeys, career truths, and fiction and poetry that reflect the world we live in. Our mission is clear: to surface truth with care, center lived experience, and mobilize communities toward practical change, so readers don't just know more, they can do more. We believe that journalism isn't the exclusive domain of large newsrooms. Stories live in every neighborhood, in every language, in every community. We exist to surface them. Toward this mission, we are building a global network of 1,000+ volunteer citizen journalists who report from communities around the world, and we are looking for passionate, ethical, and curious individuals to join us. Position Summary The Staff Editor & Writer is a hands-on, dual-purpose volunteer editorial role sitting within The Sentinel’s regional journalism structure. This person does two things exceptionally well: they write original journalism, and they edit the submissions of Citizen Journalist contributors so that every story published from the region meets The Sentinel’s standards of accuracy, clarity, and public interest. This role reports directly to the Director of Regional Journalism and is the primary editorial point of contact for citizen journalists (CJs) submitting work for publication. The Staff Editor & Writer is not a manager or community coordinator — it is a working editorial role for someone who loves both the craft of writing and the challenge of making other people’s writing better. This role is for you if: You are energised by a blank page and a deadline. You feel genuine satisfaction when a rough submission becomes a publishable story. You care about quality — not as an abstract standard, but as a responsibility to readers and to the communities being written about. Role-at-a-Glance
• Writing (Original Content) Editing (Citizen Journalist Submissions) Report and write original news and feature stories assigned by the Director of Regional Journalism
• Review, line-edit, and develop CJ submissions to publication standard
• Produce breaking news coverage when assigned Provide detailed written feedback to CJs explaining editorial changes
• Pitch story ideas that emerge from the regional beat
• Fact-check claims and flag sourcing gaps before publication
• Write contextualising pieces that support CJ-reported stories
• Work with CJs across multiple revision cycles where needed
• Cover coverage gaps when no CJ is available for an assigned story
• Escalate editorial concerns to the Director of Regional Journalism

Key Responsibilities
Original Reporting & Writing
• Research, report, and write original news stories, features, and analysis pieces assigned by the Director of Regional Journalism, adhering to The Sentinel’s editorial standards, style guide, and publication deadlines.
• Pitch story ideas to the Director of Regional Journalism based on beats, regional events, and gaps in current coverage, with clear newsworthiness rationale and suggested sourcing approaches.
• Conduct interviews, gather documentary evidence, and verify facts independently before submitting copy for editorial review.
• Cover breaking news assignments as directed, balancing speed with the accuracy standards required by The Sentinel’s corrections policy.




• Write contextualising, explainer, or backgrounder pieces that add depth to stories submitted by citizen journalists, where the Director of Regional Journalism determines additional editorial scaffolding is needed.
• Step in to cover assigned stories when no Citizen Journalist is available, ensuring regional editorial output does not fall below publication targets during recruitment gaps or high-demand periods. Editing Citizen Journalist Submissions
• Review all assigned citizen journalist submissions in a timely manner, assessing each piece for newsworthiness, accuracy, sourcing, clarity, structure, tone, and adherence to The Sentinel’s editorial guidelines.
• Line-edit submissions to publication standard, improving sentence clarity, active voice, structural logic, and factual precision without overriding the contributor’s voice or losing their proximity to the story.
• Provide clear, specific, and developmental written feedback with every edited submission, explaining the reasoning behind significant changes so that contributors learn and improve over time.
• Flag sourcing weaknesses, unverified claims, potential legal risks, and ethical concerns to the Director of Regional Journalism before publication, never passing through content that cannot be adequately verified.
• Manage multi-cycle revision workflows where submissions require more than one round of editing, maintaining clear communication with contributors about what is needed and why.
• Ensure all edited submissions are correctly formatted for upload, with accurate headlines, subheadings, bylines, and metadata, before passing to the Director of Regional Journalism for final publication sign-off. Editorial Standards & Fact-Checking
• Uphold The Sentinel’s core journalism standards in every piece you write and every submission you edit.
• Verify factual claims in both original and submitted content through primary sources, official records, and direct confirmation before publication.
• Apply The Sentinel’s style guide and tone-of-voice consistently, including standards for attribution, headline writing, use of anonymous sources, and the handling of sensitive subject matter.
• Identify and escalate potential legal risks — including defamation, contempt, privacy breaches, and copyright issues — to the Director of Regional Journalism before publication. Contributor Development & Collaboration
• Treat every editorial interaction with a Citizen Journalist as a development opportunity: feedback should be specific, constructive, and oriented toward the contributor’s long-term growth as a journalist, not merely the immediate story.
• Maintain responsive and respectful communication with contributors throughout the editing process, providing clear timelines, honest assessments, and actionable guidance.
• Participate in regional editorial meetings convened by the Director of Regional Journalism, contributing to story planning, coverage prioritisation, and editorial quality discussions. Time Commitment The Regional News Editor & Writer role requires a reliable,



consistent weekly commitment. We estimate an average of 6–8 hours per week, comprising a mix of writing assignments, active editing queues, and contributor communication. Demand will fluctuate with the regional news cycle and submission volumes. This role requires dependable responsiveness: contributors are counting on timely feedback to meet publication deadlines. As a Staff Writer it is expected that 2-4 published articles per month will be produced on a regular basis. Required Qualifications
• Demonstrable writing ability: a portfolio of published or unpublished journalism, long-form writing, or editorial work that evidences strong storytelling, sentence-level craft, and factual rigor.
• Editing

experience:
hands-on experience reviewing, revising, and providing feedback on other people’s written work — whether in a professional, academic, or volunteer journalism context.
• Working knowledge of journalistic standards: understanding of accuracy, attribution, source verification, fairness, and the distinction between news and opinion.
• Strong written communication

skills:
ability to give editorial feedback that is clear, specific, constructive, and respectful, especially to contributors who are not professional journalists.
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage an active editing queue without close supervision.
• Reliable access to high-speed internet, video conferencing, and digital communication tools (Slack, Signal, or equivalent).
• Fluency in written English to publication standard; fluency in at least one regional language strongly preferred. Preferred Qualifications
• Professional or volunteer journalism experience — as a reporter, writer, editor, or producer at a news organisation, nonprofit newsroom, campus publication, or community media outlet.
• Experience editing work from contributors with varying levels of journalistic training, including those writing in a second language or from communities with limited media representation.
• Familiarity with content management systems and digital editorial workflows.
• Knowledge of the regional media landscape, including awareness of the legal and press freedom environment facing journalists in the sub-regions covered.
• Experience with fact-checking methodologies and digital verification tools (reverse image search, OSINT techniques, document authentication).
• Formal training in journalism, communications, English, or a related field — though equivalent experience and demonstrated craft are equally valued. Reporting Relationship & Editorial Structure The Regional News Editor & Writer reports directly to the Director of Regional Journalism, who holds overall editorial authority for the region. The Director of Regional Journalism makes all final publication decisions; the Regional News Editor & Writer ensures that submissions are editorially prepared, and original work is produced to a standard that is ready for that final review.

How to Apply
Please submit a letter of interest (400 words maximum) describing your writing and editing background, your connection to the region you are applying to support, and what draws you to citizen and public-interest journalism. Include a CV or qualified profile and, where possible, two or three samples of writing you have produced and one or two examples of editing work. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who share our commitment to truth, craft, and public service.

📌 Staff Editor (India)
🏢 The Sentinel by Yuvoice
📍 India