The Forum Freelance Fund has added a new bursary this year. The fund, which awards bursaries to freelance journalists for hazardous environment safety training, has created the Portenier Human Rights Bursary, a bursary of up to $3000 for freelancers and independent documentary makers whose work focuses specifically on human rights abuses. 

The Forum also provides a number of bursaries of up to $2500 to Canadian freelancers for safety training courses offered by approved course providers. Last year the FFF awarded eight such bursaries. This is the fifth year the fund has been operating. Applications for this year's bursaries close on June 30th.

With more and more news organizations relying on freelancers to cover conflict zones and other dangerous areas, the FFF is a source of much needed safety training funding. Earlier this year the FFF, along with a number of other media and advocacy organizations, endorsed the Global Safety Principles and Practices, a declaration that is intended to protect freelancers worldwide.

For more information about the fund or to apply for a bursary see the Canadian Journalism Forum website.