The social journalism club of Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation for Development of Ukraine is an opportunity for journalists writing about socially important subjects to talk informally to the leading national and intentional experts and learn the entire context of the problem and the newest information and theories.

Being focused on health care, education, culture, assistance in emergencies and targeted help to the people in need – the areas important for the whole society – we realize what a huge role the media can play by highlighting certain problems in due time and with good knowledge of the subject.

The format of a press conference or a round table, however, is not always convenient for journalists as it covers only one or several aspects within a tight timeline and does not always allow to dip into the problem. The Social Journalism Club helps media representatives to address experts directly, suggest topics for discussion, the format of the event and the experts, whose opinion would be valuable.

We meet at least every two months. As a rule, the sessions are dedicated to a certain date or event: e.g. to mark the World TB Day or completion of a new charity law.

The meetings run in a lively format with a strong education component: debates, discussions and master-classes hosted by the leading experts, governmental officials and national and international NGOs. The meetings are also open for ordinary people that faced challenging living conditions and situations.

Over a year of the Club operation, journalists have spoken to:

∙ Mikhail Gannitskiy, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Segodnya newspaper
∙ Tim Grout-Smith, Trainer, Media Players International consultancy, ex-BBC journalists
∙ Lily Poberezhska, Trainer, Media Players International consultancy, ex-BBC journalists
∙ Irina Fedoriv, Chief, Information and Analysis Department, Okna-Novosti news programme on STB TV channel
∙ Tatiyana Garnik, Director, Folk and Alternative Medicine Committee, Ministry of Health of Ukraine
∙ Aleksandr Grinevich, Director, Centre for Influenza and Acute Respiratory Disease
∙ Tatyana Kaminskaya, Head Doctor, City Children's In-Patient Infection Hospital
∙ Oleg Nazar, Chief Immunologist; Head, Kiev Centre for Clinical Immunology.
∙ Igor Nikanorov, Senior Research Fellow, Research Institute of Influenza, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Saint Petersburg
∙ Oleg Chaban, Doctor of Medical Sciences and Professor of Psychiatry
∙ Nataliya Kozhan, Chief of the Sanitary Control Agency, State Department for Execution of Punishment
∙ Lyudmila Volynets, Director, State Department for Adoption and Protection of Children’s Rights
∙ Roman Marabyan, Director, Kharkov Regional Specialized Children's Home
∙ Nelya Kukovalskaya, CEO, Sofia Kyivska National Reserve
∙ June Taboroff Hankey, international expert on culture in development
∙ Nikolay Yakovina, Vice-Minister of Culture of Ukraine, ICOMOS President
∙ Ruslan Kraplich, President, Princes Benefactors Ostrozkyi Foundation
∙ Maksim Latsyba, Program Manager, Ukrainian Centre for Independent Political Research (UCIPR)
∙ Zhanna Revnova, Chief of Corporate Communications Department, Kyivstar
∙ Aleksandr Titarchuk, Legal Advisor, European Right Development Network
∙ Olga Bilogortseva, Head Children TB Doctor,  Yanovsky Institute of Phthisiology and Pulmonology
∙ Gundo Vailer, Specialist for HIV/AIDS issues, the World Health Organisation
∙ Olesya Vovchko, HIV-TB Medical Advisor, Zaporozh’ye TB Hospital
∙ Svetlana Cherenko, Head of the Committee to Fight HIV-AIDS and Other Socially Dangerous Diseases, the Ministry of Public Health
∙ Svetlana Donskaya, Chief Freelance Children Haemotology Expert, the Ministry of Public Health of Ukraine;
∙ Tatyana Dubinina, Department of Maternity, Childhood and Health Improvement, the Ministry of Public Health of Ukraine
∙ Grigory Klimnyuk, Chief Freelance Expert in Children Cancer, Ukrainian Ministry of Public Health
∙ Yegor Korchenyuk, Psychologist
∙ Larisa Lavrenyuk, General Manager, KRAB Foundation for Children with Cancer
∙ Raisa Moiseyenko, Head of Department of Maternity, Childhood and Health Improvement, the Ministry of Public Health of Ukraine
∙ Svetlana Ostashko, Department of Maternity, Childhood and Health Improvement, the Ministry of Public Health of Ukraine
∙ Valentina Pedan, Deputy Head of Mother and Child Healthcare Department at the Ukrainian Ministry of Healthcare

Sessions held: