Jill Dando legacy sparks global campaign to release one million young ‘reporters of hope’
By Jill Dando News
Children as young as five to take part in worldwide good news movement launched from Weston-super-Mare
A global youth campaign inspired by TV presenter Jill Dando has been launched from her hometown of Weston-super-Mare, aiming to empower one million young people worldwide as “reporters of hope” by 2030.
The initiative — led by the emerging charity Good News Worldwide — will expand Jill Dando News Rooms into schools across the UK and internationally, giving young people aged 5 to 21 the skills to report and publish positive stories through their online outlet, Good News Post.
Organisers say the project is a direct response to the youth mental health crisis, offering children and young adults the chance to build confidence, resilience, and communication skills by creating uplifting stories rather than being overwhelmed by constant negative news.
Olivia Finch, the first Jill Dando News reporter trained at Jill’s former school, Worle School, and now a medical student at the University of Bristol, described the scheme as “life-changing.”
“Jill Dando was the smiling face of Britain, and this project in her memory gave me vital experience, the confidence to appear on national TV, and the chance to write positive stories of hope.
“It would be amazing if every young person everywhere could do the same,” Olivia said.
Two mental health leaders, Dawn Carey (In Charley’s Memory) and Wendy Griffin (Wellspring Counselling), added in a joint statement:
“Jill Dando News and Good News Worldwide is a much-needed antidote to the mental health crisis. Endless negative news and online pressure take a huge toll.
“This project flips that on its head by teaching young people to look for hope and share it with the world.”
The movement was first seeded in 2011 at Priory School, less than a mile from where Jill grew up, when students began experimenting with real-life positive journalism.
It was formally launched five years later in 2016 at nearby Worle School — Jill’s former school — and has since trained hundreds of young reporters across Somerset and as far afield as Malawi.
Young reporters as young as 9 have interviewed leading politicians and business figures, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street, as well as community leaders around the world.
Patrons include Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, and Jill’s brother, BBC journalist Nigel Dando.
Sarah O’Gorman, who has led the Jill Dando News Rooms since 2017 and helped launch the first international newsroom in Malawi in 2018, said:
“This project gives young people a voice, a purpose, and the chance to see the good in the world — a legacy Jill Dando would be proud of.”
Oliver, 15, a Worle School student and Jill Dando News Parliamentary Correspondent who has interviewed Mr Speaker three times along with other national political figures, added:
“In a time where negativity is everywhere, I think it’s great that we as young people are being given an opportunity to make a positive difference to people’s lives.”
Shane Dean, a former news journalist and founder of Jill Dando News, said:
“This project is a living legacy for Jill, empowering young people to write positive stories of hope with a smile, develop real-world skills, and change the way the world sees the news.”
Mark Tidman, Principal of Worle School, said: “It’s an honour that Worle School, where Jill Dando studied, has become the birthplace of a global movement of hope.
“We are so proud of our young people, who continue to shine and inspire through their positive stories.”
