Calling all Aspiring Reporters
Are you interested in media, journalism, or reporting? Do you enjoy talking with people and learning their stories? Are you looking for a creative volunteer opportunity in Bedford, Ohio?
Becoming a Volunteer Reporter might be exactly what you’re looking for.
The Bedford Historical Society is looking for Volunteer Reporters to help document the people, places, and stories that make our community unique. No experience is required—just curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to make a real impact.
What is a Volunteer Reporter?
The Volunteer Reporter is one of our many local opportunities dedicated to promoting and preserving the history of Bedford, a vibrant community just east of Cleveland, Ohio. A Volunteer Reporter is someone who creates short, engaging video stories about Bedford, Ohio, and the people who live here. These stories help preserve local history while showcasing what makes the community special.
Your video could include:
- Highlights on a local business or location
- An interview with a member of the community
- You or someone else sharing a piece of Bedford’s history
- Coverage of community events
- Moments of interest from around town
We are intending these journalism volunteer opportunities to be flexible, creative, and accessible. All we ask for is a phone and an interest in storytelling.
Our goal is to grow this into a community-driven media project that reflects the voices, perspectives, and experiences of the people who call Bedford home for generations to come.
Why Become a Volunteer Reporter?
Being a Volunteer Reporter is a practical, hands-on way to gain journalism and media experience while contributing to something meaningful.
If you’re searching for a volunteer opportunity in Bedford, Ohio that also helps you build skills, this is a strong place to start.
- Gain real-world journalism and media experience
- Build a portfolio with published video content
- Work closely with real veterans in the Cleveland media scene
- Develop interviewing, storytelling, and communication skills
- Get involved in your local Bedford community
Many important community stories are never recorded. This project is an effort to change that. By making it easy for anyone to contribute, we ensure that our town’s story includes the perspectives of anyone willing to share.
Who Can Participate?
Anyone can be a Volunteer Reporter—yes, really!
We’re looking for people of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels.
Whether you’re:
- An aspiring journalist
- A student looking to build experience
- A content creator, influencer, blogger, or photographer
- A seasoned reporter
- Or simply someone who enjoys storytelling
There’s a place for you in this project, as long as you have a desire to participate and share your perspective.
How to Apply
Getting started is simple:
- Choose a person, place, or story in Bedford that interests you.
- Record a short video (under one minute) using your phone.
- Submit your video to museum@bedfordohiohistory.org for review.
Someone from the Historical Society will follow up with feedback or next steps. We may have questions or recommendations based on the work you provide us.
While we’re excited to see the variety of submissions, we do need to prove that our volunteers can maintain a professional level of consistency. To keep submissions consistent, please include the following:
Opening Line: “Hi everybody, (insert name) here.”
End with: “Go to bedfordohiohistory.org to learn how you can share your thoughts, pictures and videos about Bedford on our new interactive website”
Final Tagline: “Believe in Bedford: wonderful place to live.”
We’re excited to see what you come up with!
Questions and More Information
For more details, see the official listing, or send us an email at museum@bedfordohiohistory.org with “Volunteer Reporter” in the subject line. We’re excited to help you with your submission.
If you’ve been looking for a volunteer opportunity in Bedford, Ohio that combines creativity, community involvement, and real-world media experience, this is your chance to get involved.