Meet Rachel Keenan, journalist and Scott Trust Bursary recipient. We spoke to her about why she wanted to write about her hometown in rural northeast Scotland in the context of an industry that often fails to prioritise voices from regional and marginalised communities.
“I grew up in rural northeast Scotland. Lots happened, but, no matter how important, I never read about it in the newspaper. There was nobody to tell our stories; we were left behind. The news should represent everyone, and I felt I could use my skillset to make this happen.”
Rachel was awarded a place on the 2023/24 Scott Trust Bursary scheme, which assists students who face financial difficulty in attaining the qualifications needed to pursue a career in journalism, and who come from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the media.
During her work experience placement with the Guardian, Rachel wrote a piece that included interviews, powerful photography, and a moving portrait of the impact that the climate crisis has had on her hometown.
Her perspective gave a voice to rural and forgotten communities around the UK; "when a community feels they have been forgotten they should be able to turn to journalists they trust to not just tell their story but understand the issues they are facing first hand."
“I am grateful for the opportunity to share this personal story, particularly in a prestigious newspaper like the Guardian. It has opened up a conversation along the northeast coast of Scotland about the impact climate change could have now and in years to come."
“The feedback from people in my hometown was extremely positive, they were relieved to finally be listened to. This community has been shouting about coastal erosion for years but without a platform or any power, they were easy to ignore."
