Understanding the Welsh elections

Two new free projects being launched today by Cardiff University aim to provide the public with a better understanding of devolution in Wales ahead of the National Assembly elections in May. The two projects, an online booklet Guide to covering the National Assembly for Wales Election for Community Journalists and a new online course Scotland and Wales Vote 2016: Understanding the Devolved Elections, will provide people in Wales with the knowledge to better understand the forthcoming Welsh General Election in May. The guide for hyperlocal journalists was created by Cardiff University's Centre for Community Journalism in partnership with Wales Governance Centre. The University's Centre for Community Journalism, based in the prestigious School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, is part of the Transforming Communities engagement projects that demonstrate the University's commitment to the communities of Cardiff, Wales and beyond. The Guide will examine how journalists can cover the National Assembly for Wales Election safely and effectively, and build engagement with their local community. The guide itself will provide information for hyperlocal journalists on: Election engagement tools and ideas from community journalists Media law advice on covering elections Political polling data dissemination Tools for selling their articles and sites to their communities The online course, which has been jointly created by the Wales Governance Centre in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, will run for four weeks during the election campaign focusing on how the Assembly works.