A story written by our lead agency South Eastern Sydney Medicare Local

It's easy to feel intimidated when the microphone of a seasoned journalist is plunged in your direction. Even the most articulate speakers can become overwhelmed as the mind begins to race and the palms begin to sweat.

The exercise becomes simpler once it's recognised - in spite of all appearances to the contrary - that it's the interviewee and not the interviewer who is in control of the message. After all, journalists need interviews more than their subjects need them. This notion is helpful, of course, only if you're equipped with the proper tools to navigate the precarious waters of the interview process.

With all of this in mind, the Youth Reference Group of headspace Hurstville took the plunge last week into an intensive Media and Interview Training workshop to hone their skills in interview technique and put their best foot forward for their future interactions with the media.

The training, led by SESML Marketing and Communications Manager Abby Edwards, focussed on methods of preparation, body language and pacing, potential pitfalls, and techniques to stay on-point and in control. The group were also put through their paces with mock interviews both before and after the training to put theory into practice.

The enthusiastic Youth Reference Group were full of questions as Edwards, whose background includes stints in journalism, media relations and politics, drew back the veil on what can be a mystifying practice for the uninitiated. Of particular interest to the group was Edwards' insights on redirecting unsavoury lines of enquiry. "Inevitably with an organisation like headspace there are going to be some issues surrounding privacy and sensitivity that can be difficult to handle", Edwards notes. "We want to make sure these young ambassadors are equipped to handle whatever is thrown at them".

See more at: http://www.sesml.org.au/latest-news/headspace-hurstville-youth-reference-group-get-a-handle-on-the-media