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Chapters:

0:00 - Intro with Joanna Junak
0:32 - Jon Derricott discusses the Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme
2:24 - How do you apply to become a Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholar?
4:34 - Former Scholar Will Godfrey talks to us about the benefits of becoming a THR Scholar
5:31 - Closing remarks

Transcription:

Joanna: Hello and welcome. I'm Joanna Junak, and this is GFN News on GFN TV today with the talk to program manager Jon Derricott about the Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Program. We also speak with Will Godfrey, one of the first program scholars, who will tell us why it's worth becoming a Tobacco Harm Reduction scholar. Thank you, Jon, for joining us today. First, can you tell us why the Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Program was created?


Jon: The creation of the scholarship program was about increasing capacity in tobacco harm reduction, and it has largely succeeded in that. It's been very successful. We have now, we will have around 100 scholars in just over 40 countries, I think, in five years. We're currently in the fifth year of the scholarship program. And it was around increase in capacity, particularly in lower middle income countries where there may be less research, less money for research, and where policy might be often taken from the west or richer countries where the prevailing policies may well not apply. And it's been very successful in developing capacity. As I say, we have over a hundred, slightly less than 100 in five years.


Joanna: How can anyone who is interested in this year's program apply?


Jon: That's pretty simple. It's go to the website, which is Thrsp.net. I perhaps say that in the phonetic alphabet. I wrote it down earlier. So it's Tango, Hotel, Sierra, Romeo, Papa, THRSP.net. If people go to the website, then they need to go to the application form. And the application form is pretty straightforward. It shouldn't take more than about 20-30 minutes at most to complete. And we want from people a CV, so what they've done in the past. We want from people what they plan to do, what they'll learn from what they plan to do, and what will be the overall result or what do they think will be the overall result of their work. And that's it, basically, it's straightforward and simple.


Joanna: And what is the deadline for applications?


Jon: I think this goes out on Thursday of this week, the 24th, and the deadline is 30th. So that leaves midnight on the 30 of November. So people will have five days left to complete their applications. And if people are watching this and by definition this is going out on Gfntv, which is people who already in the main will be to people who already engage in to tobacco harm reduction. So if you know of people or you think of people that you think might be interested in this but are not directly related, if you're watching, I should look at the camera maybe to do this. If you're watching this and you think of people who might not otherwise hear of it and let them know, it's as simple as that. And in areas we're particularly interested in, we have had some work in, but we could be much better. We've been done very well in Africa, but Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia we're particularly interested in applications from, of course, we're interested in applications from Africa as well, but we get a lot already.


Joanna: Thank you, John. And now let's hear what Will Godfrey has to say about the scholarship program.


Will: This scholarship program is just a golden opportunity for anyone looking to begin or expand their involvement in the tobacco harm reduction field. Besides direct funding for your agreed project, it's a source of information and expert support. And it's a way to make lasting connections with other people conducting THR work all over the world. I was personally part of the very first cohort of scholars back before we launched Filter, and I've always stayed involved in the program in various ways. Since then, the experience has supported so much of the THR work we've done at Filter, not only through the initial program, but through further projects and collaborations which KAC has facilitated. So, for anyone considering an application, my only advice would be: go for it.


Joanna: That's all for today. Tune in next time here on Gfntv or on our new podcast. You can also find transcriptions of each episode on the Gfntv website. And on Tuesday, Will Golfrey will tell us what's been happening of late in the United States. Thanks for watching or listening. See you next time.