AJAs 2024 Finalists
Celina Aalders: show of work
| Slug/Label | Show of work |
|---|---|
| Date Aired or Published | February 10, 2025 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | CBC Nova Scotia |
| Name of Program: | CBC Nova Scotia News |
| If co-produced, list partner: | NA |
| Location: | Halifax |
| List awards, grants: | NA |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | 3:08 / 2:44 |
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Short explanation of the story and how it developed: 1) Autistic kids 'falling through the cracks' as many in N.S. denied financial aid based on IQ: I pitched this story after some people in the disability community brought to my attention how difficult it is for people with autism to qualify for Nova Scotia’s Direct Family Support program. After looking into this, I joined a facebook group for parents of kids with disabilities, where I connected with the people in this piece. Rowan-Mason Squires was the main character in this story. When we (videographer Dave Laughlin and I) arrived at her house for the interview, Rowan was very shy. She did not want to meet us at first, but her mother said that it would take time for her to warm up to us. After about 20 minutes of hiding behind a door, Rowan finally came out to say hello and from there, we shared an instant connection and she completely came out of her shell. The interview at Rowan’s house required patience and kindness. On the way home from Rowan’s house in Middleton, I interviewed the other parent, followed by the executive director of Autism Nova Scotia. I then had a day to work on my digital file, radio news segment and a more fulsome talk tape for Information Morning. I then spent about half a day putting together the television piece. The day after the story was published, Rowan’s mother got a call from the Department of Community services that she had been approved for conditional funding after 12 years of fighting for it. Elizabeth-Mason Squires says she believes it was only thanks to me doing the story that they got approved. A few months later, I went back to their house for a follow-up piece which was incredibly rewarding and a full-circle moment. I still keep in touch with them and plan on following their story closely with hopes of helping other families just like Rowan’s. 2) I learned about Doris Walton’s food program when speaking with someone at the foodbank in Amherst. I then set out to find similar versions of the program across the province to feature in this piece. To gather the interviews, myself and videographer Grey Butler drove to Amherst to chat with Walton. On the way back to the station, we stopped for a second shoot in Truro. The following day I went to New Minas with videographer Hans Fanon for the third and final interview. After we got back to Halifax, I spent the rest of the day writing the digital file and radio news piece. The next day I spent about half a day putting together my television piece. I got a lot of feedback from people across the country who felt inspired by Walton’s display of kindness and generosity. Dozens of people reached out to me asking for her contact information because they saw her on the news and wanted her advice on how to start their own versions of this food program for kids. As mentioned in the piece, her mission is to see this program in every single school. I ultimately did a follow-up story highlighting the other programs that have started since inspired by Walton. This piece also made it to CBC Nova Scotia’s Most Watched YouTube videos of 2024 and a year-end story highlighting the ways Nova Scotians showed kindness in 2024. 3) I came across this story when I discovered an online campaign called “SA Change Now.” Curious to learn more, I immediately reached out to talk to its founder. The young woman had disclosed that the reason she started this campaign was because she had been allegedly raped on campus, and she was keen to share her story with me. Videographer Robert Short and I made the drive to Church Point to interview the woman and her professor in November, 2023. When we were there, she informed me that she was working to have her publication ban removed, so we decided that we would hold off on the piece until she was successful in doing so. She wanted her name out there. A few months went by and there were many delays through the court system. The young woman eventually decided that she just wanted her story out there, even if she had to remain anonymous. I interviewed her again via Zoom to ensure I was caught up on her situation and then interviewed researcher Lisa Dawn Hamilton to provide some more context. I also spent a day researching how universities across the region handle sexual assault cases on campus. I tried many times to get in touch with someone at the university for an interview with no luck. I filed for all platforms: online, TV, radio news and a current affairs talk-tape. I received editorial guidance from my executive producer, Ken MacIntosh, and my colleague, Elizabeth MacMillan, who was working as a digital producer at the time. The story was published in March and was well-read across the country. Many people wrote to me expressing that they’ve experienced similar situations throughout their university years. The young woman eventually went on to have her publication ban removed. Ms. Williams was then free to tell her story using her name. She filed a lawsuit against the university for how it handled her experience with sexual violence, and I’ve been reporting on it. I’ve reported on the initial statement of claim, and then the university’s defense. I continue to check in with Ms. Williams, her lawyer and the defense for updates. I plan to report on the rest of the case as it unfolds. |
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Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: All of these stories were completed over a matter of days with support from my producers at CBC Nova Scotia |
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