New young leaders join award winning campaign

The Respect? campaign, which is supported by charities YouthNet and the British Youth Council (BYC), aims to challenge negative portrayals of young people in the media and improve their image among politicians.

The new members of the Respect? Young People's Advisory Group (RYPAG) are passionate about achieving fair representation for young people by reacting to negative portrayals and voicing their opinions online and in person. Aged between 16 and 23, they include a care-home volunteer, an environmental activist and a young police cadet among their ranks.

Casper ter Kuile (23) the new Chair of the group, said: "Over the years, I've felt frustrated by the public's perception of my generation, which I feel is wildly inaccurate and ultimately damaging to young people.

"Joining Respect? is one way to help give young people fair representation in the press and take down barriers that prevent young people from creating positive change in their communities."

Since it's launch in 2006, Respect? has featured in the national media, influenced the Government's strategy for young people, and won the support of celebrities including boxer Amir Khan.

In a letter, Amir Khan urged young people to make a stand against negative depictions: "Young people don't always get the recognition they deserve, and if they're unhappy about the way the media or politicians speak about them, they should do something about it."

The new members are:

Selina Hope Borji (16) from Liverpool "I left school at 14, but now I'm studying a diploma in creative and media. I'm really interested in youth education and am an ambassador for young people in Liverpool with Find Your Talent. People should realise what young people can achieve for their communities and receive fairer portrayal."

Chris Pike (16) from Cheshire "I love politics, current affairs and groups that make a difference on a national scale. I volunteer at a care home and in a primary school and half of my school year also volunteer in their spare time. I resent the media's stereotype of young people - it represents such as small proportion that it isn't worth mentioning."

Hannah Haddad (16) from Essex "I volunteer with disabled children and a youth journalism group called RedWrite. I want young people to get the respect they deserve!"

Seema Walker (23) Middlesex "I believe society is in danger of creating a self-fulfilling prophesy by expecting the worst of young people. By challenging these negative portrayals, we can turn the tide of public condemnation and inspire youngsters to rise to the challenge of achieving their ambitions. I want my daughter to grow up free from the negative stereotypes portrayed in today's media."

Casper ter Kuile (23) London "I've seen how we can use new technologies to overcome traditional boundaries in our society, particularly through the work of the UK Youth Climate Coalition, which I set up two years ago. Both the public's perception and the media's portrayal of my generation is wildly inaccurate, and ultimately damaging to young people's work."

Neel Sapat (16) Middlesex "Every time the news is on there are stories of teen violence and vandalism, but never any mention of the positive work that teens do in the community. I'm a member of the Hillingdon Volunteer Police Cadets and am involved with a number of community projects, and try to act as a role model to younger generations. Why aren't stories like mine in the press?"

Jessica Robinson (16) London "I'm passionate about changing negative perceptions of young people, and have already set up my own online campaign about teenage discrimination. Now I'm writing a play about it too, because I'm fed up of reading negative stories every day!"

Masarat Jilani (16) London "Young people's views are often cast aside or left unheard, for example, not being able to vote at 16 when we can leave school and are given other rights. If we're not taken seriously, how can we be expected to act responsibly? They way forward is to join groups like Respect? so we can tackle such issues together."

Danny Colagero (23) London "The youth of a nation are its most precious resource, yet young people today are stigmatised to the extent that they find it hard to achieve their true potential. Young people need to be empowered, and that's something I want to help achieve."

To find out more about what Respect? has achieved so far, and meet the new Advisory Group, visit www.youthnet.org/mediaandcampaigns/RespectCampaign.  

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Media Enquiries:
For further media information – or to arrange interviews – please contact Gabriella Jozwiak at YouthNet on 020 7250 5716 or out-of-hours on 07766 660 755.  Email media@youthnet.org

1. Notes to editors
   YouthNet is the UK's first exclusively online charity and was founded by Martyn Lewis CBE in 1995. It aims to create a socially inclusive environment where all young adults are engaged, informed and inspired to achieve their ambitions and dreams, and does this through three websites: TheSite.org, Do-it (do-it.org.uk) the UK's leading volunteering website and Lifetracks.com, for young people making decisions about work, study or training
2. The British Youth Council (BYC) is a youth-led organisation for young people aged 25 and under across the UK. BYC links up with a community of member organisations and network of local Youth Councils to empower young people to have their say and be heard on the issues they care about. For more information see www.byc.org.uk
3. The Respect? Campaign was created in 2006 in response to research, commissioned by YouthNet and BYC, which showed that young people were increasingly concerned about their negative portrayal in both the media and politics. A summary of the resulting report 'The Voice behind the hood: young people's views on anti-social behaviour, the media and older people', was published in July 2006. An evaluation of the campaign's activity so far was published in August 2009. Both reports can be downloaded via www.YouthNet.org or www.byc.org.uk
4. In November 2008, Respect? launched a new drive to urge young people to take ownership of the media and make their opinions heard by using comment opportunities and new technology. The launch in London's Fleet Street was supported by former BBC broadcaster Martyn Lewis who asked 1,000 young people to pledge to take action into their own hands. The pledge is still open for signatures at www.TheSite.org/respect 
5. In July 2009, Liam Pearce of the Respect? campaign was awarded a Positive Images Award by Children & Young People Now magazine for 'Best involvement by a young person in promoting positive media portrayal.'