Award-winning young campaigners seek new members
Members of an award-winning campaigning group that aims to improve public perceptions of young people are seeking fresh recruits from across the UK.
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 Respect? Young People’s Advisory Group (RYPAG) wants to recruit up to eight new members, aged 16 to 25, that are passionate about achieving fair representation by reacting to negative representations and voicing their opinions online and in person.
Liam Pearce, 18 of Grimsby and RYPAG member since 2008, says: “Going to my first Respect? meeting was the first time I’d been to London on my own, but I felt really supported.
“Last year I won a national award that recognised the work I’d done with Respect?, which was amazing, and since then I’ve realised I can really make a difference - joining the campaign has had a massive impact on my life.”
Since it’s launch in 2006, Respect? has featured in the national media, influenced the Government’s strategy for young people, and has won the support of celebrities including boxer Amir Khan, but the group want new members to help drive their message even further.
Mohammed Iqbal, 22 of London and RYPAG member since 2006, says: “Over the past four years, Respect? has given me so many opportunities - I’ve met ministers, given interviews to the press and gained skills and confidence that have helped me beyond the campaign.
“It’s been fantastic and we can’t wait for new members to join us so we can expand on the successes we’ve already seen.”
New members of the group will be given mentors, receive media training, plan and implement the campaign, and gain access to exceptional opportunities and events.
To find out more about what Respect? has achieved so far, how to become a member, and to meet some of the existing 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 or Kate Walker at YouthNet on 020 7250 5716 or out-of-hours on 07766 660 755. Email media@youthnet.org
Notes to editors
- YouthNet is an online charity - founded by broadcaster Martyn Lewis in 1995 - which aims to engage, inform and inspire young people. YouthNet does this through two award winning websites: www.TheSite.org, the guide to life for 16 to 25-year-olds and Do-it, (www.do-it.org.uk), the UK’s volunteering resource
- 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
- 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
- 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