According to ‘V’ a recent survey by them found that 70% of 16 - 25 year olds say they are “negatively perceived by the public”, and of the 3000 that took part in the survey 60% think this is unfair (which to me seems a surprisingly high amount that think it is fair?!) The survey also found that 49% of young people “believe young people do things which justify this negative opinion”.

Besides recognising the behavior of some young people doesn’t help their image, others to get the blame include celebrities (apparently Amy Winehouse topping the bad example list which is in conflict to the findings of a poll last month when supposedly she was voted as the “ultimate heroine among the UK’s youth!), and in the words of V’s Chief Executive “This survey reveals the growing gulf of understanding between the generations which is leading to young people being unfairly tarred with a negative image.”

Over on the CYPNow Forums Neil asks “How very sad. As a Youth Worker, it is really disappointing to see that nothing has changed. What have we got to do to change this image of our YP?”

Both comments seemingly assuming that because some young people feel that they are perceived negatively by ‘the public’ they actually are. This feeling by young people of having a negative perception about them is raised often on our courses as an issue by young people, and very often the solution they identify is to organise some sort of community event (usually fun day type things) to bring together different members of the community. Some of the findings within the research into the Young Movers programme found that after young people had organised community projects they felt more positive about how adults perceive them.

I think its important to recognise the subtle difference in that last bit - the benefit identified wasn’t that young people actually were more positively perceived - it was that the young people felt they were. Likewise the V survey is about young peoples perceptions of how they are perceived. I think this is important because while things like a more balanced media, and highlighting young peoples positive contributions are important, its not just about challenging adult perceptions - its also about challenging young people to feel more confident and more positive about how they themselves think they are perceived.

An article from a few years ago in the Telegraph has an interesting question “Now, are young people most attracted by good or bad news about themselves? Do they want to read about their virtues or their vices?” - suggesting that people are generally more interested in reading about the bad stuff than the good stuff (which is obviously the case judging by what features in newspapers and the news on TV).

On the other hand an IPPR report from 2 years ago reported that Britains Youth were among the ‘worst in Europe’ - in that article the blame is attributed to consumerism along with an “increasing disconnect” between children and adults” (young people were learning from each other instead of from the kinds of close adult relationships their European counterparts have).

Something that surely wouldn’t do any harm would be an increase in opportunities for young people to do positive (and useful) activities together with (unpaid) adults in their communities - something to balance and complement the work done by people that are paid to help sort out the many issues and problems facing our ‘deprived’, ‘disadvantaged’ and ’socially excluded’ youth?……