I read with interest an article in the Guardian this weekend about teenage boys and how misrepresented they are in the media. The figures are pretty striking:
"A survey of 1,000 teenage boys in the UK showed that 88% of them believed their career prospects were good, and 88% regarded themselves as ambitious; 87% were happy in their family lives, 87% were happy in their social lives, and 81% were happy in their school or work lives."
I just returned from an extended trip to the States. During my time there I organised two youth leadership roundtables - one in San Francisco and one in Los Angeles. Some of the leading organisations in California attended these sessions, and we explored best practice in youth leadership and some of the key challenges organisations face.
Whilst I'm still drafting the reports from these sessions, what's clear is that there are challenges common to organisations working in this space all over the world.
Mediabox, the fund that offers 13-19 year olds the chance to create their own media projects and get their voices heard, opens its Mix Mediabox strand today.
Mix Mediabox enables organisations working within the community to apply for grants of between £5,000 - £20,000 for youth-led media projects that explore the theme of community cohesion.
Hey there The Youth of Today fans - if you've spent your summer volunteering, you might just think about checking out the vinspired Awards, a great way to get recognition for all your hard work.
We've just learned about the Young Rewired State project - a weekend where young people with a passion for technology can help Rewired State to create hardware and software hacks using government data. At the end of the weekend the projects will be shared with government Ministers, the press, civil servants and entrepreneurs.
Awards are available for young people and organisations making a difference - submit your nominations today!
The Young Achievers Awards recognise inspirational young people who've made a difference in their communities, and nominations are open now: http://youngachieverstrust.wordpress.com/
The Children and Young People Now Awards are also now open. These awards celebrate organisations, projects and individuals that improve the lives of young people. Entries can be submitted here:
Do you believe the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow? Are you tired of the negative portrayal of young people in the media? If so, click below to pledge your support for the youth of today and become a fan on facebook.
