The power of youth media to change lives

Media Trust recently commissioned a piece of research to explore how media is used as a tool to engage 13-25 year olds, improve their lives and get their voices heard. The research, released today, looks at youth media outside formal education including both skills-based accredited training and non-accredited media projects. Those consulted as part of the research include Headliners, The Prince’s Trust, Rural Media Company, Skillset, Teesside University Media Academy, Watershed Media Centre and Youth Music. A series of focus groups were also conducted with young people aged 13-24 in Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow, London and Manchester.

Key recommendations from the research include:

• the creation of a strategic agency for the whole of the youth media footprint in order to Identify and exchange best practice, coordinate local and regional provision and encourage partnership working.
• the establishment of a national youth media aggregator to support the distribution and dissemination of youth media content to ensure young people’s voices are heard by the widest audience.

Full research, analysis and recommendations can be read in the power of youth media to change lives