Being Young is Not a Crime

Young people across Scotland consistently rank ‘discrimination against young people’ within their top three priority issues. Many young people feel that too often ‘adults’ punish all young people as the result of the actions of a few. We want to see a situation where:

“Young people are portrayed fairly and accurately in the media and are viewed as positive contributors to society by the general public”

The campaign seeks to show that ‘being young is not a crime’, challenging the negative perceptions of young people so prevalent in the media and the public in general. It seeks to do this under 3 key strands:

• Tackling negative portrayal of young people in the media.
• Challenging discriminatory policy and practice and promoting positive policy and practice, particularly encouraging the involvement of young people in the creation of such policy.
• Showcasing positive images of young people.

Our new focus on Votes at 16 is also part of this wider move to have young people seen as part of their society - you can find out more about how you can get involved in the campaign here.