What it is: The Big Picture, Birmingham Goals: To increase the awareness of the work of the Youth Action Network and to counter negative images of young people Funding: Receives funding from Community Service Volunteers and the Youth Action Network

More than 100 young people from youth groups across the UK spent a day learning how to promote positive images of young people in Birmingham last week.

The young people were all members of the Youth Action Network, an umbrella organisation linking several youth projects. These projects included Slipstream, a group of 14- to 18-year-olds from Kendal in Cumbria who work alongside the police to increase the personal safety of young people; SKY Partnership, a group of young people from Hackney, east London, who want to be journalists and produce their own magazine; and Youthcomm, a radio station run by young people in Worcester that aims to improve communications between young people and their community.

During the day, the young people attended workshops where they learned about branding, television interviewing, journalism and radio techniques. The aim was for them to produce a radio jingle, develop a brand, make a video, write a magazine feature and write a press release. The groups were also able to showcase their projects to each other and share experiences.

Lianne Picot, chief executive of the Youth Action Network, says: "There are a high number of negative news stories in the media and it is important that young people and their workers are better equipped to promote themselves and their contributions. This event demonstrated the interest that young people have in countering the negative image of young people and we hope that the press will respond accordingly."

Youth Action Network intends to use some of the best ideas that the young people came up with to publicise its members' activities throughout the year.

- Got a project to share? Call Tristan Donovan 020 8267 4719, tristan.donovan@haynet.com.