The project will provide evidence with which to lobby Parliament, and builds on last year's report by the charity, Full House?, which found that 100,000 children and teenagers in England were living in overcrowded housing.
Charlotte Fraser, campaigns officer for Shelter's Million Children campaign, said: "The young people will record how overcrowding affects them, using diaries, cameras and drawings. Often teenagers have to share with siblings of the opposite sex, which is not appropriate, or with younger siblings.
The lack of privacy can affect their development, family relationships, health and education." Shelter plans to meet housing minister Yvette Cooper in July to call for 20,000 more family friendly homes and an update on the definition of overcrowding, said Fraser. "In 1935 it was considered OK for young people to sleep in kitchens, but not in the 21st century," she added.
Shelter's Million Children campaign was launched in April 2004 and will continue for the rest of this year.
www.shelter.org.uk.
