NCB's REE department works to include children and young people in research projects that are relevant to them and their peers. Negative news headlines about young people have unfortunately become all too familiar of late. But how do negative media stories affect young people, and what do they think about how they are portrayed by the media?
That is what four young researchers from NCB wanted to find out. Emrys Green (18), Naushin Shariff (18), Catherine Clark (17) and Amrita Ghosh (15), along with support from Young NCB members and REE staff, spent several months collecting stories, interviewing journalists and consulting young people through focus groups and a survey.
The research was part of the Young Researcher Network - a network of 16 organisations, including NCB, which has received funding to support groups of young people to carry out their own research projects.
Young people's anger
The research found that, on the whole, media stories portray young people in a negative light. The media also tends to focus on minority groups within the youth population, such as young offenders or exceptionally talented young people, and is therefore not representative in its reporting.
The journalists interviewed explained that bad news is newsworthy so some journalists feel under pressure to report negative rather than positive news. Young people who participated were angry and resentful about the way they are often portrayed. They felt they were being stereotyped, which for some had a negative impact on how they dressed and where they went with friends.
Everyone involved in the research felt there should be a balance of negative and positive stories about young people. They also felt that young people should have a voice to communicate their views.
- Louca-Mai Brady, senior research officer, and Anthony Ellis, research assistant, REE. For more information, contact lbrady@ncb.org.uk or visit www.ncb.org.uk/young_people_media.
- To find out more about the Young Researcher Network, visit www.nya.org.uk/youngresearchernetwork
NCB supports young people to get involved in a range of other research areas including:
- Public health: supporting 24 young people in two groups to work with researchers, conduct their own research and develop a website to inform others about public health research
- Care leavers: training and supporting young researchers (all of whom have experience of care) to undertake research into the experiences of care leavers
- Medicines for children: providing advice and support to the Medicines for Children Research Network on involving young people
- Mental health: supporting an advisory group of young mental health service users for the national review of CAMHS.
"I had a great time doing this project, picking up some useful skills and information. To be honest, the results from the focus groups and online survey didn't shock me" - Naushin Shariff, 18, young researcher from the media portrayal project
"I have found the project to be invaluable in learning how to conduct research with young people, and I have been amazed at some of the responses" - Emrys Green, 18, young researcher from the media portrayal project
"The young person who interviewed me had a good interviewing style - putting me at ease with the early questions and saving the challenging ones for later on" - Journalist interviewed for the media portrayal project.
