A survey by Echo Research last year found that "yobs", "louts" and "scum" are among the terms the press regularly uses to describe young people when reporting on youth crime. It also found that more than half the stories in the press about teenage boys were about crime.
Launched in 2008 by the then Labour government, Shine is trying to fight back against this negative media coverage by providing a platform for young people to shout about their talents and achievements and make sure they are noticed for the right reasons.
Fiona Blacke, chief executive of the National Youth Agency, which leads the Shine consortium, says Shine is important on two levels. "First, because young people need to realise and have endorsed the fact that whatever their skill or talent, it has a value," she says. "The other side is that, as a country, our perceptions of young people are not always positive - so having a programme that highlights young people's achievements allows that."
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