Young people asked to define the big society
Janaki Mahadevan
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Young people are being quizzed on what role they want to play in society, as part of a campaign launched by youth volunteering charity V.
The Big Society’s Big Mouth initiative will question young people through online and local community action events, culminating with young people taking their proposals for change to government in April.
Research conducted ahead of today’s launch (1 February), which polled more than 1,000 16- to 24-year-olds, found more than two-thirds of respondents don't know what the big society means for them, with only a quarter having heard of the agenda.
Almost half (46 per cent) said they don't trust the government to make the right cuts. More than a third of the young people (36 per cent) feel the coalition cares less about them than the previous government.
V chief executive Terry Ryall said: "The big society is a concept that is moving rapidly from rhetoric to reality. We believe it is vital that young people are given the opportunity to help define and refine what the big society means to them.
"Many young people are already taking real action in their communities. However, policymakers currently run the risk of ignoring the views of a group without which building the big society will be impossible."
Phase one of Big Society’s Big Mouth invites young people to join an online discussion at www.bigsocietysbigmouth.org.
