January 2012
Celebrating the first year of 'Truth About Youth' in
Bristol
A drive to tackle the negative perceptions of
young people in Bristol has brought hundreds of adults and young
people together in an inspiring display of youth support.
During the last year, almost 1,400 adults and young people
from Bristol have taken part in The Co-operative Foundation’s
Truth about Youth. The project
is run in partnership with The Prince’s Trust, to counter
the widespread negative images of young people and promote the
valuable contribution young people make in their local area.
In celebration of the project’s successes and achievements so
far, a special celebration event was held at The Watershed.
The event gave young people the opportunity to showcase
some of their key activities from the year to a wide range of
special guests, including the Lord Mayor of Bristol, Cllr Colin
Smith, representatives from The Co-operative Group and the Deputy
Editor of the Bristol Evening Post, Rob Stokes.
During the year, groups of young people from across the city
have taken part in a wide range of youth-led initiatives and
intergenerational activities, including six ‘Experience’ courses,
each focussing on a different media including photography,
performing arts, digital media and film.
Rick Libbey, regional director for The Prince’s Trust in the
South West, said:
The Truth About Youth project has been a
fantastic opportunity for unemployed young people in Bristol to
develop new skills, gain in confidence and get their voices heard.
It is so important that the public get to hear about all the
fantastic work young people do in their communities that will, I
hope, change some of those negative perceptions about youth.
Michael Fairclough, Head of Community and Co-Operative
Investment for The Co-operative Group, said:
Truth about Youth has gone from strength to
strength over the last year and with nearly 1,400 adults and young
people already involved in Bristol, it shows that there is a lot of
support out there for young people and a real desire to change the
way that society perceives them.