Time to focus on the Positve

NICCY
27 July 2010 - 2:02pm
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Tagged as:

• NICCY
• Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People
• Patricia Lewsley
• Young people
• Young People challenge Junior Ministers

NORTHERN Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People Youth Panel member Richard Tweed has told Government ministers to focus on positive messages and help end negative stereotyping of young people.

The Ballyclare teenager met with Junior Ministers Robin Newton and Gerry Kelly, who have responsibility for children and young people’s issues in the Northern Ireland Executive.

“Too often all we hear in the media are negative stories about young people,” said Richard. “A survey carried out by NICCY’s Youth Panel last year demonstrated that newspapers rarely tell the true, positive story about the majority of Northern Ireland’s teenagers’ lives.

“I hope that after meeting with the Junior Ministers, they will bring forward ways they can combat negative stereotyping, and when they speak to the media and to their constituents they remember that there are thousands of young people contributing to society each and every day.”

NICCY’s Youth Panel will be working on the issue of negative stereotyping over coming weeks.

Richard was accompanied by Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley and NICCY Chief Executive Gerry Campbell.

“Richard brought an important point to the Ministers’ attention,” said Ms Lewsley. “The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child identified that negative stereotyping needs to be addressed by Government.

“I hope that this and all the issues identified by the UN Committee will be tackled and that the Junior Ministers will bring forward an action plan that will promote and safeguard those rights and make sure Government departments act in the best interests of children and young people.”

Other topics covered in the meeting between NICCY and the Junior Ministers were: tackling child poverty, the forthcoming Government play strategy and working on behalf of children and young people across all government departments.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• Richard Tweed is one of the 25 members of the NICCY Youth Panel, who support the work of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People and advise her on various issues.
• More information on the Youth Panel initiative on negative stereotyping will be issued in August
• To find out more about the work of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People and her youth panel, please visit www.niccy.org