Tom Brake Signs up to be Positive About Youth

2.23.56pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 23rd Jul 2010

Tom Brake has joined forces with UK Youth, the leading national youth work charity, to call on the country to be Positive about Youth. The charity is celebrating 100 years of working with young people and is using the opportunity this presents to celebrate all the positive things that young people do.

UK Youth is the leading national youth work charity, supporting over 750,000 young people, 40,000 volunteers and 7,000 youth clubs, groups and projects across the UK. The charity was formed in 1911 to support factory girls who were not receiving an education and helps young people to raise their aspirations, realise their potential and have their achievements recognised.

Tom Brake has become a Centenary Ambassador along with celebrities, sports personalities, and business people such as Guy Ritchie and pixie Lott, who have made a commitment to be Positive about Youth. They celebrated the achievements of young people at a reception on the Terrace of the House of Commons.

John Bateman, Chief Executive of UK Youth, said: "We are using our centenary to change the country's perceptions of young people. Over 70% of media coverage about young people is negative yet the vast majority of young people are achieving great things and playing an increased role in communities all over the country. We want to highlight these activities, raise the aspirations, realise the potential and recognise the achievements of all young people thereby improving their life chances."

Tom Brake said "UK Youth does a fantastic job drawing attention to the positive contribution young people make to society. It is easy to take their hard work and achievements which I hear about or experience first hand on my visits to local schools or youth groups for granted. For instance, 175,000 young people are carers and 13,000 of them provide voluntary care for their families for more than 50 hours a week."

During the year, UK Youth have taken the Positive About Youth message to many of the major arts and sports events around the UK including the Hay Festival, the London Marathon and Wimbledon. In addition, Nigel Mansell will be cycling round the UK on a 1200 mile journey to draw attention to the campaign, visit youth projects and raise money for the charity.