Young people launch campaign to improve their image

Youngsters in Nantwich are making it their business to create a positive image of themselves in the local community.

Twenty pupils from Malbank School and Brine Leas High School in Nantwich have put their heads together to come up with a range of ideas to promote the positive work they do in their towns.

It is in response to a Youth Parliament survey, which found that young people feel they are often portrayed in a negative light by elderly people.

During the next few weeks and months, a number of posters with six different designs will be displayed all over Nantwich to make older people stop and think about the true role youngsters play in society.

It is the beginning of a long-term Nantwich Education Improvement Partnerships (EIP) project and is young people’s priority for the Nantwich Local Area Partnership (LAP).

Malbank School pupil Jack Gresty, 13, said: “Older people do seem to have a bad image of young people in the area. Just recently, I was on a bus and helped an elderly person up after she fell but she didn’t say thank you.”

Brine Leas pupil Holly Harvey, 13, who cares for her disabled siblings and attends a young carers group, which provides day trips for her, added: “I think some young people’s appearances can look threatening to elderly people. But when I have spoken to elderly people about the care work that I do, they do seem genuinely surprised.

“It would be nice to change that view so that it wasn’t so much of a shock to them.”

So far, pupils from both schools have come up with numerous ideas for posters, including one with the line ‘Clothes don’t make the person’, and one with an image of a young person in a cardigan and an old person wearing a ‘hoody’.

Numerous ideas were also offered for a website and podcast, which are being developed with partners.

Councillor David Brown, Cabinet member with responsibility for performance and capacity at Cheshire East Council, said: “There is a perception that teenagers are bad news. But most young people know that this is not the case and I am pleased to see the many ideas which these pupils are coming up with to try and change that image for the better.”

Cllr Arthur Moran, ward member for Nantwich, said: “Most teenagers are involved in community activities and sport and it is always the minority that give them a bad reputation.

“I hope this will demonstrate that young people are working in the best interests of Nantwich.”