I think it's important that you pass the mic to other young people because they have their own stories to share
Meg, an experts by experience young person
Our new report, ‘Passing the Mic’, has been developed in collaboration with University of Kent and NCB’s experts by experience groups, where young people reflected on the benefits of young people’s involvement in media programmes, the lack of young people’s voices in television, and their ideas for developing non-exploitative engagement practices.
The report was developed as part of the Living Assessments project, which spotlighted the lived experience of children and families with health and social care assessments.
Passing the Mic re-emphasises the need for co-production in research projects, the relevance of documentary-based formats and how this translates to young people’s representation in media work.
What do young people share that we often miss?
- How specific groups of young people miss out on their childhoods when they are put in situations where they must learn to act like adults
- How media representation can normalise their own experiences, without stigmatising it
- How it is important for young people to not just contribute, but be able to shape the direction the story takes
The report provides further insights into how we can keep up diverse and meaningful engagement in this era of mass media and digital innovation.