The NYA Blog
Shine at Youth Led Media Summit
21 December 2009
Bringing together inspiring, creative young people who want to make a difference and express and share their talents is an energising experience.
Amanda Miller reports on her day at the Youth Led Media Summit.
As part of the on going aim to celebrate the talents and achievements of young people, Shine supported the Youth Led Media event on Tuesday. The NYA led Shine consortium and its partners strongly feel that the significant work of young people rightly deserves to be showcased. How our media is delivered is important to us all. Its not just about young people writing, filming and broadcasting stories about other young people, it is also about them reporting on all subjects. The vibrancy and freshness that can come from a young persons perspective provides an energy and insight second to none. The Youth Led Media Summit brought together inspirational creativity and an opportunity for adults and young people to share their thoughts and concerns about how our media is produced.
Helping to provide a showcase platform for young people to share their successes and inspire one another was best summed up for me by Belinda, a member of the Young People’s Advisory Panel for Shine who attended and presented at the event:
“l got a lot out of the event and now l feel motivated” said Belinda. “l knew I wanted to do something for the young people in my community but had never really had any idea what to do. At the Summit l met these great people who had made their own magazines, websites, youth groups etc. l felt really inspired and now think I’m going to try and start my own youth magazine in Leicester. Meeting other young people who are already producing magazines has enthused me to give it a go - l have a lot of work ahead but know that I can get the advice and support I need”
Belinda reflects the aspirations of many young people I meet – so often they are simply looking for some support to put their ideas into action.
Shine Week 12th – 16th July can help that process by celebrating talents and showcasing opportunities to achieve. We all know that profiling young people’s achievements needs to happen throughout the year, but in the same way that the Youth Led Media Summit has given a focus and profile to those involved in the media, Shine Week will give a high profile, national focus to celebrate young people across the country with a huge range of talents.
The Youth Led Media Summit has brought together some of the most talented young people in its field – here’s to celebrating them throughout the year and lets support them to shine!
Amanda Miller is Head of Communications and Marketing at NYA.