Minister: Young concerned by negative stereotyping

Concerns were raised today about the inequality experienced by young people who are stereotyped by adults.

Children’s Minister Brendan Smith said teenagers need a voice to ensure they are respected.

Launching a Stereotyping of Young People Resource Pack, he said there was a disturbing consensus among young people about how they are stereotyped by so many of the adults they come into contact with.

Mr Smith said the media was a powerful communicator of images and ideas that can too often reflect stereotypes in distorted and misleading ways.

“By treating young people as problematic and difficult, the media is reflecting negative stereotypes and maintaining the unequal relationship between generations,” he said.

The new pack, jointly commissioned by the Equality Authority and the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), was an important tool in highlighting that young people are not a homogenous group and possess different identities and life circumstances, said Mr Smith.

“An important way to ensure that children and young people are respected and not stereotyped is to give them a voice in the development of policies and services that affect them,” he continued.

“My office consults with children and young people to inform many areas of our work.

“The Office of the Minister for Children (OMC) receives vital inputs from the young people we consult, which has resulted in more effective and user-friendly policies that actually meet the needs of young people.”

The scheme has been backed by the Dáil na nOg Council, which set up the Fairsay campaign to monitor the portrayal of teenagers in the media.

Its recommendations include giving more balanced coverage to stories about teenagers, asking teenagers for their opinions when doing stories, and appointing a teenage correspondent.

Teenager Fiodhna Horan-Murphy added: “We are asking the media to give coverage and recognition to serious and positive activities in which teenagers are involved and not just the negative stereotypical headlines we frequently see.”