We have planned campaigns, media activities, events and unique opportunities to empathize with what young people think and feel and to have a transparent understanding of their needs within our amorphous society. Only then can we create a plan of action to change how we support, educate and mould parenting methods and re-energize social and family values to bring about significant cultural change for our young people.

Key Programme areas and planned activity

• Continued construction and development of Termtime.com
• Adopted Schools Programme - rolled out across the UK by Sept 2009
• Multi-agency partnerships active and responsive - February 2009
• National Youth Road Show - UK wide
• Launch of Termtime radio - February 2009
• Citizenship DVD - Work in progress
• Campaign 4 Change
• Youth Council Conferences - November 2008 - Ongoing
• Live National Youth Debate - Liverpool February 2009
• Recognition by and multi partnerships with local authorities and community youth programmes.
• Parental/ Teacher and Health Authority Education packs
• Media campaign: challenging perceptions - on-going

Depth and Scale

Violent Crime At present, every 52 minutes someone is involved in Knife Crime in the UK. An average of 38 stabbing victims are treated in accident and emergency departments every day, and almost 14,000 people sought hospital treatment for injuries from knives, daggers, swords and other sharp objects last year.

Whilst these statistics speak for themselves, even more concerning is that according to research, more than one in 10 youngsters say carrying a weapon makes them feel safer!!

Ladette Culture Crimes by girls aged from 10 to 17 have leapt 25 % in three years fuelled by rising alcohol abuse.

In the same period, overall violent crime by young people rocketed nearly 40%.

Health and Well-Being While advances in drug treatment and vaccination are taking care of parents and grandparents, baby brothers and sisters, teenagers are experiencing unprecedented social health problems. They are the only age group whose physical and mental health is getting worse because of their lifestyle.

Presently 1 in 3 children in the UK today are already overweight or obese. More than 70% of obese children and more than 85% of obese adolescents will become obese adults.

As many as 20% of UK children have psychological conditions such as depression, eating disorders and behavioural problems. These problems are being fuelled by poor nutrition, insufficient exercise, excessive alcohol and drug consumption and smoking.

Bullying About half of all boys and girls are bullied at sometime during their high school years - Every 7 seconds someone in Britain is bullied.

Suicide Is the second biggest cause of death in 15-24 year olds in the UK, after road accidents. It is more common amongst young men but it affects many girls too.

Every year, about 24,000 young people aged between 10 and 19 attempts to take their own lives. That’s one person every twenty minutes. Every day there are 17 deaths by suicide, and most cases go unreported.