Young Equals - campaigning against age discrimination.

BYC is part of Young Equals - a group of charities and children and young people who are campaigning to stop age discrimination. There are many examples of children and young people experiencing unfair and harmful treatment because of their age. This might be not being allowed in shops or public places because of their age, or having to put up with the sound of Mosquito devices that give out a high-pitched noise to deter teenagers.

Discrimination against young people is widespread in England. Half (49%) of seven to seventeen year olds have experienced unfair treatment because of their age. Children's Rights Alliance for England, ICM Poll. March 2010.

Young Equals have been campaigning about the unequal Equality Bill, going through Parliament at the moment, that currently does not protect under 18s from age discrimination.

Get involved in the campaign and let us know of your experiences of age discrimination here.

Respect - challenging negative stereotypes of young people.

BYC and YouthNet support the Respect Young People's Advisory Group to challenge misrepresentations of young people in the media and in British society as a whole.

The Advisory Group was set up  following BYC and YouthNet's Voice behind the Hood report that found 98% of young people felt they were represented as anti-social in the media. Since 2005, the Advisory Group has met with MPs and influenced government policies for young people, been interviewed in the national media, won celebrity support and delivered speeches at youth and media events across the country.

You can become part of the movement too by pledging your support and joining the group on Facebook.

National Minimum Wage Coalition.

BYC is campaigning for an equal National Minimum Wage for everyone aged 16 and over. As part of our campaign work, we are part of the National Minimum Wage campaign coalition. This group is led by UNISON and supported by BYC, Child Poverty Action Group, Institute of Employment Rights, National Union of Students, Trade Union Congress, and YWCA England & Wales. The group was set up to:

• Defend and improve the minimum wage
• Improve it - support the uprating of the national minimum wage
• Extend it - to cover Apprentices
• Make it fair - scrap the age bands that discriminate against young workers
• Enforce it - make sure workers know about it and employers pay it.

Interested in campaigning on these issues? Get active in BYC's Online Action Network.

1. Report. Young Equals. Making the Case. 27 April 2009.

     

2. Parliamentary Evidence. Equality Bill. Lords Report. 24 February 2010.

     

3. Report. Respect Voice behind the Hood. July 2006.

     

4. Report. Respect Evaluation. 25 August 2009.