A new study of 15 to 24 year olds, released today by Electric Ireland, reveals 4 in 5 young people feel the Irish public have a negative view of them with the vast majority (71%) citing the media as the reason for this misrepresentation.

Almost 1 in 3 young people reported a lack of confidence and 57% feel that the media has contributed to that.

The research was commissioned by Electric Ireland to mark its sponsorship of the Young St. Vincent de Paul (Young SVP) Youth Development programme, which encourages young people to get involved in social action and promotes their social and personal development.

The results demonstrate a disconnect between how young people in Ireland today feel they are perceived by the public, versus how they really are. When asked in more detail about how they feel the media portrays them, 74% of young people say the media exaggerate stories about youths today.

In stark contrast, when asked, only 24% believe Irish people have actually had a bad experience of young people, suggesting that the media has a strong influence on Irish people’s attitudes. However, 65% of young people feel that Irish adults don’t take the time to get to know or understand them.

Of the respondents who have been part of the Young SVP programme, 57% say it made them more confident, 62% say it made them more aware of social justice, 48% more ready to help other people and 39% felt the programme made them more job ready.

To coincide with the release of the survey, Electric Ireland has created a cutting edge short film titled #WhatDoYouSee. Available to view on www.WhatDoYouSee.ie, the film uses innovative technology, enabling a mobile in-browser, dual-message experience showcasing two perspectives of teenagers in Ireland, challenging the viewer to have a smarter perception of youth participation in the community.

Jim Dollard, Executive Director, Electric Ireland, commented:

“While perceptions of our young people are not always as positive as they should be, at Electric Ireland we see the potential of young people in Ireland and continuously champion them through our sport, music and charity partnerships. The hope is that the Young SVP programme makes them more confident and helps them to grow and develop on a personal level and gives our society another opportunity to witness the potential of our young people.”

Through the support of Young SVP, Electric Ireland ensures its commitment to Smarter Living reaches even the most vulnerable in society and empowers young people in Ireland to make a positive impact today.

Commenting on the survey results, Kieran Stafford, National Vice President at SVP said:

“The results of the research speak for themselves; young people in Ireland are doing amazing things, and everyone should be doing more to celebrate this. We are thrilled to be supported by Electric Ireland on this and other programmes so we can reach thousands of young people across the country and help those young people express their true value to society.”

Electric Ireland has had a long standing partnership with St. Vincent de Paul, working together to provide assistance to any customers experiencing financial difficulty. In addition to financial support, Electric Ireland works closely with SVP to encourage use of PAYG (pay as you go) meters in assisting customers to manage their ongoing usage whilst repaying accumulated arrears, as well as encouraging its customers to be energy efficient and budget savvy. SVP often works directly with Electric Ireland to help customers manage their energy bills.

Source: Press Release

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