Online campaigning

Nearly a third of young people believe online campaigning is more effective than street protests, a survey by youth volunteering charity vInspired has found.

A poll of 1,364 young people aged 16 to 21 found that 28 percent thought social media was the best way to get campaigns heard, while 10 percent opted for protesting in the streets.

Just one in five said they believed politicians could improve the country, although 45 per cent felt their generation could change things.

The survey also asked young people to pick out issues and policies they would most like to see.

High levels of unemployment came top of the issues that concerned the young people, with 29 percent selecting it as the most pressing issue facing the UK.

The young people's favourite policy, picked by 18 percent, was to make people work for their benefits, followed by 16 percent who wanted the banks to repay the bailout money they had received faster.

The survey was carried out to mark the launch of vInspired Live, a music event run by vInspired that is designed to encourage young people to make their voices heard and campaign on issues that matter to them.

The charity intends to use the 6 July concert to kickstart three campaigns, which young people are being asked to propose as part of its Change Something programme.

The winning campaigns will be selected ahead of the event and the young people who proposed them will get to work with celebrity mentors to help create a buzz about it on social media.

For further information about vInspired Live visit www.vinspiredlive.com. To sign up for further information about Change Something visit www.vinspiredlive.com/signup.