Ministers agree to greater discussion

"There needs to be more young people looking at how Government writes its policies for them – and not specifically the boring stuff, but the facts and information that directly affects us. We need to be involved in designing, developing, delivering and evaluating it," says Ashley Sweetland, 18, a Trustee at the UK Youth Parliament. This was what dozens of young people told ministers at the CYPU's Safely on our Streets event.

The conference, held at Lord's cricket ground on 25 November, enabled young people from across the UK to put their views to ministers on four key issues. Using drama, art, and written and spoken presentations, they conveyed young people's attitudes towards mobile phone theft, alcohol, transport and young people as victims of crime.

All the presentations were developed in workshops in the weeks leading to the event. The fact that young people took centre stage was encouraging, and their performances were very creative. Not all of them worked, however, as some of the ideas were unclear – in the second presentation young people running around a campfire was supposed to illustrate the availability of alcohol. This was perhaps a little too abstract for Ministers. But the people taking part felt talking directly to politicians was a big step forward for young people.

Ruth Bessant, 16, from Poole Youth Services, who was part of the alcohol presentation, said: "By discussing these issues today and seeing the presentations, MPs will feel that this is really important to young people. It lets them see that we're not young people that just sit around and drink, we actually care, and want to change the society that we grow up in."

The presentations were followed by debates on the issues with youth minister John Denham, transport minister John Spellar, health minister Hazel Blears and Metropolitan Police commander Steve Roberts. The questions were challenging, but they were answered clearly, and it was good to see MPs talking directly to young people without making rehearsed answers or party political speeches.

John Denham said: "We've got to build on the sort of thing we're doing today, which is to talk seriously about the issues and show that we're prepared to listen to what young people have to say."

"It's important that we have more opportunities for young people to talk directly to politicians, and through the media for other young people to see that that's happening. Ten Ministers across government departments have agreed that we will meet regularly to ensure we are looking at our work and getting best practice."

It's good to see the Government listening to young people, but now we need to see them act on what they've heard. On the evidence of this event, young people feel they need to be given the means to change the policies that affect their lives.

As Ashley Ryder, 16, a member of the CYPU Advisory Forum, put it: "It should get to the point where young people not only have a say but have power to actually change things as well, because a lot of it seems tokenistic. People just take on people's views just for show, just for the media. I think there's no point in listening to young people if you're not going to act on it."

This article was produced by Klarisse Osei, 15, Akosua Bonsu, 16, Annabel McLeod, 16, and Ella Parry-Davies, 13