‘Goody hoodies' will be taking to the streets in towns and cities across the country on Saturday 6^th December as they reveal what young people have told them needs to be done to secure better futures for youth.

The ‘Don't Write Us Off' event is being spearheaded by young Agents4Change volunteers, aged 16-25, who between them have consulted more than 400 young people on their top concerns. (Findings embargoed for Saturday 6^th December will be available).

The information they have canvassed will be used by the young people to set up volunteering projects to help tackle these issues. It will also form a platform for young people to lobby for increased involvement of young people in public services overseen by both local and national government.

Instead of terrorising the public, shoppers will be challenged by the ‘hoodies' to ‘earn' unique fortune cookies in return for contributing their own views on tackling issues such as crime, teenage pregnancy, drink, drugs, gangs and education. Some of these concerns are included in the fortune cookies.

Agents4Change, is a project coordinated by UK volunteering charity CSV with support from Tesco and youth volunteering charity v. It aims to empower young people to take positive action in their communities.

‘Hoodies' will be taking to the streets in major towns and cities including London, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Coventry, Swindon, Reading, Sheffield, Gloucester and Ashford.

This campaign is being backed by pop mogul, Pete Waterman.

ENDS

To register to receive embargoed press materials for the ‘Don't write us off' campaign please contact: Olivia Ware on oware@csv.org.uk / 020 7812 0039 / 07870 689 347 or Jason Tanner on jtanner@csv.org.uk  or 020 7812 0038 / 07941 433598

Notes for Editors

•(1)   Agents4Change, is a youth project which aims to empower young people to get involved in community projects. It began in July 2007 and aims to give 16 to 25-year-olds real opportunities to volunteer for the first time at a wide range of events. The project is set up and delivered by CSV (Community Service Volunteers) and is funded by Tesco and youth volunteering charity v.

•(2)   Tesco has pledged £500,000 over two years to set up Agents4Change. Through v's Match Fund programme, Government funds can be accessed to match that sum giving Agents4Change a £1 million budget to deliver the project. 40 full-time ‘Agents' will be recruited across England, tasked with engaging 12,000 young volunteers over a two-year period. With support from experienced local CSV teams, these volunteers will deliver a wide variety of projects and events across the country.

•(3)   CSV (Community Service Volunteers) creates opportunities for people to take an active part in the life of their communities through volunteering, training and community action. In 2006/7 229,869 people gave time as volunteers through CSV. CSV trained 12,309 people of all ages and linked 29,000 people to learning through BBC Local Radio. http://www.csv.org.uk/

•(4)   v is the youth volunteering charity launched in May 2006 whose mission is to inspire a new generation of young volunteers in England aged 16-25. v is supported by the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office.