'Young people don't believe we're talking about issues that affect them'

Minister for Young People, John Denham, wants to convince young people that democracy plays a major part in their lives.

"The combined impact of health, education and social services must create a system that produces young people who are well educated, healthy and a success in their personal and working lives," he told The Independent.

Denham (pictured right, with Althea Efunshile, director of the CYPU) sees the Children and Young People's Unit as a step forward for children and young people and one of the key elements of government policy to encourage voting and an interest in society in general.

"The work being done with young people is absolutely essential to build a society of the future where people from different backgrounds have a common set of values, a common British identity that respects diversity," he said.

"The hope is that the right way to start is by asking young people who will be first-time voters at the next general election what issues affect them; they don't believe we're talking about issues that affect them. They're not an apathetic generation. They had very strong views on drugs, crime, asylum and racism. But they don't believe that politicians talk to them or talk about issues that affect them – that is a worry."

The CYPU is a major investor in children's services, particularly via the Children's Fund which finances preventive services across the country and has just been given £450m to spend in the three years to 2006.

Government policy will be a shaped by a Green Paper to be published next year. Some critics fear it will put too much emphasis on policing and crime prevention to please the tabloids. Denham disagrees: "It will be about young people at risk and that is not just at risk of offending – it could be the risk of being abused, becoming a drug abuser, failing educationally and being out of work, being a runaway or getting pregnant early. Young people are also victims of crime and violence."

Denham is very impressed with the work of the Sure Start programme set up in 1999, which offers partnership and support to parents-to-be and families with children under four.

"Talking to parents and children they say it has changed their lives. I think you will need a few years before the (statistical) information becomes available to show that it is making a difference but most people say that if parents feel better about themselves and their children, the children are likely to benefit."