Why local news must stop ignoring its youngest readers, and what we're doing about it

Traditional news organisations have spent decades telling communities what they should know, but research by the Reuters Institute shows that young audiences see news differently. They want what is useful to know, what is interesting to know, and what is fun to know. When local media fails to meet those needs, it becomes irrelevant – not because young people do not care, but because we have not given them a reason to.

We launched Ipswich.co.uk to contribute (directly and indirectly) to the regeneration of our town. That mission cannot succeed if the only voices shaping the conversation are over 30. Regeneration means action, not passivity. It means journalism that drives solutions, not just reports problems. Young people must have a say in those solutions because it is they who will inherit whatever town we leave behind.

That is why we launched Youth Voice Matters, a six-week community journalism programme for young people, created and run in partnership with Ipswich Community Media (ICM), Volunteering Matters and the #iwill movement.

It is not a training scheme. It is an attempt to address something more fundamental: the near-total absence of young voices in local media.

Over the course of the programme, 8-12 young people will learn about the media industry and how to find, research and produce content on topics they're passionate about, with their articles appearing on Ipswich.co.uk during November's #iWillWeek.

This is not about tokenism or ticking boxes. It is about giving young people the tools to communicate their views and tell their stories in the most effective way possible. It is about recognising that when an entire generation is largely absent from local news, they are also absent from the civic conversation that informs council decisions, planning policy and public spending. If young people do not see their concerns reflected in local coverage, why would they invest in the community?

Local media sets the agenda for public discourse. When that agenda excludes young voices, it sends a clear message about whose opinions matter.

As Ben Miller from ICM puts it, "We’re giving young people a chance to experience the impacts of their words," and giving them "a toolkit and confidence to share what matters."

The skills they gain – critical thinking, interviewing, structuring an argument, understanding an audience – are transferable. They will build confidence and the ability to communicate effectively. They create informed, engaged citizens who can challenge power and advocate for change.

That matters now more than ever. Trust in the media is low. Coverage has become increasingly polarised. At a local level, Suffolk is in the midst of the biggest local government shake-up in 50 years, transitioning to either one or three unitary authorities.

Young people need to understand the present so they can shape what comes next.

If local media does not equip them to do that, we have failed.

If we want Ipswich to be a place young people choose to stay, we need to start listening to what they have to say. This is just the beginning. Stay tuned for more.