14 young people have now been appointed to the first BBFC Youth Panel
Panelists were chosen from more than 100 applications and represent all four nations of the UK, as well as the BAME, LGBTQ+, and the neurodivergent community
The BBFC’s Youth Panel will be able to develop life skills, make connections and gain valuable experience for university or job applications
Today, the BBFC has announced that 14 young people have been appointed to the organisation's inaugural Youth Panel.
The panelists were chosen from more than 100 applications, and represent all four nations of the UK as well as the LGBTQIA+ community and the neurodivergent community. The BBFC’s Youth Panel will meet once a term, and will be consulted on a range of topics including; onscreen depictions of discrimination; mental health representation in films and TV; social media; the film industry.
Sarah Peacock, Education and Compliance Manager for the BBFC, said: “We are delighted to welcome the panelists to their new role, and are looking forward to working with them all over the coming months and years.
“The group will share their invaluable insights and thoughts on the content they’re surrounded by on screens, both at home and at the cinema. We also hope that the panelists will feel inspired to share what they learn with others, and advocate for the work of the BBFC in their schools, colleges and communities.”
Lewis, 16 from Herefordshire, BBFC Youth Panel member, said: “I feel so lucky and totally thrilled to be part of the inaugural BBFC Youth Panel. I've loved cinema for as long as I can remember, and as I've got older I've realised I could actually have a career in film. I run a film blog, write, act and direct plays and have also been awarded the Gold Blue Peter badge! I'm really excited to be involved and seeing where this journey will take me.”
Mercy, 16 from London, BBFC Youth Panel Member, said: “I joined the BBFC Youth Panel because I’m really interested in issues pertaining to young people and am especially passionate about having progressive conversations about issues that affect the youth.”
David Austin, Chief Executive of the BBFC, added: “Our research shows that the demand for age classification has never been higher, with 95% of teenagers wanting consistent age ratings that they recognise from the cinema and DVD to apply to content accessed through streaming services - we are looking forward to working with the panel to capture their views and opinions on our ratings and wider work.”
Panelists have a lot to look forward to, and will all be given the chance to: shadow a Compliance Officer and see behind the scenes of the BBFC; input into education resources and outreach work; influence research and help shape the future of classification policy; guide and shape social media campaigns, including creating content for the official BBFC channels; develop practical work experience skills, including communication, presentation, teamwork and self-management skills; network with different teams across the BBFC and gain a deeper understanding of the role of regulation and content classification.
Find out more about the BBFC’s Youth Panel on the BBFC’s website.
