TEENAGERS have urged the people of East Lancashire to “stop judging others” in a new hard-hitting film.

Youngsters at Brunshaw youth club in Burnley have broadcast their thoughts and emotions as part of a film project to give young people a voice.

Issues of prejudice, alcohol abuse, rape and intolerance were some of the themes discussed in a web-based media campaign.

The youngsters were given the task of writing, creating and editing short films which captured the real issues facing teenagers in the UK today.

Daniel Julian, 18, from Brierfield, said: “Our video project was based on the assumptions people make by colour of skin, accents, and places of birth.

“I have seen it in my personal life how some people judge others as soon as they meet them just because of something small about that person.

“What I would really like for people to think after they see our film is that we are all human, and that is what matters, not colour or race, or what you sound like.”

True Tube is an online site which hosts 700 films made by young people and receives one million hits every year by a global audience.

The Brunshaw action group partnered the website to give 12 young people the chance to air community issues.

Rich Welch, True Tube coordinator, said: “People think they know what the problems are with society until they hear the real issues coming from the voice of young people.

“What is great about the films they make is the honesty about the issues we so often skirt around.

“They have shown great maturity to tackle these big issues and they have shown what can be achieved when hard work is applied.”

Lauren Connor, 16, of Padiham, was involved in making another of the films.

She said: “Alcohol is a big issue for a lot of people and what our film portrays is the message that you do not need to drink to have a good time.

“The film shows what can happen when you get drunk and how vulnerable people become after alcohol.”

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