Digital Literacy Crucial for UK's Global Competitiveness

Greater Understanding of Digital Literacy is Essential for Young People and Their Future job Prospects According to Virtual Voices Conference

The topic of media literacy was discussed last week at Virtual Voices, an event which brought together young people, educators, policymakers and media figures. After a series of debates and workshops all 100% of delegates agreed when polled that understanding media literacy is vital for future success and that the government should do more to support media literacy to help Britain remain competitive.

Resources from the event including photographs, podcasts and supporting material are all now available online at http://www.swscreen.co.uk/virtualvoices

The key conclusions from the event were:

- Media industry and education need to work closer together to ensure that young people have a voice

- Both industry and education want the same thing: a democracy where everyone has a voice and where talent has a chance to shine.

- We must help young people learn how to decipher what information on the web is real, what is a myth or reality, as well as how to communicate online

- Teachers and the government have a vital role to play in teaching media literacy skills, or Britain's competitive position will be at risk

- Online media presents great opportunities for young people to have their say

- Young people are producing some exceptional issues-based work and we need to find ways to bring this into the mainstream

Virtual Voices took place on 10th July in Bristol. It was organised by South West Screen, the development agency for the creative media industries in the South West of England.

The day included a screening of work produced by young people, the films of which are online at http://www.youtube.com/southwestscreen

Photographs from the day are available on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/26168982@N02/sets/72157606103286590/

A podcast of the introduction and keynote speech from the day is at http://www.swscreen.co.uk/podcast