In July 2009, ING MEDIA is 10 years old. That's 10 years of helping organisations from all sectors communicate more effectively.

To celebrate our 10th Anniversary, ING MEDIA is launching a project that we feel passionate about - supporting and promoting today's teenagers. A recent report from the charity Barnardo's made shocking reading - the perception of children and teenagers amongst many people is a negative one and what we watch, read and see from the mainstream media has a big impact on how we feel.

However, when I take a step back from the horrific headlines, my own actual experience is completely different. I live and work in Hackney - the London borough which so often provides the backdrop for media stories related to gun crime and teen violence. I am also Chair of Governors of a local primary school and even have one of the "enemy" living under my own roof - my 17 year old step-son. One could expect that my daily life is a battleground amongst the "feral" teens that roam the street. However, it's not. Nearly every experience I have had with teenagers has been either positive or at worst benign - I have never had a negative experience. Yes, they talk too loudly on the bus, congregate in groups and do all of the annoying things that we did, but that's about it. So why are we intent on demonising this group? Can you imagine what it must be like for everyone to look at you with suspicion?

Enough is enough. That is why we are launching TEN TEENAGERS. We are looking for teenagers across the UK to tell us their positive stories - what are they doing that doesn't fit with the current stereotype? We will log their stories onto a specially deigned the web-site and the team at ING will select the best 10. We will then use our skills to help the TEN TEENAGERS to communicate their stories to the rest of the UK. They will become our ten special clients for 2009.

So if you know someone who would like a great team of people to promote what they are doing, get them to email leanne@ing-media.com or log on to www.tenteenagers.com. There is no specific criteria (it doesn't have to be a business) - maybe you are just doing something to help your family and friends.

We look forward to hearing from you.