Jamelia: 'Society must celebrate youth'

Jamelia has called for more to be done to celebrate the contribution made by young people to society.

The 'Superstar' singer said the media's negative portrayal of British youth gives them little inspiration to succeed in life.

"It has been found that 60% of the media coverage on youth has been negative, which I feel is very damaging to them and to us as a society," she is quoted as saying.

Jamelia recently visited youngsters at an Academy school in Peckham on behalf of the Prince's Trust.

"I've been speaking to the youths and they've been doing theatre projects and going gliding, cooking even starting a business," she said.

"They've inspired me and I think they're all really fantastic children."

The 27-year-old is currently working on a new album and taking acting lessons. Plans to release an autobiography were shelved in September amid fears that it would not be a success.