A new film urging reporters to improve the way they cover poverty has been produced with support from the National Union of Journalists and a Christian charity.

The film tells the stories of young people aged 16 to 24, who also share their frustrations at the way the issue is reported in the media.

It has been produced by The Reporters’ Academy,a not-for-profit media production company based at Salford’s Media City, with support from the NUJ’s Manchester & Salford branch and Church Action on Poverty.

Last year the Manchester & Salford branch launched a set of guidelines for journalists reporting on poverty, urging them to avoid using terms like “lazy”, “anti-social” or “chavs”.

Rachel Broady, the branch’s equality officer, said: “It’s clear many readers, viewers and listeners think the way poverty is reported needs to be challenged and that journalists need to reconsider what it is they’re contributing to.”

Gavin Aitchison is the former news editor at York-based daily The Press and now works as poverty media unit coordinator at Church Action on Poverty.

He said: “Too often, the media narrative around poverty is very damaging, as a result either of crass language and generalisations, or of editorial cuts hindering in-depth coverage.

“It’s important that people in poverty should be given the chance to tell their own powerful stories, and Church Action on Poverty is always happy to work with journalists interested in enabling that.”