We are living in an era of democratic disconnect. A gap exists between institutional understandings and expectations of young citizens and the nature and substance of youthful forms of political action. In recent times youth participation policies have become a popular strategy to address a range of perceived 'issues' related to young people: either problems of youth disengagement from democracy or their exclusion from democratic processes.

Drawing on the accounts of young people in Australia and the United Kingdom, this book examines questions of youth citizenship and participation by exploring their meanings in policy, practice and youth experience. With reference to recent theoretical work from the New Sociology of Youth, Political Sociology and Media and Communications it examines young people's perspectives on participation in non-government and youth-led organisations. In doing so, it focuses on what young people think and do – and what can be done to bridge the democratic disconnect.