A FILM based on the lives of young people who have experienced homelessness has been launched.

Young people from the Shaidy Characters group, based in Stanley, have made a short video based on real examples of the problems that both lead to and cause homelessness.

Dubbed Hype, for Homeless Young Person's Education, said it will be used in schools and colleges across north Durham as a tool to prevent more young people falling into homelessness.

It was created by Wendy Haswell, Zoe Clark, Marc Harrison and Kirsti May, who spent a year and a half on the project.

Miss Haswell, 22, said: "This is a subject that is close to our hearts because we have all been there. If this stops one person from being homeless, then we have done our job."

Shaidy Characters was born last year out of Shaid, the Single Homeless Action Initiative in Derwentside.

The charity, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, is based next to the Louisa Centre in Front Street, Stanley. It offers support for young people without homes and helps them find permanent accommodation.

Shaidy Characters is a social group for young people who have been helped by Shaid.

The video was scripted, filmed and edited by the group. It uses actors, but the stories are based on the experiences of Shaid clients.

It will be used by the charity on its ten-week life skills course, which is offered to clients when they have found somewhere to live.

Miss Clark is also producing an accompanying information pack, that will help teachers and youth workers deliver a workshop to young people on the issue.

The group has already been commissioned by the Youth Offending Team to make another video. Called, What If?, it aims to promote the team's leaflet that offers contact numbers for groups that can advise children faced with a myriad of problems, from alcoholic parents to youth services.

Shaidy Characters meets in St Andrew's Family Resource Centre in Stanley on Thursdays, 11am to 5pm. Telephone (01207) 218850.