MORE than 60,000 teenagers in North Yorkshire are to benefit from a project designed to ease the pain of growing up.

A Young People's Network is to be launched, pulling together the many youth organisations that run independently across the county.

The network will allow young people to become involved in decision making, share ideas and suggestions for improving services, apply for funding to develop projects, participate in training sessions and plan social events.

The scheme is being co-ordinated by Connexions, a partnership agency directed at 13 to 19-year-olds.

Connexions development manager Louise Dunn said: "This is an innovative approach for contacting young people and appropriate for our rural area where we have such a diverse mix of young people."

Most Connexions partnerships around the country are setting up 'young people's boards' to address the issue. But York and North Yorkshire is too large to make this a practical solution.

Instead, youth organisations and professionals who already work with young people will be linked to form a county-wide network. The system will use a website and steering group to spread information.

CYC youth worker Charlie Toothill added: "Society has moved on. It is no longer acceptable simply to impose services and facilities on the young, we need their input to make sure they get what they need and want."

Fifty-two groups have already signed up to the network and the scheme will be launched with the sending out of information packs, 3,000 posters and 5,000 postcards, which will be delivered to public areas such as libraries and supermarkets.

A good ideas pot will also be launched with an £8,000 fund.