Vulnerable youngsters are being helped to make the right choices in life.

The Learning and Skills Council Tees Valley and Safe in Tees Valley's youth inclusion programme have held two events at Middlesbrough Football Club's Cellnet Stadium, aimed at raising the aspirations of young people in the Tees Valley.

Other groups taking part include the Barnados Sexual Exploitation of Children on the Streets project, Shape Training and Connexions.

Workshop advisor Michael Heppell said: "I listened to an unemployed 17-year-old who wanted to take up drama as a future career proposition and her friends told her it was impossible. They think it is so 'uncool' in their terms, to go against their opinion.''

"We aim to change that through addressing limited beliefs, looking realistically at barriers and getting youngsters to think for themselves."

Pam Eccles, executive director of the Learning and Skills Council Tees Valley, said: "These events offered a creative learning atmosphere where the youngsters were empowered to set their own goals and produce their own action plans."