A COMMITTEE of teenagers is helping to ensure a project reflects local youngsters' needs.

Five teenagers working at the Pennywell Youth Project, in Sunderland, have formed the Us committee to assess how the project can continue serving the community.

They are all local residents employed through the project as trainee or fully-qualified youth workers, administrators or IT trainees.

The group has already worked on schemes including decorating and refurbishing a room dedicated to youngsters and visiting other youth projects to pick up ideas.

Trainee youth worker Kelly Stevens, of the Us committee, said: "I really enjoy being involved with the committee, as it gives us a chance to make decisions and plan new ideas for the project.

"I find it particularly interesting travelling around other youth projects, seeing what they're doing and bringing ideas back to Pennywell."

To help in their roles, committee members have been trained to make them more effective decision makers. It is hoped they will link in with the Pennywell Youth Project's management committee, made up of local adults.

The youth project's manager, Gordon Langley, said: "It gives young people the chance to have a say, make decisions and improve services for other youngsters in the area.