A PROJECT which aims to help young people deal more positively with life's difficult issues has won an award.

The Teesside Justice Support Project has been chosen as one of five winners in the Securior British Community Safety Awards, organised by Crime Concern and Securior.

Nigel Whiskin, chief executive of Crime Concern, said: "It is widely accepted that tackling the problem of youth crime impacts very favourably upon all aspects of the life of a community.

"The strength of Justice Support Project is in its ability to design and directly deliver specialist programmes which address the diversity of children and young people's issues."

Started as a two-year pilot programme in 1993, with a target of a five per cent reduction in youth crime, it has worked with more than 2,500 young offenders achieving a 36 per cent reduction in youth crime.

It will be presented with its certificate at Crime Concern's conference on January 23.