A team of young people will learn valuable skills and how to pass them on to other youngsters.

Bradford South Youth Team was launched this week with an induction for the 18 participants.

The young people, aged between 18 and 25, were chosen from 152 applicants to take part in the programme - the first of its kind in the Bradford South area.

Youth teams began five years ago in Bradford and this will be the sixth team in the city.

The full-time scheme involves work around issues like crime prevention, drugs and health.

Participants must also "cascade" their knowledge to other young people in their area, through their friends, families or even youngsters hanging around on street corners.

Bradford South Youth Team will cover Little Horton, Manchester Road, East Bowling, Marshfields, Bankfoot, Odsal and Canterbury.

The team will work out of four bases in the district.

At the end of the two-year scheme, students will obtain credits towards a recognised qualification.

The team has been funded through regeneration project Bradford Trident, Neighbourhood Renewal Funding and the European Social Fund.

Salima Hafejee, youth teams manager, said the students were very enthusiastic.

"They want to challenge the myth that that all young people are the perpetrators of anti-social behaviour," she said.

Speaking at the launch, Labour group leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said: "I know people on previous schemes have been challenged but also had a lot of fun and made a positive contribution."

Team members said they were looking forward to getting started.

Trinity Brown, 20, of Little Horton, is hoping to become a youth worker. Anthony Hamilton, also 20 and from Bankfoot, said his mum and uncle were both youth workers, which inspired him to follow them.