Teenagers reach out through song (Video)

YOUNGSTERS have written a song and made a music video urging children to steer clear of anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and violence.

The 12 teenagers from crime reduction charity Nacro used £2,000 from Robbie Williams' Give it Sum fund to pay for the project.

After making their video with finger puppets, film-maker Chris Stone then recorded footage of Stoke-on-Trent to use as a backdrop.

Now their four-minute video can be seen at an exhibition at Burslem School of Art, in Queen Street, Burslem, until Friday, October 2.

Watch the music video

Chantelle Yates, aged 16, of Wise Street, Dresden, who took part in the project, said: "The video is good and much better than I was expecting.

"I really struggled at school, so I started coming to Nacro two days a week during my GCSEs.

"It has really helped me build my confidence and skills. We came up with all the ideas ourselves and did everything from script writing, to puppet making and filming.

"I made a police officer and a gangster puppet, using fabric and felt and also helped with the background tune.

She added: "We chose the theme of anti-social behaviour because it's something that affects teenagers.

"We understand how easy it can be to go down the wrong track. We want to reach out to teenagers, and get them to think before they act."

Chris Stone said: "The young people made all the puppets and then filmed them against a green screen. Then I went out and shot all the background scenes and then edited it all together.

"The finished video is quite hypnotic."

Elaine Pollard, who manages the Nacro centre in Spring Garden Road, Longton, said: "The video is absolutely fantastic but more important was what the young people thought.

"Their faces when they first watched the video back was amazing, you could hear a pin drop in the training centre.

"It's quite a serious subject but they picked up on the humour."

The video is being shown as part of an exhibition being hosted by arts group The Cultural Sisters, which features eight projects.

Other organisations involved in the exhibition are Biddulph High School, Haywood High School, in Burslem, John Baskeyfield Primary School, in Burslem, Shelton Day Services, Leek Winterfest, The Donna Louise Children's Hospice Trust's youth club and Summer's View mental health centre in Tunstall.