More than 1,500 potentially disaffected young people are to benefit from a new scheme targeting 11 to 16-year-olds.

Money from the New Opportunities Fund will be used to help children make the best of their life choices through education, training and employment.

It is aimed at those at risk of exclusion from education.

The project will involve outdoor adventure and other challenging activities through the Activities for Young People programme.

Making a contribution to society and the workforce does not always begin with academic success

Baroness Jill Pithkeathley New Opportunities Fund

Belfast Education and Library Board (BELB) has been awarded almost �425,000.

Officials at the board have drawn up plans for spending the funding in the area with key partners in the community.

New Opportunities Fund chair Baroness Jill Pithkeathley said: "A number of pilot schemes have already demonstrated the value of these kind of activities in helping young people build their self esteem and develop the skills valued by employers.

"Making a contribution to society and the workforce does not always begin with academic success.

"The activities being launched today reflect our commitment to tackling disadvantage.

"They will enable potentially life-changing opportunities to become a reality for young people across Northern Ireland."

The fund said schemes would include media training, music recording, information technology, drama and sport.

Elements

The programme is expected to last for three years. Its four elements include the Prince's Trust XL programme, a peer mentoring project, a scheme helping pupils settle into secondary school and an alternative education programme for young people who are unable to remain at school.

The XL clubs are information education programmes that will target 360 young people at 16 schools in a bid to increase motivation and improve school attendance, attitude and behaviour.

The BELB's Gerry McGuinness said there were many reasons why a young person became marginalised or disaffected.

"These projects look at the reasons why a young person feels this way and helps to develop proper support to get back into formal education," he said.

"This grant from the New Opportunities Fund will help us to enhance and develop existing schemes to enable many young people to form positive relationships and make considered choices to improve their future."