ORGANISATIONS throughout Darlington have been invited to help shape the future of the town's youth service.

Darlington Borough Council's youth service is hoping to work with young people and other groups in the town to make sure it is more relevant to youngsters.

At a meeting this week to encourage people to work with the service, Gail Bowen, the council's assistant director of education, said: "We need to look at what the youth service is doing and see if we are doing the right things for the right people in the right way.

"We will talk to young people about what they want and, hopefully, they will make us think and challenge us."

Jamie Dillon, Darlington's member of the Youth Parliament, said: "Young people are active members of the community before they turn 18. They use a large number of services and their lives are affected by the state of their environment. It's very important that services for young people involve young people."

A draft plan will be produced later in the year.