Funding boost for youth projects

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Young Britons are more likely to fight, binge drink, take drugs and have under-age sex than their contemporaries across the EU, said the report from left-of-centre think-tank the Institute for Public Policy Research.

It called for compulsory after-school activities such as sports, martial arts or military cadets to encourage teenagers to develop interests and spend less time simply "hanging out" with each other.

The 10-year youth strategy being launched by the Government's minister for children and young people, Beverley Hughes, is expected to support the idea that teenagers should be given more positive ways to spend their spare time.

But it was unclear whether the Government would go down the route of compulsion favoured by the IPPR.

Outlining her intentions earlier this month, Ms Hughes said: "Giving young people positive things to do and places to go, especially in the most deprived communities, is a real priority for this government.

"We know that young people themselves are the most likely to be victims of anti-social behaviour and this needs to be tackled. We've already put £115 million directly into the hands of young people, resulting in 650,000 benefiting from new activities and places to go."

Launched in 2005, the £115 million Youth Funds have provided activities and facilities - such as DJ-ing classes, childcare to allow teenage mothers to attend night school, a youth radio station and a fishing club - in response to proposals from 13-19 year-olds about what was lacking in their local area.

The IPPR report called for a one-hour "legal extension" to the school day so that pupils must take part in after-school activities, whether they liked it or not.

The think-tank said regularly attending extra-curricular clubs helped pupils manage their emotions better and cut down on anti-social behaviour.