Teenage pregnancy and drug abuse are the focus of a new 1.6m government initiative.

The Young People's Development Programme is being implemented by the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills. It will be co-ordinated by the National Youth Agency.

Twenty-seven pilot schemes will run for three years in some of England's most deprived areas. Teenagers aged 13 to 15 will be offered education and training in journalism, environmental activity, arts and sport, mentoring, life skills and health.

Similar projects in the US have led to reductions in rates of teenage pregnancy.

Liz Knight, the teenage pregnancy co-ordinator for Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust, said projects had to go beyond simply providing information.

"Giving children confidence and building their self-esteem is just as important as giving them basic information about sex and the sexual health services available to them," she said.

- www.nya.org.uk.