Barrow councillors from the area's Local Committee are set to get involved in a scheme to teach teenagers about Active Citizenship.
Cumbria County Council's Local Committee for Barrow today agreed to help pay for and take part in a 13-week Active Citizenship pilot scheme to teach year-nine pupils at a school in the town about issues such as democracy, financial literacy, housing and equal opportunities.
The project is being run with Barrow Citizens Advice Bureau, Barrow Borough's Housing Department and Community Action Furness.
As well as committing £536 to help meet the cost, councillors will get personally involved by talking to the teenagers about local democracy and the political process and showing them how they can get involved in decisions which effect their lives.
Alan Nicholson, chairman of Barrow Local Committee, said: "This is an excellent idea. It will help teach teenagers some useful skills to deal with issues facing them such as housing, finding work and managing their own finances. But it will also give us councillors a chance to meet young people face-to-face to talk about local democracy and the political process and give them a chance to get them more involved in important decisions which shapes local services."
If the scheme goes well it could be extended to more young people in the area.