A shopping centre has put up £30,000 to help steer teenagers away from Glasgow gangs.

The Fort has given the money to the anti-gang charity FARE (Family Action in Rogerfield and Easterhouse) to keep young people off the streets and out of trouble.

The cash will be given out over three years and will fund four trainee positions with the charity.

The teenagers involved will graduate with an NVQ in youth work and, it is hoped, will give their careers a boost – as well as helping to steer dozens of other young people away from gangs.

Jimmy Wilson, director of the charity, said: "The money will help us tackle anti-social behaviour and territorial gang violence, which all impact on the community.

"This is not the first time we have had trainees, but we have never had so many at once. It is really good, because it allows us to give them full training so they can go on to a career in youth work."

One of those involved is Cheryl Robertson, 16, from Shettleston, who was struggling at school until FARE stepped in to helped her.

Her attendance record had plummeted and she had become involved with a gang, who took her out drinking on school nights.

But when FARE began coming to her school to deliver courses, she began to enjoy working with the charity and decided to dedicate her life to helping others.

Now she has turned her life around after achieving good marks in her Standard Grade exams and is training for a NVQ in youth work with FARE.

She said: "It helped me achieve better grades and put on activities I wanted to go into school for.

"FARE did so much to encourage me and helped me change my life. Now I am working with its people I want to do the same for others."

Dean Crawford, 16, grew up in Easterhouse, where he was part of the Drummy gang.

The unhappy teenager focused more on his life on the streets than at school. But that all changed when he got involved with FARE and now he is on the way to becoming a fully paid youth worker, dedicated to helping people out of the situation he escaped from.

Dean said: "My life was all about gangs, just gangs. I was a gang leader, so I would go about fighting nearly every day, looking for trouble. I was always involved with the police.

"I didn't get on well at school and was just fed up with it all until I discovered FARE. Now I am making something of myself and want to help younger people, because many of them remind me of me.

"I want them to know they can change and become a better person."

Dean added: "I know what they are going through, so I want to be a role model and show them they can have a different life."

Since opening seven years ago, The Fort has attracted 90million visitors, who have spent a total of £1.5billion and every night it opens late it pulls in £1m.

Phil Goodman, centre manager at Glasgow Fort, said: "As a major local business and employer, we are committed to supporting the communities of Glasgow's East End.

"We are aware of the importance our role has and do not underestimate how vital supporting the local community and economy is to the regeneration of the area.

"We are proud of what we have built at Glasgow Fort over the past seven years and will continue developing our site to make it more attractive and encourage additional visitors to the area.

"Glasgow Fort Shopping Park is proud to be part of the Easterhouse community."

More than 1500 people work at The Fort, with about two thirds of these from the local area.

The centre also employs extra staff over Christmas and New Year and some 400 jobs will be on offer at a job fair tomorrow.