Charity workers say a £100,000 cash boost will help bring youngsters off the streets of York by providing youth workers, facilities and equipment.

York Playspace Group plans to set up two "chill-out zones" in the city to provide a safe and friendly environment in which eight to 13-year-olds can relax after school.

Members of the independent charity will also inject tens of thousands of pounds into promoting and improving facilities for play in open areas and green spaces in York.

The money will be used over a two-year period beginning in April, but organisers say that once up and running, the schemes could continue indefinitely.

Project leader Alex Leahy said: "We want people to see the benefits of our actions in giving children something meaningful and with a purpose to do that keeps them off the streets. Instead of vandalising parks and public facilities we want them to feel part of it and help work to keep them."

The chill-out zones, which will be set up in community centres in Tang Hall and Acomb, will run two free sessions a week from 4pm to 7pm.

They will be run like junior youth clubs, with facilities for the youngsters to take part in arts, crafts and sports as well as play Playstation games and watch TV. The second grant will be used to develop open spaces in York and to work with the young people who use them, to provide more facilities and create a sense of community involvement.

Alex said: "We have all these open spaces which are under-developed or run-down and we want to bring them up to standard for everyone's benefit."

She said York Playspace was now recruiting a number of youth and play workers to take up full and part-time positions.

Funding has come from the Government's Children's Fund and the Better Play Initiative. The latter is run by a partnership of charities, including Barnardo's, the Children's Play Fund and the Lotto's New Opportunities Fund.

York Playspace Group is based in Falsgrave Crescent, Burton Stone Lane, and has been working to provide additional play opportunities for youngsters in York for the past 30 years.

Updated: 10:14 Monday, February 17, 2003