A Bradford woman is making a film urging young people across the city to turn away from crime, drugs and gangs and focus on their education.

Zayneb Ahmed, 25, who grew up in West Bowling, said she wants teenagers from underprivileged backgrounds to break the cycle of poverty and unemployment and is producing a video to inspire year seven students in Bradford.

Her campaign is supported by charity Fixers, which helps 16 to 25 year olds tackle issues in their communities.

“There are deep and inherent problems,” said Zayneb. “Crime, drugs, gangs and then obviously a lot of young people don’t see a way out. They only see that lifestyle.

“They don’t see education as an opportunity to get out of the cycle of poverty and unemployment.

“If we are not trying to encourage our future generation to do well in education then you have a shocking waste of talent.

“There is so much talent out there – what we need to do is release that talent.”

The university graduate said she hopes her film will change how 11 and 12 year olds view their education.

“They should see it as an opportunity to better themselves, which in turn will build confidence and help them to reach goals and achieve their dreams.

“Despite where I was brought up, I still managed to get my A-levels and go to university.

“I want to do this project not to say ‘look at me, look how well I’m doing’, but to show that I’m from a disadvantaged background too and I’ve been able to make something of myself by concentrating on my education.

“I want to see more people from Bradford do the same and not end up being a Jobseekers’ Allowance statistic.”

As part of the project, Zeyneb asked Bradford businessman Balbir Panesar, chairman of PEC Contracting, Manufacturing and Shopfitting, for his advice for young people.

He said: “I think the most important thing is have the right attitude to do work. Over the years we’ve seen many youngsters coming to work here that we’ve taken on and some of them we’ve noticed not having the same interest in wanting to do work to do something for themselves.”

Fixers is a trademark of the Public Service Broadcasting Trust, which has supported more than 7,800 young people across the UK.

It has received a grant from the Big Lottery Fund, which will see it expand into Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.