The hopes for the future of any local community rest largely with its young people. They can make it or break it. Too often, it seems, it is the ones determined to do the breaking who set the agenda and make the headlines.

Fortunately for the West Royd estate at Windhill it contains a group of determined, positive-minded young people who are proud of the area in which they live and eager to help to improve its image.

The teenagers are to be congratulated for defying the negative perception created by some members of their generation and showing a great willingness to work hard, on their own initiative, for the benefit of the estate. It is remarkable how they rallied round to clean up a derelict site to make it ready for the portable building which is to be their new youth centre.

It is to be hoped that West Royd residents turn out in strength tomorrow for the barbecue and table-top sale arranged to launch the new centre, which will not only house a youth club but will also provide workshops on a range of topics, including sex education, anger management and health issues.

As one of the teenagers puts it: "We've really started to change things up here and we want people to be proud of their neighbourhood."

They have a dream for the future of their area which, hopefully, will inspire other people on the estate to do what they can to boost its future and could encourage other young people elsewhere to follow their lead.