A Bradford youth group has secured a contract with a national software distributor after creating an interactive DVD game for youth work.

Social enterprise group 'e:merge', which helps young people to develop by providing education, training and sporting programmes, created the Play Paws DVD to be used as an interactive game by schools and youth groups.

The DVD game has proved so popular among young people that software distributor Authentic Media, a distributor of Christian books and DVDs based in Milton Keynes, has agreed to market the DVD across the UK.

The e:merge group, based in Pawson Street, Laisterdyke, Bradford, holds sessions for young people including 'one-to-ones' with youth workers concentrating on issues such as self-esteem, communication and IT skills. They also offer sports traineeships which last up to 12 months.

Diarmuid O'Neill, project manager at e:merge, said: "The idea for the DVD came from e:merge youth worker John Borland who created the games and the DVD along with animation expert Adam Syrop.

"The Play Paws game is intended to be used as an interactive tool and icebreaker and encourage young people to have a laugh and relax. The game has proved a huge success with young people who come to our workshops."

The DVD consists of 92 games and features a singing and dancing panda and was developed with the backing of Yorkshire Forward assistance, delivered by West Yorkshire Social Enterprise Link (WYSElink), to buy in experts to help with video animation and marketing.

"The Yorkshire Forward support gave us the boost we needed to develop the Play Paws DVD and helped us secure the contract with Authentic Media.

"We are now focusing on creating more learning games," said Mr O'Neill. WYSElink, which is supported by Yorkshire Forward and Business Link West Yorkshire, helps social enterprises to get started and stay on a sound financial footing.

Yorkshire Forward head of enterprise Alex McWhirter said: "I think e:merge is a great example of a social enterprise that uses the creativity of its staff to its advantage in order to compete with mainstream business.

"I am delighted e:merge want to build on the success of this DVD game and develop further products to be used to engage with young people."