Young Fixers helping others in Truro to tackle problems at home

Their troubled home lives make them the perfect people to encourage better communication to prevent family breakdowns affecting youngsters.

Fixers are a group of nine young women working in Truro to reach out to people of a similar age battling problems at home.

The women live in supported accommodation in the city and have all experienced difficulties at home in the past, ranging from abuse to abandonment. They are now planning to make a short film based on their experiences to encourage parents and young people to listen, understand and compromise.

The group hope their film will be used by social workers who may act as mediators in family breakdowns.

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Fixers is a charity project which supports 16 to 25-year-olds throughout the UK to take action and change things for the better, addressing any issue they feel strongly about.

Hannah Scrace, 18, is lead 'Fixer' and has been living in sheltered accommodation for five months. She said: "It can be tough when a family breaks down and we want to help other young people find their way.

"We all have experience with family issues and we want to use them to encourage families that are going through hard times to talk to one another.

"It is hard to talk about our experiences, but we want to show others that you can get through the tough times by talking."

Fixers is a project run by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) and is funded by the Big Lottery Fund which awarded £7.2 million in April 2012.

The PSBT is a charity that brings together mainstream broadcasters, public and voluntary sector services, and viewers.

Margo Horsley, chief executive at the trust, said Fixers started in 2008 and has so far helped 5,500 young people.

She said: "The Fixers have reached thousands of people with their work, on a national stage as well as in and around where they live.

"They choose the full array of social and health issues facing society today and set about making their mark.

"Their ideas can be challenging, inspirational and often life-changing."

Peter Ainsworth, Big Lottery Fund UK chairman, said he was "extremely happy" to support Fixers.

He said: "Thousands of public-spirited young people across the UK are campaigning to make improvements in their own communities.

"By providing a platform to highlight their voluntary work and many achievements, Fixers demonstrates the positive contribution thousands of committed young people are making at a local level and challenges negative stereotypes."

The women will be featured on ITV's The West Country Tonight on Thursday, January 3 at 6pm.