A partnership to help young people with problems was launched before an audience of educators, youth workers and communal professionals at the Pentland Centre in Finchley on Tuesday night.

Drugsline, Jewish Action and Training for Sexual Health, Jewish Care, Jewish Women's Aid and Streetwise are supporting Skills for Life, which will deal with issues such as addiction, bullying, stress and depression, troubled relationships and the pressures of being a young carer.

"Skills for Life will run tailor-made programmes that take into account the ethos of the school or youth group and draws on the expertise of each partner organisation," explained Jewish Care's Sonia Douek, who outlined its aims with Jewish Women's Aid's Abigail Morris.

Ms Morris pointed out that social problems were as prevalent within Anglo-Jewry as in other communities. As confirmation, Emma Spiegler, founder of the Children of Addicted Parents' website, talked about the difficulties of growing up with an alcoholic mother.