A scheme suggested by young people, to help rehabilitate young offenders, is set to be adopted by Oxfordshire County Council.

The council has given its backing to a plan to develop Positive Achievement Records - which would act as passports to employment or further and higher education for offenders and those at risk of offending.

The scheme was suggested at a young people's forum held to discuss the issue as part of last month's 11 Million Take Over day - in which children and young people took on adult roles.

The meeting brought together 15 young people, selected by the council as a cross-section of Oxfordshire youth. They discussed ways to create a more positive image of young people, help troubled youngsters find work, and build self-esteem.

Positive Achievement Records would take the form of a council-backed curriculum vitae. But instead of recording educational success, they would list non-academic achievements, such as voluntary work and mentoring. They would also contain a reference from the council.

Amir Ahmed, 15, Rose Hill, Oxford, was one of the young people who attended the meeting.

He said: "It is hard for young people who have been given anti-social behaviour orders or been in trouble to get on the right track.

"The ideas we had at the meeting were about giving people who want to change their lives a second chance.

"It is about helping them get jobs or go to university - which is hard for people even if they stay out of trouble, because they have offences on their record."

Joanne Booker, 16, a sixth form pupil from King Alfred's School in Wantage, said she had been surprised by some of the ideas coming out of the meeting.

She said: "It was a really diverse group, some of the people there had been in trouble before and some of us hadn't.

"I thought all the ideas we have put forward to the county council were amazing and will definitely help young people who are in trouble to sort their lives out."

Alison Partridge, service manager for children's rights and involvement at Oxfordshire County Council, said she looked forward to taking the ideas forward.

She said: "It's been really impressive being a part of this and watching these young people develop great ideas in what was a very positive meeting.

"We will now be taking them forward and working with officers, using these ideas to reduce anti-social behaviour."

Chief executive of the county council, Joanna Simons, who also attended the meeting on November 23, said she was particularly impressed by the Positive Achievement Records.

She said: "There are a lot of young people who get into trouble who want to make a fresh start. If, through the county council, we can give them some sort of accreditation they can show to employers, then that would be fantastic."