Six months in and the youth work project being run by the Dracaena Centre in Falmouth, which has replaced services axed by Cornwall Council earlier this year, is proving a great success.

Youth services in the town were under threat because of the unitary authority's austerity cuts, but were saved when the Dracaena Centre entered into a partnership with Falmouth Town Council - the first of its kind in the county.

The town council ploughed £20,000 into the project to support the Dracaena Centre's team with their 12 month pilot project which began on April 1. Last week the centre's youth work coordinator, Kate Springfield, and health, leisure and well being coordinator, Brad Bodinnar, attended a meeting of the town council to give members an update on the project.

"The youth work project has been running for about six months and that is a really short time, especially when working with young people as at this stage we are still building relationships and getting to know the young people," said Kate. "It is in its early stages, but it is doing really well. We now have five sessional youth workers and we are advertising for a sixth."

Councillors were told the project is now running a young women's group every Wednesday, has a general drop in session on Thursdays and is currently setting up a more formalised drop in session to give young people a place to "hang out" when it gets colder. Two lunchtime drop-in sessions are also held at Falmouth School.

"We have a tight budget and we are trying to do the best we can with it," said Kate." We are advertising for volunteers and are approaching the universities, Cornwall College, Truro College and trying to approach students to get people to work with young people."

Brad added: "We are looking at how we can make this sustainable. We do not want to just do 12 months and then have to step away from that."

Councillor Candy Atherton, chair of the town council's finance committee, said: "I'm really pleased to hear this is going so well because Falmouth is the only town council that is supporting youth services."