When walking through the streets of St Paul's and Easton, it's telling how many people keep their eyes firmly fixed on the ground.

The under-privileged corners of the city can be intimidating and cold places.

But as he walks through the graffiti-scarred roads, Neil Ramsay's eyes are looking forward - purposefully catching the glances of the youngsters standing on street corners.

The former school teacher is leading a new project being launched in the city on Saturday, which aims to engage with the city's disenfranchised youth.

The scheme, Lifetracks, is being made possible in cities across the country thanks to a £5-million investment by the Vodafone Foundation and a further £1.5m match funding from v, the National Young Volunteers Service.

It brings together a consortium of four youth charities - The Foyer Federation, Skill, Rathbone and YouthNet.

"The idea is that we engage with young people who may have lost their way or not had the best start in life," explains Neil, who is leading the team of five youth workers who will fan out across St Paul's and Easton, building up relationships with youngsters during the next three years.

"We literally approach people in the street, get to know them and try to offer help and advice to get them on the right tracks."

The scheme, which is aimed at 16- to 25-year-olds, will be officially launched at the St Paul's Carnival on Saturday. But Neil and his fellow "street engagement team" members have been developing the project for two months.

"I go out often in the evenings when there are lots of youngsters out and about. It doesn't take long to find them hanging on street corners. I don't have a problem with them doing that, if that's the way they like to spend their time. But I always think, they would probably prefer to be doing something more constructive.

"When you actually get talking to them, the majority of these disengaged youngsters do have ambitions, but they don't have the self confidence or the opportunity to get started. We're able to show them the right path.

"For example, I've already come across a lot of young people who are interested in music, and would like to develop a career in that field. We're able to put them in touch with youth organisations in and around Bristol, which can offer them training in performance or production skills, and really start to motivate them.

"It might not be the case that they are all going to make it as successful pop stars. But there are career opportunities in the fields that interest them if they know where to look."

Neil says the response of the youngsters has been largely positive.

"Of course you do get some people who aren't interested in being helped, and that's fine - we're not there to force them to do anything," he said.

"But I think most people realise we're offering genuine help. Mentoring can be a really important thing to young people. If you can act as a positive role model, you can really help to give them a hand up out of their problems, and seriously start to boost their confidence and self-esteem.

"You need to slowly build up a relationship of trust," he explains. "A lot of these young people have had difficult times in formal education, and they can find it difficult to trust you at first. That's why it's vitally important that you make sure you're able to deliver on anything you promise them.

"You do that by knowing a lot about the charities and support organisations that are out there working in the city - often it's about being able to put them in touch with the right people who will be able to help them."

In the worst case scenarios, the youngsters can even be homeless at the start of the mentoring.

"Sometimes they'll say, yes it's good that you want to help me find a job or vocational training, but actually my immediate priority is getting off the streets and finding a roof over my head. In that case I work with homelessness charities and hostels to make sure that they find somewhere to live while they're attempting to rebuild their lives.

"Other times there are issues with drug and substance abuse that they need help to get over. Then there can also be problems with criminal involvement and links to gang cultures. But there are organisations out there that can help them to escape from all these sorts of problems.

"When you're down and out in that sort of position, it can be impossible to see a way out. Sometimes you just need someone to develop your positivity and show you the best way out. That's why we're here."

The team will officially begin their work at the St Paul's Carnival - they're hosting a soundstage and giving out leaflets on the corner of Brighton Street throughout the afternoon on Saturday.

"I'm very excited about the prospect of being able to get out there and offer constructive help and advice to young people," Neil said.

"I previously worked as a secondary school drama teacher in Midsomer Norton, but I found the kids that really interested me were the ones I had to send out of the lessons because they were being unruly.

"When I saw this job advertised, I thought it would be a good opportunity to work with the youngsters on the streets of my own neighbourhood, here in St Paul's. What could be more rewarding than that?"