A mother whose son was shot dead in 2006 has received a grant worth thousands of pounds to help troubled young people in the borough.

Anita Hudson, who is the director of the mental health charity in Haringey, Mind, applied for £125,000 of funding from NHS London to set up a project dedicated to helping troubled young people and their families.

The Younger Minds and Families North London project will launch next month in conjunction with the Haringey branch of Mind.

It will provide counselling and life coaching for 70 people living in Haringey, Enfield, Barnet, Islington and Camden.

The young people, who will be 16 to 25 years old, will be referred to the scheme through a number of organisations, including housing trusts and each of the five councils involved.

Mrs Hudson lost her 26-year-old son Leon Adams in 2006 when he was shot in the Ladbroke Grove in west London.

She applied for the money from NHS London last month and was awarded the grant to run the year-long scheme at the Mind building in Stapleton Hall Road, Crouch Hill.

Mrs Hudson, who has worked for Mind for just over a year, said: “I can see that an awful lot of young people are trying to gain respect in the wrong environment and that is what I am trying to stop.

“I think for me, just because someone is acting using antisocial behaviour it does not mean they have mental health problems, but there is clearly something causing this.

“I am really excited. I am passionate about young people and about helping those with mental health issues.”

The first courses for people referred to the project will start in Haringey, and will consist of six week classes to help people improve their confidence, motivation and self-esteem.

People attending the course will also get help with their CVs and tips on how to wcomplete job application forms.

Legal advice will be given to each of the people involved and volunteering opportunities will be available in a cafe to learn about hygiene, healthy eating and customer service.

Mind in Haringey have carried out a similar scheme from April 2011 to the end of this month.

With £40,000 of funding from the social enterprising funding body, Resolving Chaos, Mind helped 30 young people in Haringey who were suffering from issues including mental health.

Through the year-long scheme, they were able to make a total of £125,000 of savings to bodies including the NHS and Haringey Council.

Mrs Hudson, who lives in Hornsey, said: “I think the Government is getting smarter because too often people are getting grants. It is are saying we have to prove that we are able to save money.”

She said at this stage, she is uncertain about the long term future of the scheme.