Said Institute of Technical Education student Muhammad Noor Izuan Mohd Faiz, 17: 'I was very rough.

'People would misunderstand me, and think I was looking for a fight.'

His teacher asked him to give the Gems Mentoring Programme, a collaboration between ITE and the Malay Youth Literary Association (4PM), a shot.

Thirty-three youth in this Guide, Empower, Motivate and Support or Gems were recognised on Friday, for having successfully completed the year-long programme. Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman, Parliamentary Secretary for National Development, was the guest-of-honour.

The programme identifies 'youth with at-risk behaviour', a 4PM spokesman said, and pairs them with older students who act as their role models.

There, Izuan met his mentor, now his buddy, Mohammad Isman Mohammad Kassim, 18.

'I'm a straight-forward person too, and if I see something I don't like, I will say it, so it's not bottled up,' said Isman.

'I would tell him nicely what the problem was and he would take it and try to change,' he said.

Now, Izuan, whose mother is divorced, is more confident, hardworking and has better grades.

'My grade point average went up from 1.5 last year to 2,' he said, proudly.

Isman, who is waiting to pursue a mechanical engineering course, was also given an award for being the best mentor in the programme.