Bolton Councillors Inspired by Youth Enterprise: How Listening to Young People Is Changing Futures
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Bolton Councillors Inspired by Young People, Partnership, and Youth-Led Enterprise
Across Bolton, a powerful shift is taking place. Local councillors are moving beyond statistics and strategy documents to see first-hand what truly works for young people — and what they are witnessing is both inspiring and urgent.
Recent visits to the Genuine Futures Youth Enterprise Hub have shown how youth-led enterprise, trusted relationships, and lived-experience leadership are re-engaging young people who have previously been labelled as “hard to reach.” What councillors encountered was not a short-term project, but a sustainable, community-rooted model delivering real outcomes.
The First to Visit and Be Inspired
The first councillors to visit and be inspired were Councillor Andrea Taylor-Burke and Councillor Adele Warren — both outstanding representatives of Bolton and passionate advocates for their communities in Darcy Lever, Little Lever, and Breightmet.
During their visits, they took time to listen directly to young people, observe enterprise activity in action, and understand how the Youth Enterprise Hub operates as a safe, structured, and aspirational space. Both councillors were clearly impressed by the opportunities on offer and the confidence, pride, and ambition shown by the young people involved.
Reflecting on the visit, Councillor Andrea Taylor-Burke highlighted the growing pressures facing young people in her wards, particularly around mental health and progression:
“So many young people in Darcy Lever and Little Lever are struggling with their mental health, and programmes like this can make a real difference. Having a safe space, trusted adults, and clear next steps helps young people rebuild confidence and move forward.”
Councillor Adele Warren spoke candidly about the reality facing young people in Breightmet and the urgency of acting now:
“Breightmet is an area that has been left behind, and the offer being delivered here could make a real difference for many young people who are struggling in my ward. We know significant funding is coming — but young people need this support now, not later. Early intervention like this cannot wait.”
Together, their reflections reinforce a clear message: when local leadership listens and invests early, community-led youth provision can create lasting change.
Seeing Beyond the NEET Statistics in Bolton
Bolton continues to face significant challenges around youth disengagement. Local data shows high numbers of young people who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training), including school leavers and young people who have dropped out of college. Nationally, more than one million young people are now classed as NEET.
But behind every statistic is a young person with potential.
During the visits, councillors met young people who had experienced exclusion from education, care experience, housing instability, and repeated short-term interventions that never led anywhere.
As one young person shared:
“I was written off more times than I can count. This is the first place that didn’t give up on me.”
Another added:
“For the first time, I feel like I’ve got something positive to work towards.”
Why Youth-Led Enterprise Works
The Boss Your Future programme is built around real-world enterprise, not simulated learning. Young people develop employability, enterprise, and life skills through genuine responsibility — from customer engagement and teamwork to timekeeping, accountability, and pride in their work.
This approach resonated strongly with visiting councillors because it reflects the real world young people are preparing to enter.
One participant explained:
“This isn’t practice — it’s real. People trust us, and that makes you want to do better.”
Another said:
“This place helped me believe I could be more than my past.”
Funded by Belief: Thank You to Bolton Council and Bolton CVS
None of this work would be possible without belief, partnership, and investment.
We extend our sincere thanks to Bolton Council and Bolton CVS for funding the Boss Your Future programme through the Bolton Fund. Their support has enabled Genuine Futures to provide consistent, meaningful opportunities for young people who need them most.
The programme is delivered in partnership with Entrepreneurs Unlocked, Recycle IT, and The Scrappers — a collaboration that brings together enterprise expertise, community infrastructure, and lived-experience leadership.
Partner Voices: Why This Programme Matters
Mike Alleyne, Director at Genuine Futures, said:
“This funding isn’t just supporting a programme — it’s backing young people at the moment belief matters most. Boss Your Future works because it’s real, consistent, and rooted in lived experience.”
David Morgan, Founder of Entrepreneurs Unlocked, shared:
“When young people are trusted with real opportunity, they rise to it. This partnership shows what’s possible when organisations work together with a shared purpose.”
John Hastings, Director at Recycle IT, added:
“This programme gives young people skills, confidence, and pathways that lead somewhere. It’s practical, positive, and genuinely life-changing.”
Terry Walker, Founder of The Scrappers, commented:
“We’re proud to give Genuine Futures a home here. Seeing young people grow in confidence and responsibility reminds us why community spaces like this matter.”
From Inspiration to Action
The visits from Bolton councillors have sparked important conversations about sustainability, early intervention, and the role of community-led provision in reducing NEET numbers across the borough.
Bolton has the opportunity to lead by example — by backing approaches that are already working, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring young people receive support before crisis point.
As one young person told visiting leaders:
“If this place didn’t exist, I don’t know where I’d be.”
Looking Ahead
Genuine Futures remains committed to working openly with Bolton councillors, Bolton Council, Bolton CVS, and our partners to build futures that last.
The talent is already here. The solutions are already working. When belief meets action, young people rise.