How Local Business Support Is Powering Youth Enterprise in Bolton: Terry Walker, The Scrappers and Genuine Futures Back the Next Generation
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When local businesses back young people, real change happens
There’s a big difference between saying you support young people and actually showing it.
Posters and promises are easy.
Programmes and paperwork are common.
But practical action — the kind that puts tools in young people’s hands and belief in their minds — is what truly changes futures.
That’s exactly what happened when Terry Walker, founder of The Scrappers, gifted a brand-new hand-held polisher to the young team running We Shine Any Car, the youth-led enterprise delivered through Genuine Futures.
On paper, it’s just a piece of equipment.
In reality, it’s something far more powerful.
It’s trust.
It’s expectation.
It’s investment.
It’s belief.
And for the young people involved, it sends a clear message:
“We take you seriously.”
Not a project. A real business.
At Genuine Futures, the philosophy is simple and practical.
Young people don’t need endless theory about work.
They need real work.
That’s why We Shine Any Car exists.
It isn’t a training exercise or a classroom simulation. It’s a functioning, customer-facing enterprise where young people:
- greet customers
- manage bookings
- handle equipment
- work to professional standards
- take responsibility for quality
- and deliver real results
Cars arrive dirty and leave spotless — because the team made it happen.
This is enterprise learning in its purest form.
Hands-on.
High standards.
Real accountability.
But to work like professionals, you need professional tools.
That’s where Terry stepped in.
A simple gesture with lasting impact
Instead of asking what forms needed completing or what funding round might cover it, Terry simply asked a straightforward question:
“What do the young people need to do the job properly?”
The answer was equipment that matched their ambition.
So he provided it.
A brand-new polisher.
Straightforward. Practical. Immediate.
But when the team opened the box, the reaction said everything.
This wasn’t just excitement.
It was pride.
Ownership.
Motivation.
Because when someone invests in you, you naturally want to step up.
Youth voice: what it meant
Hearing directly from the young people makes the impact crystal clear.
Keir said:
“Having proper tools makes us feel like a real business, not just learners. It shows people trust us.”
That one sentence sums up the shift Genuine Futures works hard to create.
Not learners.
Not participants.
Not service users.
A real business.
Keir has even bigger ambitions beyond the car wash bay. He’s developing plans to start his own enterprise in the future, and Genuine Futures is supporting him to build the confidence, skills and mindset to make that happen.
For him, this isn’t just work experience.
It’s a stepping stone to ownership.
He added:
“We’re not just washing cars — now we can polish them properly too.”
It’s a simple line, but it says a lot.
Higher standards.
Better quality.
More pride.
Because polishing isn’t just an upgrade in service — it’s an upgrade in how they see themselves.
Jay shared:
“This helps us do the job faster and better. It makes me want to take even more care with every car.”
That’s what happens when young people feel trusted.
They don’t cut corners.
They raise the bar.
Cameron said:
“When someone invests in you like this, you want to prove yourself.”
Not because they have to.
Because they want to.
That’s the difference belief makes.
Why Terry backs the work
Terry has always taken a straightforward view on supporting young people.
For him, this isn’t charity or ticking a corporate social responsibility box.
It’s common sense.
Terry explained:
“If we want young people to succeed, we’ve got to give them the right environment and the right equipment. Genuine Futures are doing it the right way — real skills, real responsibility, real work. Backing them just makes sense.”
He sees what many others miss.
Young people don’t lack potential.
They often just lack opportunity and someone willing to open the door.
He added:
“This isn’t charity — it’s investment. When young people get opportunities early, the whole community benefits.”
And he’s right.
When young people succeed:
Communities are stronger.
Businesses are stronger.
Local economies are stronger.
Everyone benefits.
More than a car wash
From the outside, We Shine Any Car might look like a simple service business.
But inside, it’s something much deeper.
It’s a place where young people who may have struggled in traditional settings finally feel:
- trusted
- capable
- needed
- valued
For many, it’s the first time someone has relied on them to deliver something real.
That responsibility changes how they see themselves.
And once that mindset shifts, everything else follows.
Confidence improves.
Communication improves.
Work ethic improves.
Ambition grows.
Just like Keir, who is already thinking beyond today and planning his own future business.
That’s what genuine enterprise education looks like.
Not theory.
Experience.
The power of local partnership
There’s something uniquely powerful about local businesses backing local young people.
It creates a visible circle of support.
Young people can see adults investing in them.
Businesses can see young people stepping up.
The community can see progress happening right in front of them.
No distant programmes.
No abstract promises.
Just real action on the ground.
That’s what makes partnerships between The Scrappers and Genuine Futures so effective.
They’re practical.
Responsive.
Rooted in the community.
Practical support creates real outcomes
There’s an important lesson here for councils, funders and businesses alike.
Impact doesn’t always start with big budgets.
Sometimes it starts with simple things:
Tools
Equipment
Space
Time
Mentorship
The basics that allow young people to perform at their best.
Because when you remove barriers, young people naturally rise.
Terry didn’t overcomplicate it.
He saw what was needed and acted.
And that’s often all it takes.
Looking ahead
With better equipment, growing confidence, and the backing of trusted partners, the We Shine Any Car team continues to raise standards.
They’re not just learning how to clean vehicles.
They’re learning:
- professionalism
- teamwork
- responsibility
- customer service
- enterprise thinking
They’re building habits that last far beyond the car wash bay.
And young people like Keir are already proving what’s possible when the right support is in place — moving from participant to professional, and from employee mindset to entrepreneur mindset.
Final thought
A hand-held polisher might not look life-changing.
But in the right hands, it can be.
Because sometimes all it takes to change a future is:
Someone believing in you.
Someone trusting you.
Someone saying, “Here — you’re ready.”
That’s what Terry did.
And that’s what Genuine Futures continues to build every day.
Real tools. Real responsibility. Real opportunity. Real futures.
If you’d like to support We Shine Any Car or partner with Genuine Futures to back young people into work and enterprise, get in touch and see the impact for yourself.