#iwill Week 2025: What Do You Stand For? – An Annual Celebration of Young People, Ambassadors, Changemakers, and Partners Leading Change Across the UK

🌟 Young Futures Hub of Hope Launches in Bolton with £1 Car Wash Event

Posted on: 14th October 2025 | 4 min

It Starts With Community 💙

In Bolton, the launch of the Young Futures Hub of Hope marks a new beginning for young people who have too often been left behind. This hub is more than a building — it’s a safe, therapeutic space where confidence, skills, and opportunity come together to create brighter futures.

At the heart of the Hub is We Shine Any Car, Bolton’s first youth-led car wash and vehicle maintenance enterprise. But it’s not just about cars — it’s about young people gaining real-world experience, pride, and belonging.

The Challenges Facing Young People

Across the UK, too many young people are at risk of falling through the cracks:

  • 948,000 young people are not in education, employment, or training (NEET).
  • 1 in 6 children (around 1.7 million) has a probable mental health disorder.
  • 46,000 young people are caught up in county lines exploitation.
  • 80,000 children are currently in the care system — many struggling without consistent support.
  • Thousands come into contact with the youth justice system, often because early intervention failed.

Behind every statistic is a story of a young person who deserves hope, support, and opportunity.

Therapy Through Enterprise

  • The Young Futures Hub of Hope offers more than training — it delivers therapeutic benefits:
  • Routine & belonging – creating safe, structured days.
  • Confidence building – through customer service, teamwork, and achievement.
  • Positive identity – moving from being “written off” to being seen as valuable.
  • Community connection – proving to young people that they matter.

Shelly, mum of Community Youth Voice Ambassador Luis, shared:

“Too many young adults like Luis fall through the net. He was left applying for jobs with no feedback, feeling like he didn’t fit in. Now, through Genuine Futures, his confidence has gone through the roof — he feels like he belongs somewhere and has a future.”

Success from the Start 🚗✨

The pre-launch event proved the demand and the difference this project can make. The Bolton community turned up to support, young people delivered outstanding service, and the atmosphere showed exactly what happens when Bolton backs its own youth.

💙 Sam Smith, Co-Director of Genuine Futures CIC:

“Everything starts with community. The Hub of Hope is not just a project — it’s a lifeline. When young people are given trust, tools, and opportunity, they shine — and when they shine, the whole community shines.”

💙 Mike Alleyne, Co-Director of Genuine Futures CIC:

“This is about belief. For too long, too many have felt excluded. The Hub is about giving them belonging, skills, and the confidence to take control of their futures.”

💙 Terry Walker of The Scrappers:

“When we first saw what Genuine Futures was doing, we knew we wanted to help. Bolton’s young people deserve better — and the Hub of Hope will deliver just that. We’re proud to stand behind it.”

The £1 Community Car Wash Event 💦

To celebrate the official naming of the Young Futures Hub of Hope, we’re hosting a special £1 Community Car Wash Event:

📅 Thursday 23 October 2025
⏰ 10am – 4pm
📍 Young Futures Hub @ The Scrappers, Metro Business Park, 228 Waterloo St, Bolton BL1 8HU

👉 Strictly booking required: Book Your Slot Here

Every shine is delivered by our Community Youth Voice Ambassadors — young people gaining skills, confidence, and pride in their work.

☕ Free tea, coffee, and conversation with every wash.
🍰 Plus, support Briana’s cheesecake business, BloomiesBaked, one of the youth-led enterprises nurtured at the Hub.

Programmes That Change Lives

At Genuine Futures CIC, we don’t just talk — we act. Our programmes include:

  • Boss Your Future (Bolton & Salford): 40 young people empowered through enterprise, employability training, and mentoring.
  • Restore Young Futures: alternative provision for 12–15-year-olds at risk of exclusion, combining therapeutic activities with education.
  • We Shine Any Car: youth-led car wash and vehicle maintenance, opening doors into the motor and recycling industries.
  • Inspiring Speaker Sessions: delivered in schools, youth centres, and community groups, reaching hundreds of young people with lived-experience stories of resilience and hope.

A Movement, Not Just a Hub

The Young Futures Hub of Hope is built on collaboration between:

  • Genuine Futures CIC
  • Entrepreneurs Unlocked CIC
  • Recycle IT | Ethical Tech Recycling Solutions
  • Bolton Council
  • Bolton CVS
  • The Scrappers

Together, we’re proving that “Talent Is Everywhere, But Opportunity Is Not.” And we’re building the bridge to close that gap.

Get Involved

This isn’t just our story — it’s Bolton’s story. And it’s only just beginning.

💙 Come down, support the car wash, and see the Hub of Hope in action.
💙 Sponsor opportunities, donate equipment, or Pay It Forward here: We Shine Any Car Fundraising Campaign

✨ Because when young people shine, the whole community shines.

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