United for Bolton’s Youth: Inspiring the Next Generation Together
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Last Tuesday, our co-directors Sam Smith and Mike Alleyne from Genuine Futures CIC were invited to the Be The Change Youth Project in Bolton to deliver our Inspiring Speakers: Meet & Motivate session.
The event drew a packed room of young people, all eager to hear stories of resilience, lived experience, and hope. What unfolded was more than a presentation — it was an emotional reminder of why Bolton must do more to support its young people.
Heartfelt Stories, Lasting Impact
Our co-directors shared their personal journeys — stories of challenge and transformation that resonated deeply with the audience.
Daniel Sukula, CEO of Be The Change, reflected afterwards:
“To be honest, the room was so quiet hearing both stories from Sam and Mike — I was quiet myself because it’s a lot for a young person to go through such challenges. And obviously being able to now use that to inspire other young people is just really incredible. You know we want to inspire these young people because you’re not always going to hear stories like that unless someone you know comes to you and start telling you, you won’t know. So having people like you from Genuine Futures, Sam and Mike, it had to happen. And I believe every young person in this place will go home tonight and think about everything you said — that’s how amazing this was.”
A Call for Leaders to Step Up
What stood out most from the session was not only the silence in the room — a silence of respect, reflection, and impact — but the message that followed.
Daniel and Sam agreed that Bolton’s organisations and leaders must come together, working collaboratively to create opportunities for young people who often feel overlooked.
At Genuine Futures, this has been our mission from the beginning:
- Through the Young Futures Hub at The Scrappers — giving young people a safe space to belong.
- Through We Shine Any Car — Bolton’s first youth-led car wash, building confidence and enterprise skills.
- Through Boss Your Future and Restore Young Futures — creating pathways into education, training, employment, and entrepreneurship.
Why This Matters
Bolton has talent everywhere, but opportunity is not equally shared. Too many young people are being left behind by a broken system. Sessions like this show the power of lived experience to inspire, challenge, and change mindsets.
Together, with organisations like Be The Change Youth Project, and the wider community, we can ensure that no young person feels forgotten or voiceless.
Watch & Share
Watch Sam and Daniel’s full conversation here: https://youtu.be/K3DdYuoXJj4?si=oKyQdMggO1eU2D3n
When young people are given the chance to hear, reflect, and believe — they leave with more than inspiration. They leave with a vision of what’s possible.
Want to partner with us or book an Inspiring Speakers: Meet & Motivate session for your school or youth group?
#BossYourFuture #YoungFuturesHub #YouthLedEnterprise #Bolton #BeTheChange #GenuineFutures