YOUNG citizens have spent the summer making a difference.

Scores of 16 and 17-year-olds in Bolton enrolled on the National Citizen Service (NCS) over the long break and have spent four weeks working to make a change in their community — be that raising awareness of the plight of homeless people or educating their peers on the dangers surrounding legal highs.

NCS is described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity open to all 16 and 17-years-olds in England and Bolton Lads and Girls Club is in its fifth year of running it for local teenagers who spent two weeks away from home, taking part in an adventure holiday and living independently in student halls of residence where they plan their “social action project”.

In one project to help the homeless a group took to the town hall steps to raise awareness of homelessness.

Amber Wilkinson, aged 16, from Kearsley, said: “After researching homelessness across the town we were determined to raise awareness of the issue, educate people and support other local organisations that tackle it.

“We sat in silence on the town hall steps with placards. The main aim was for the public to recognise the issue. It has been a great experience and I have learnt a lot.

"Quite a few people stopped to find out more about our project so for that I feel proud.”

Teenagers concerned about the prevalence of so called legal highs also created a short film to highlight the dangers of them as part of their campaign, following the death of a reveller at the Kendal Calling festival this summer.

In the film party goers are transported into a video game, to be used to educate young people and raise awareness of the dangers of taking legal highs.

Rhianna Hewell, aged 16, a pupil at Kearsley Academy, said: “We wanted our social action project to deal with issues affecting young people and we looked at bullying, but then we heard what happened at Kendal Calling.

“Through our research we found that legal highs are so easily available and children as young as 12 have tried them — yet nobody is talking about them.”

Sam Hardman, aged 16, who attends Westhoughton High School, said: “These products are sold and the way the people selling them cover themselves is by saying the product is not for human consumption.

“It doesn’t say what is in the ingredients, and I don’t know how people selling these products can sleep at night — how would they feel if their children took legal highs?”

The short film brings home the dangers of so called legal highs.

The film will be promoted on social media and the long term aim is that it is used to educate other youngsters.

Jacob Barlow, aged 16, from Canon Slade School said: “The video game concept was because a lot of young people play video games, and they can relate to it.

“But in real life you cannot restart the game.”

The teenagers, who did not know each other when they started the scheme, said they would recommend it to all 16 and 17 year-olds.

Amy Knight, aged 16, from Thornleigh Salesian College, said: “I have made new friends and I feel more confident.

“I was quite shy when I started but am not anymore. If I wasn’t doing this I would just be at home watching Netflix.”

Rhianna added: “NCS is a good opportunity to make some new and really good friends.

“I feel more confident about meeting new people.

“Had it not been for this, I don’t think I would have done anything over the holidays.”

Jacob said: “I am a lot more patient after taking part in the programme.

“You are doing something different and we have all completed a First Aid Course run by St John’s Ambulance.

Sam added: “We took part in activates that we would not have done, like caving.

“The residential and staying in the halls of residence was a really good experience especially as I want to go to university.”

To embark on the NCS programme visit www.boltonladsandgirlsclub.co.uk/projects/ncs