A TEAM of unemployed youngsters from Bolton are set to transform a derelict house as they learn skills which could give them a job for life.

The unique four-month project run by Bolton Lads and Girls Club (BLGC) will see seven young people not in education or employment carry out the improvements themselves at the same time as undertaking work experience and construction qualifications.

The four-bedroom house, in Bolton Road, Kearsley, was bought for £80,000 and will be overhauled by the group with the help of builder and developer Seddon.

Trades people and mentors from Seddon, based in Plodder Lane, Bolton, will teach the group, aged 17 to 21, the skills they need to carry out all the work themselves.

The launch event for the scheme entitled Renov8 took place at the house and was attended by Bolton’s Mayor Cllr Martin Donaghy.

More than 100 young people have been involved in the project so far, with teenagers taking part in the Government’s National Citizen Service running the project’s Twitter account, promoting the scheme, designing the logo, overseeing the project’s finance and designing and coming up with the Revov8 brand.

BLGC was given the keys to the house by the charity’s vice- chairman, Nick Hopkinson, who bought the house through The Hopkinson foundation — a trust set up in memory of his late father, Peter Hopkinson, to provide educational opportunities for youngsters.

Once complete, the charity hopes to sell the house and reinvest the profit into the club and help more young get on the career ladder.

Handing over the giant key at the opening event, Mr Hopkinson said: “I believe there is a genius in every single person in the world.

"This gives young people the chance to find out what they can do and really start contributing.

“There are more than 100 youngsters involved in this because as well as renovating the house they have then got to market it and sell it.

“I’ve been fundraising for 25 years and asking people for money is difficult. But local businesses can provide their goods and services at lower cost, which is a great way for them to help out.”

BLGC’s enterprise delivery manager Philip Burke, said: “This project is about giving young people in long-term unemployment with multiple barriers an opportunity to work alongside construction experts Seddon while learning valuable trades and gaining qualifications.

“For us opportunities should be given to those with enthusiasm and drive to achieve and we can do this by offering this helping hand while raising valuable funds for the club.

Lee Gaskell is one of the young people taking part in the project. Aged 21 he has sent out more than 1,000 job applications since leaving college three years ago.

“It has been really demoralising,” he said.

“You’re always told there are so many people going up for the job and that you aren’t the strongest candidate.

“I have always wanted to work in the building industry – my older brother is a painter and decorator and I used to help him at work when I was younger.

“But when I left college there were no jobs.”

Seddon training and development manager, Tony Costello said the young people on the scheme had not been given the chance to show what they can achieve – until now.

“At Seddon, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to shine, that’s we have taken on apprentices for the last 80 years,” he said.

“Every single one of the young people renovating the house will be given an interview for our apprenticeship programme and the opportunity to gain all the qualifications they need to work on a building site.”

The group will also attend Bolton College during the construction work to study for their City and Guilds Basic Construction Skills (6218) qualification, maths and English and carry out work experience on Seddon’s live construction sites.

Any businesses wanting more information or to support the Renovat8 project should contact Mr Burke on 07854 070887.