YOUNG refugees who have come to Bolton from war-torn lands are turning their lives around with the help of a youth organisation.

Many of the children and young people fleeing violence and upheaval have been helped by the RISE project at Bolton Lads and Girls Club. And now some of them are now becoming volunteers to support local young people and other refugees.

Karen Edwards, CEO of the well-known club on Spa Road, said: “RISE began in July, 2016, after large numbers of refugee and asylum-seeking families began to arrive in Bolton.

“Many had experienced traumatic upheaval due to civil war and persecution. They had complex needs and the children and young people needed an outlet to be children and young people with our host community of youngsters.

“Some of them have experienced things before arriving in Bolton that you would never want anyone to experience.

“The club wanted to do something to help and we came up with the RISE project. This encourages these youngsters to attend BLGC and access a whole range of opportunities from wall-climbing to football and boxing, from mentoring to the National Citizen Service.

"It also includes support with a wide range of everyday things such as CV’s, forms for work, finance, college and the list goes on.

“Some of the RISE youngsters have also signed themselves up as volunteers at the club helping them gain confidence, make friends and integrate positively into society.”

These young people also bring something special to Bolton. As the club’s Refugee Engagement Officer Steve Worden explained: “The young refugees and asylum seekers bring with them a rich and cultural diversity.

“They all value and recognise the importance of the education they are receiving and the opportunities here at the club — like National Citizen Service, Duke of Edinburgh Award and all the other activities on offer. These all assist in enriching that education.

“It also helps them with improving their English language acquisition and, as such, integration into UK life.”

Two typical youngsters to benefit from RISE are 17 years-old Ethiopian Muslim Hambisa and 20 year-old Congolese refugee Bizoza.

Hambisa left his country in 2016. He had to cross many borders including Sudan and Egypt and travel across the sea in a boat into Sicily and then mainland Italy before reaching London. He arrived in Bolton at the age of 15 and now lives with his uncle here.

He spent four months in Ladybridge High School unable to speak English and came to BLGC with a friend.

He started the National Citizen programme last October and found this impacted on his life, motivating him to achieve goals and giving him experience of life-skills to prepare for future employment. “It gave me the opportunity to do something I had never done before and I made new friends,” he said.

Bizoza arrived in Bolton from Burundi as a 15 year-old and is a Swahili speaker. He is respected by the younger members of his cultural community and made a pact with his peer group that they would all start to learn English.

He now speaks English well and his listening skills are good but he has struggled to find work. Steve signed him up to the club’s Get a Job programme and he has since gained a qualification in Personal Fitness and almost completed a Health and Social Care course.

Bizoza has signed up for the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and is planning to raise funds for young children back in Burundi. He is also a junior volunteer.

•To help with projects like RISE contact volunteering@blgc.co.uk or visit www.blgc.co.uk