A SCHEME to support Bolton 12 to 14 year-olds to do well in life and aid their own community wants to recruit 15 mentors.

RECLAIM is a charity supporting young working class people and its programme aims “to help break down social barriers" that this section of society might face.

The charity has funding from Bolton Council to run the leadership scheme at Bolton St Catherine’s Academy in Stitch Mi Lane, Harwood.

It involves pairing up 30 children from Year 8 and 9 with a mentor for guidance. It has already recruited 15 local people who will provide an hour of mentoring each week for 18 weeks.

“Adults from all areas of life - especially men - are eligible to mentor one of the students as we provide three training sessions and DBS checks free of charge,” said Olu Olowogboye from RECLAIM.

Training sessions, possibly online, last an hour-and-a-half and look at Barriers for Working Class Young People, Mentoring Training and How to be More Class-Inclusive in the Workplace.

Mentoring sessions should start in April and be face-to-face “but this will depend on the restrictions still in place,” added Olu.

One Year 9 pupil said: “There is so much positive community spirit in Bolton, people who want to help each other and things to be proud of. But people just see the crime and think we’re all the same and we can’t achieve anything.”

Headteacher Mrs Rachael Lucas added: “We see this as a really important partnership whereby our students can give back to their own community and learn vital skills in the process. Even our ex-pupils can come along and volunteer to be a mentor as part of this excellent programme."

She said young people at St Catherine's "have a real passion for their community" and she was looking forward to the outcomes from the project.

To find out more contact call Olu on 07715 210102 or email o.olowogboye@reclaimproject.org.uk