Empowering Bolton’s Young People Through Storytelling & Leadership

Tales to Inspire is proud to partner with Youth Leads UK on a powerful programme supporting young people across Bolton to use their lived experience as a foundation for confidence, leadership and change.

Through this partnership, supported by a Bolton’s Fund Partnership Grant, we are delivering three inspiring programmes that will reach over 70 young people from across the borough. At the heart of the work is storytelling, helping young people develop the skills, language, and confidence to share their experiences in a way that feels authentic, empowering, and purposeful.

Across 12 sessions per cohort, more than 70 young people from overlooked and underrepresented backgrounds will receive specialist leadership development training, public speaking, and confidence building. The aim is simple but powerful: to help young people recognise the value of their own stories and use them as tools for leadership, opportunity, and impact.

The skills developed through the programme extend far beyond the sessions themselves. Young people are supported to apply their learning to real-life situations, including job interviews, university applications, presentations, and community leadership, helping them step forward with confidence and clarity.

The first programme has already been a huge success, with a full cohort of 25 participants and a waiting list due to high demand. Sessions are currently being delivered at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton, creating a creative and welcoming space for young people to grow.

The partnership will culminate in a public showcase event, where participants will share their stories with the wider community, celebrating their journeys, resilience, and leadership. Alongside this, a youth-led documentary film will capture their experiences, ensuring their voices continue to inspire change across Bolton and beyond.

Krish Patel, Founder of Tales to Inspire, said:

Lived experience is one of the most powerful tools a young person has. When organisations like Youth Leads UK and Tales to Inspire come together, combining trust, shared expertise, and deep roots in the community, we create spaces where young people feel truly seen and supported. This partnership shows what’s possible when collaboration unlocks confidence, helping young people transform their stories into leadership, purpose, and real change.

A young person on the programme shared:

“The public speaking and presentation session really helped me with my confidence. Before Andy and Krish broke it down, I wasn’t sure how to approach a presentation. Through their steps, I feel more ready to take on presentations in the future. Speaking was scary, but it was rewarding in the end.”

Saeed Atcha MBE DL, CEO & Founder of Youth Leads UK, said:

When young people share their stories, they unlock their power to lead. Our work with Tales to Inspire is about turning confidence into action and stories into change. It’s our responsibility to give young people the platform they need to build their leadership skills.

This partnership marks an exciting chapter in our work at Tales to Inspire, one that reinforces our belief that every young person’s story matters, and that when those stories are heard, they can inspire confidence, connection, and lasting change.