More than a year after receiving £20,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund, Bolton social enterprise Genuine Futures CIC is celebrating the impact the funding has already made through its Clean Start Initiative and the launch of Clean Futures.
Thanks to National Lottery players, the funding has enabled Genuine Futures to develop a youth-led social enterprise that is creating practical pathways into employment for young people facing barriers to work, education and training.
Since receiving the funding in May 2025, the organisation has transformed an idea into a growing community enterprise where young people are gaining practical skills, building confidence and developing real work experience while delivering professional environmental cleaning services across Greater Manchester.
Clean Futures now provides services including:
- Communal bin store cleaning
- Pressure washing
- Wheelie bin cleaning
- Neighbourhood improvement projects
These services give young people the opportunity to learn by doing while making a visible difference in their communities.
One of the initiative’s early successes was delivering a large communal bin store deep clean at Parklands House, Royal Oldham Hospital, demonstrating both the quality of the work and the potential of young people when they are given the right opportunities.
The funding has also helped Genuine Futures build a strong partnership with Squosh It Health CIC, working together to improve local neighbourhoods while creating meaningful volunteering, training and employment pathways for young people.
Sam Smith, Founder & Co-Director of Genuine Futures CIC
When we received £20,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund, we saw it as an investment in young people’s futures rather than simply funding a project.
Thanks to National Lottery players, we’ve been able to turn an idea into a growing social enterprise that is helping young people gain confidence, practical skills and real work experience.
We’ve seen young people who lacked confidence begin to believe in themselves, develop new skills and contribute positively to their communities.
Clean Futures proves that when we combine trusted relationships with genuine opportunities, young people don’t just prepare for work—they thrive.
Mike Alleyne, Co-Director of Genuine Futures CIC
Every young person deserves someone who believes in them and opportunities that reflect their strengths.
Clean Futures has become much more than an environmental cleaning service. It has become a place where young people learn teamwork, responsibility, communication and pride in what they achieve.
The National Lottery funding has allowed us to build something that continues to benefit both young people and the wider community.
Eric McBean, Founder of Squosh It Health CIC
Working alongside Genuine Futures has shown the power of genuine collaboration.
Together we’ve demonstrated that improving communities and supporting young people can go hand in hand. Through Clean Futures, young people are gaining valuable experience while helping create cleaner, healthier neighbourhoods.
It’s a fantastic example of what can be achieved when organisations share a common vision and put young people at the centre of the solution.
Since launching the Clean Start Initiative, Genuine Futures has continued to develop partnerships with employers, housing providers, NHS organisations, charities and community organisations, creating new opportunities for young people who may otherwise have struggled to access employment.
The organisation believes the success of Clean Futures demonstrates that investing in trusted relationships, practical experience and community partnerships delivers lasting social and economic benefits.
As the enterprise continues to grow, Genuine Futures hopes to create even more opportunities for young people while expanding the environmental services it provides across the region.
Sam Smith added
We’d like to thank every National Lottery player for believing in projects like ours. Your support hasn’t just funded equipment or training—it has helped create hope, opportunity and brighter futures for young people across our communities.