AN East Lancashire cultural hub has been given almost £300,000 to pay for a volunteering programme for young people.

The grant to Blackburn's The Bureau Centre for the Arts will finance a two-year programme for young people aged 16 to 30.

The artist-led community organisation will work with local partners including The Making Rooms, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, The National Festival of Making Trust, Blackburn with Darwen Library Service, The Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Blackburn Museum. Blackburn Youth Zone and Blackburn Festival of Light to spend the £299,624.

Hundreds of young people in Blackburn with Darwen Borough will be involved in culture, sport and heritage volunteering; have access to training and learning; and mentoring from local organisations.

The project will result in a digital portfolio toolkit for young people which can be replicated in other towns.

Lancashire Telegraph: The Bureau Centre for the Arts in Blackburn

The grant from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports and delivered by Arts Council England will focus on young people who experience barriers to accessing volunteering.

It comes from The Volunteering Futures Fund to break down barriers to volunteering and support organisations across the arts, culture, sport, civil society, youth and heritage sectors.

Those set to benefit include young people with disabilities.

Cath Ford, projects and engagement director at The Bureau Centre for the Arts, said: “We have one of the youngest populations in Europe, and this funding will enable us to work with our local partners to provide young people with training, mentoring and a range of opportunities to volunteer across the borough.

Lancashire Telegraph: Two young volunteers prepare for Fun Palaces at The Bureau.

"This is an investment in our borough's future and an opportunity to actively engage more young people in culture, sport and heritage, helping them to discover their passions, contribute to their community and develop future leaders.”

Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England, said: “There’s an abundance of evidence to show that volunteering can be a key factor in helping people lead happier lives.”

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries added: “As we have seen throughout the pandemic, volunteering offers a wealth of benefits to both the volunteers and the organisations who rely on their help."

The Bureau Centre for the Arts CIC, now based in the former Thwaites Training and Heritage Centre on Penny Street, is currently looking for a new home and is eyeing up a couple of likely venues.

It was originally located in St John’s Church in Victoria Street before it was destroyed by fire in April 2019.