Bolton youth search for their place

This work investigates the lives, identities, and viewpoints of young people who live in Bolton. In this project, I have collaborated with six members of the Bolton community, capturing their portraits and conducting interviews with each participant.The main objective was to gain a deeper understanding of Bolton's youth,and their perspectives on whether they plan to remain in the town or seek opportunities elsewhere. While Bolton's overall population is on the rise, there is a trend of young people leaving town. According to the 2021 Census results, there has been a decrease of around 8 percent in the population of individuals aged 20 to 25 living in Bolton in the last ten years. Changing and challenging living conditions including employment opportunities, along with recent developments such as student accommodations, and business closures are all potentially contributing to the exodus of young people. Through this project I aimed to explore whether the people she encounters envision a future for themselves within Bolton andshed light on the factors influencing their decisions and contribute to a broader dialogue surrounding the town's circumstances.