FOR most young people, the problems they encounter at school or within the home don't cause a great deal of disruption to their everyday lives.

Unfortunately for some, these problems can become so unbearable that they not only disrupt their lives but can completely destroy their whole education and cause the break-up of their family.

It seems like everyone is against them, unwilling to understand or even listen to them. They become disillusioned, upset, angry, rebellious and lonely, and cut off, not only from family and school, but also from their own peers. The very people who are usually allies in the growing teenage years.

Time-Out is one of the projects which comes under NACRO (National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders and Prevention of Crime) that helps young people with problems they may have, such as school, family, being in care or the law. The project is for young people in the Bolton area and is within the premises of BASE (Bolton Accommodation and Support) in Marsden Road.

Sarah is 16, and one of many young people who have been helped by Time-Out. She attends college and is involved in many young people's activity at BASE, including editing a girls' magazine. (Sarah is particularly interested in poetry), art and craft/glass painting, and a breakaway girls group who enjoy various sports and trips out.

At present Sarah is working on the National ASDAN Youth Awards, for which she has to complete various challenges and tasks that will develop key skills, ie communications, information technology. The ASDAN Awards (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) is open to young people through various educational establishments and youth organisations. Sarah has also just completed a two-day course on Meditation and Mentoring, which means she can help and talk to young people who have problems and, like herself, have been bullied. But. without Time-Out. it would probably have been quite a different story for Sarah.

In Sarah's own words, she says: "I have been on the Time-Out Project for about two years and these have been the best two years of my life. I'd like to tell you a bit about my background and how I became a member of Time-Out. Due to family breakdown, I placed myself into care because I felt I couldn't live at home. I was placed with a foster family and because that never worked out I was shifted off to a children's home. I'd expelled myself from school completely because I was bullied by the teachers and the children, and I felt I had no one to talk to about it so I dropped out and was just hanging around the building, day in day out, and the staff were just getting fed-up with it.

"I heard about Time-Out through another young person who was already on the Project. We filled in enrolment forms and I was on the project. I started attending Time-Out and didn't like it at first but then I started enjoying it. Time-Out is totally voluntary and it's up to the young people themselves if they turn up or not but, funnily enough, they all do."

Sarah appreciates all the help she has received from the Project and especially Antoinette Harrop, the Manager, and Tracy Robinson, the Administrator from Time-Out, from BASE, and especially her mum and dad. For Sarah, it is not too late, but, for other young people encountering the raw problems she did two years ago, time is running out. Unfortunately the National Lotteries funding for Time-Out runs out next year. Sarah says: "If I hadn't got involved in these activities, I would probably be on the streets committing crime. It's a shame for the younger/newer youngsters that are on the Project because, in August 1909, the Time-Out's funding runs out and most of the young people will be like I was 12/14 months ago, meaning they are angry, confused, fed-up, let down. I feel sorry for what's going to happen to them."

All too often we hear about various projects that have to finish because "the funding has run out". Let's hope that, for young people like Sarah, Time-Out can be saved to promote a far more rewarding future for them and a better environment for the community. If you would like further information about Time-Out, tel 01204 454959.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.