ESOL help and learning support

Help and support

ESOL help and learning support

What help and support can I get in Bolton?

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Benefits calculators

Find out what benefits you could get, how much you could get and how to claim: https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Bolton Community and Voluntary Services | Bolton CVS

Does your group or organisation need support and guidance? We are here for you!

Our priority will be to support our groups, members and the local community during this difficult time. 

Contact Information:

Visit the Bolton CVS website for more information:

Bolton CVS

Bolton Council

The Local Welfare Provision (LWP) is run through Bolton Council and they may be able to help with:

  • Emergency help with food
  • Emergency help with gas and electricity
  • Returning to live in the community after being in care or in hospital or leaving prison
  • Wanting to stay in your home rather than go into care

Bolton Council (LWP)

For full terms and conditions or to apply for a grant, contact them on 01204 332772.

BRASS – Befriending Refugees and Asylum Seeker Service

The Park Lodge, Green Lane, Bolton BL3 2HX
Open from 10.00am to 4.00pm Monday to Friday

Helps refugees and asylum seekers with ID cards, passports, citizenship and NASS support.  We also help with letters and phone calls.

Ring first to make an appointment

Contact Information:

BRASS Bolton

Citizens Advice Bolton (CAB)     

1 Victoria Plaza, Oxford Street, Bolton, BL1 1RD

At Citizens Advice Bolton, we aim to provide the advice people need for the problems they face and improve the policies and practices that affect people's lives. We provide free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. We value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination. We have specialist support workers in the areas of Money Advice, Welfare Benefits, Immigration, Housing and Community Care. To find out more information, please

Contact Information: 

Citizens Advice Bureau

Carers UK

Advice and support for carers and the people they care for in England, Scotland and Wales.

Opening Times: Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm

Contact Information

Carers UK

Check if you can get legal aid

Find out if you can get legal aid, which can help pay for legal advice, family mediation or representation in court or at a tribunal if you can’t afford it.

Gov.uk - Check Legal Aid

Farnworth and Kearsley Foodbank           

Trafford Street, BL4 7PQ

Part of the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks, working in partnership with local churches. We work with frontline care professionals in the local community to provide emergency food to people going through crisis situations. Upon receipt of a voucher from a care professional - such as money advisors, social workers, doctors or the Citizens Advice Bureau among others - people living in Farnworth, Kearsley and some areas of Little Hulton, can get 3 days’ worth of emergency food from our centre.

Contact Information:

Gateway Support Group

1-3 Thomasson Park Cottages, Mere Hall Street  BL1 2QT 

Gateway Support Group help to advance the education and training of those granted refugee status and their dependents in  Bolton and assist them to adapt within a new community.

Contact Information:

  1. Drop-in session –. To help with interpretation and translation services of those who are unable or struggle to comprehend and fully understand their key correspondences from various services they utilise in day-to- day basis. The team’s local and cultural understanding of the community and their particular challenges will facilitate to offer appropriate sign posting to services they need and where to get it.

  2. Adult English and numeracy classes: Specifically target adults to improve their Basic English and numeracy skills. These English classes range from entry to intermediate level and focus on the social and practical areas of life, featuring subjects. While the numeracy skills will focus more practical and day to day application of additions, subtraction, multiplication and division functions.

  3. Children after school and weekend learning support sessions: GSG provides teaching and learning support for school age children who are not able to get adequate help at school and at home. Individual tailored lessons are provided to primary and secondary school-age children who will benefit from extra tuition in reading, writing and/or maths

  4. Youth sports activities: Organise regular weekly recreational and sports activities to the youth, encompassing youth from grade school, middle school, and high school ages and adult recreational program.

  5. Conversation Café: This is to help to supplement the conventional English classes and is meant to provide additional opportunity for members to practice and improve their English. These are informal, friendly and relaxed sessions that help service users to interact and integrate into the local community.

  6. Employment Skills provision: This is done through combination of different forms, language skills course along with ICT, CV and Cover letter writing and job application skills. This will be employability skills focused with the flexibility to demands of job markets and specific needs of the youth by supporting on their journey to employment. Activities include literacy and numeracy booster sessions tailored towards employability needs to small groups.

Grants and bursaries for adult learners

Funding for adult learners - grants and bursaries for study and training costs.

To find out more about the Gateway Support Group please visit: 

Gov.uk - Grant bursary for adult learners

Higher education courses: find and apply

Find and apply for a college or university course - full time, part time, post-graduate, UCAS, Unistats, National Careers Service, Open University, CUKAS

To find out more about higher education courses please visit: 

Higher Education

Library, Art Gallery and Museum – Bolton Libraries and Museums

  • Bolton Central Library and Museum, Le Mans Crescent, Bolton BL1 1SE     
    • Tel: 01204 333173 (Library)
    • Tel: 01204 332211 (Museum) 
  • Blackrod Library, Church Street BL6 5EQ  
    • Tel: 01204 332380
  • Breightmet Library, Breightmet Health Centre, Breightmet Fold Lane BL2 6NT  
    • Tel: 01204 332352
  • Bromley Cross Library, Toppings Estate BL7 9JR   
    • Tel: 01204 332354
  • Farnworth Library, Market Street BL4 7PG  
    • Tel:  01204 332344
  • Harwood Library, Gate Fold BL2 3HN  
    • Tel: 01204 332358
  • High Street Library, High Street BL3 6SZ  
    • Tel: 01204 332358
  • Horwich Library, Jones Street BL6 7JA  
    • Tel: 01204 332347
  • Little Lever Library, Coronation Street BL3 1LP  
    • Tel: 01204 332360
  • Westhoughton Library, Library Street BL5 3AU  
    • Tel: 01942 634640

Historic Halls – Bolton Libraries and Museums

Smithills Hall

Set in land on the edge of the West Pennine Moors, Smithills Hall is one of the oldest and best preserved manor houses in the North West of England.             

  • Tel: 01204 332377

Hall i' th' Wood Museum

This Grade 1, 16th century half-timbered hall is one of the north-west’s most important buildings.

Enjoy displays of 17th and early 18th century furniture, objects and artefacts and learn more about the life and work of Samuel Crompton.

  • Tel: 01204 332377

Bolton Library and Museum Services

North Bolton Support Group

Memory Hall, Gilnow Lane, Bolton BL3 5EL

North Bolton Support Group offer a range of activities to help communitites develop skills including ESOL, employment skills and the health and welling being of residents in the Halliwell and Crompton areas of Bolton. 

Contact Information:

  • Telephone: 07939 016721 (Halif)

Services include:

  1. Drop-in session: To help with interpretation and translation services of those who are unable or struggle to comprehend and fully understand their key correspondences from various services they utilise in day-to-day basis. The team’s local and cultural understanding of the community and their particular challenges will facilitate to offer appropriate sign posting to services they need and where to get it.

  2. Adult English and numeracy classes: Specifically target adults to improve their Basic English and numeracy skills. These English classes range from entry to intermediate level and focus   on the social and practical areas of life, featuring subjects. While the numeracy skills will focus more practical and day to day application of additions, subtraction, multiplication and division functions.

  3. Children after school and weekend learning support sessions: GSG provides teaching and learning support for school age children who are not able to get adequate help at school and at home. Individual tailored lessons are provided to primary and secondary school-age children who will benefit from extra tuition in reading, writing and/or maths.

  4. Youth sports activities: Organise regular weekly recreational and sports activities to the youth, encompassing youth from grade school, middle school, and high school ages and adult recreational program.

  5. Conversation Café: This is to help to supplement the conventional English classes and is meant to provide additional opportunity for members to practice and improve their English. These are informal, friendly and relaxed sessions that help service users to interact and integrate into the local community.

  6. Employment Skills provision: This is done through combination of different forms, language skills course along with ICT, CV and Cover letter writing and job application skills. This will be employability skills focused with the flexibility to demands of job markets and specific needs of the youth by supporting on their journey to employment. Activities include literacy and numeracy booster sessions tailored towards employability needs to small group.

StepChange Debt Charity

Wade House, Merrion Street, LS2 8NG

Debt problems can be overwhelming, but there's no need to struggle alone. For over 20 years, StepChange Debt Charity has been helping people across the UK deal with their debts and get their lives back on track. Start tackling your debts today by using Debt Remedy, their free online debt advice tool.

Contact Information:

  • Telephone: (08001) 381111 

To find out more about how Step Change can help visit their website: 

StepChange

The Well

Trafford Street, BL4 7PQ

Home of Farnworth Baptist Church. We also run many ministries including coffee shop, foodbank, toddler group, a work club for the unemployed, community learning courses, counselling, BASIC (Bolton Advice, Support, Information and Care) and many other community based projects.      

Contact Information:

What to do if you become disabled

What happens if you become disabled - benefits, your rights, help from your council and your employer's responsibilities.

Visit the gov.uk website to find out more: 

Gov.uk - Disability Help