Vouch-For-A-Friend: £10 Amazon voucher

Your questions answered: Vouch-For-A-Friend

What’s Vouch-For-A-Friend?

Young people tell us all the time that they would recommend a VIY project or that they know someone who would enjoy the experience too. To say thank you, we are rewarding the young person who successfully recommends a friend onto a VIY project (a friend who turns up and  participates on a VIY project too) with a £10 thank you voucher.

Who is eligible to participate and receive a voucher?

As a young person, you can participate in a VIY project if you are:

• 14-24 (16-24 in some areas)
• not in education, employment or training
• excluded/at risk of disengaging in current work/training setting
• in Alternative Provision
• with a disability or special educational needs
• other criteria can apply – please discuss with your VIY Youth Engagement Co-ordinator

Both young people (including the friend being recommended) must meet this criteria to volunteer on VIY projects and for the original young person to receive their voucher. The young people can come from the same organisation but do not have to be volunteering with VIY on the same days to receive the voucher.

Both young people must turn up on time for at least three days of a VIY project that they have registered for, with no unseen absences or delays.

The chosen friend must be referred, or refer themselves to VIY, by email by using this link or by mentioning the name of the person who recommended VIY during their email or telephone registration.

Travis Perkins supports over 100 projects with VIY

The refurbishment of Charlton Park Rugby Club was the 100th project of the partnership, in which Travis Perkins has supported us with way more than materials; including colleague volunteer time, work-readiness training and progression pathways for VIY young learners, since March 2020.

17 local young people volunteered across this month-long project, referred by organisations including the Construction Youth Trust, a charity which also helps inspire young people to build better futures in the construction industry, the Amber Foundation, who support young people at risk of homelessness, and the local Royal Greenwich Council.

The project saw the renovation of female facilities at the club, the creation of an outdoor seating area and the repainting of the bar; improvements aimed to make the club more hospitable to serve the local community, who currently use the space as a local polling station and blood donor centre, and to support their financial resilience.

By donating materials and working locally with the VIY team, Travis Perkins is able to strengthen local relationships, demonstrate positive social value, and do what matters for the community. The partnership contributes to at least five of Travis Perkins 12 commitments within its approach to sustainability, Building for Better, including diversity and inclusion, people development, charity and community, colleague voice and engagement and safety and wellbeing.

Previous projects include Mansfield’s West Nottinghamshire College and providing timber for two of our indoor skatepark refurbishments.

Steve Baldwin, Regional Director for Travis Perkins says: “We are delighted to have been able to support VIY again on their project at Charlton. The work that VIY does in encouraging young people to build up their confidence and learn practical skills is so important and fits well with our values as a business around caring, being the best and working together. We’re committed to investing in and developing the next generation workforce in the construction industry, and VIY provides a valuable link to young people looking at beginning a career within this sector.”

This is in addition to our six projects now completed with Toolstation, also part of Travis Perkins plc.

We can’t wait to see what’s to come as we continue our partnership across the Group.