Jordan Smith – a VIY volunteer
5 October 2018
Jordan first participated, aged 23, at the Shard End VIY Hub project in Birmingham in 2016. He was referred by Job Centre Plus and completed four City & Guilds Entry Level 3 accreditations (in carpentry, plumbing, tiling, and painting & decorating). From VIY, Jordan progressed to an apprenticeship with one of our local partners, The Construction Training Centre, before accepting a full-time job as an engineer with local company Midlands Flooring. According to VIY Lead Mentor Imran Younas: “When we first met Jordan we could tell he was competent and mature, but that he just needed a bit of guidance. Hopefully that’s what we’ve been able to give him. When I first saw him supporting the younger people in his group I knew he would make a good peer mentor, and I’m really pleased we’ve been able to get him back to help with new projects. He is absolutely brilliant with new learners and I’m sure he’ll have a brilliant career – he deserves it.”
Shamak Czachowski – a VIY volunteer
30 May 2018
Shamak, from Haringey in north London, was NEET (not in employment, education or training) prior to signing up to participate in a local VIY project, aged 17, having been referred via Job Centre Plus. Over four weeks on the Eric Allin Centre project in Tottenham, Shamak committed more than 50 volunteer hours, at the same time as working towards and achieving Entry Level 3 City & Guilds accreditations in both plumbing and tiling. In the process, Shamak so impressed one of the local building and construction companies (Ideal Handyman) providing skills mentors on the project, they offered him a paid apprenticeship, in conjunction with the College of North East London. Shamak’s journey has also gone full circle, with him now volunteering in his spare time with VIY as a peer mentor for young people on new VIY projects across north London.
