New 3-year VIY and Barclays partnership to support grassroots sports clubs across the UK

We’re pleased to share that through this partnership with the Barclays Community Sports Fund and Sported, VIY will be able to extend its work supporting grassroots sports clubs to clubs supporting football, cricket and tennis, in some of the UK’s most deprived areas. The fund prioritises projects that make sport more accessible to women and girls, people with disabilities, racially diverse communities, and the LGBTQ+ community, helping tackle inequalities and create inclusive environments.

For VIY, this means continuing to provide young people with practical trade skills and confidence while improving community sports facilities that play a vital role in bringing people together.

Since first partnering with Barclays in 2023, we’ve already:

• Renovated 13 grassroots sports clubs
• Supported over 220 young people to volunteer on these projects
• Seen 95% of young people say they felt more confident, positive and connected after taking part.
• And 100% of venues said they felt more connected to their local community and better equipped to welcome a wider range of people as a result of working with VIY

And now, we’re set to build on that impact with even more ambitious projects.

Kicking things off at Yardley Tennis Club

The first project in our new 3-year partnership with the Barclays Community Sports Fund took us to Yardley Tennis Club in Birmingham, which is also one of the oldest tennis clubs in the UK and still a brilliant hub for the local community today.

Over three weeks, young people from the area, including some who already use the club, worked alongside VIY mentors to build brand new social and seating areas—helping to make the space more welcoming and inclusive to better serve the local community and spectators. It’s exactly the kind of project this partnership is all about: giving young people the chance to learn hands-on skills while improving local spaces that bring people together through sport.

In the final week, we were joined by students from Braidwood Trust School for the Deaf, who got stuck in and helped us finish the transformation in style.

The difference has been huge. What was once a tired, underused outdoor space is now a fresh, vibrant area where people can relax, connect and feel part of the club, whether they’re playing tennis, creating local social connections or just stopping by.

🎥 Check out what Yardley Club Director Stuart had to say about why this project meant so much to the club and the community here.

This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to get going on more projects like this across the UK in partnership with the Barclays Community Sports Fund and Sported.

VIY receives Awards for All funding for projects across Wales, England and Northern Ireland

We’re pleased to share that VIY has received National Lottery Awards for All funding in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – helping us deliver more projects where young people can learn trade skills while giving back to their local communities. This will mark our first project in Northern Ireland!

National Lottery Awards for All supports grassroots projects that bring people together and make a difference locally – whether that’s through activities, refurbishments, or help with running costs. For VIY, this support means we can continue to create practical opportunities for young people, while improving the spaces that matter most.

One of these first projects made possible thanks to National Lottery players was an outdoor project at Gabalfa Youth & Community Centre in Cardiff.

The centre was already a busy hub indoors as we previously helped create a multimedia studio there last year, but the outdoor space had plenty of untapped potential. Working with VIY mentors, local young people who regularly use the centre stepped up to transform the garden into a more welcoming and accessible space for everyone.

This was also our first project completed in Wales this year, delivered with support from National Lottery Awards for All, Cardiff Youth Service and Dulux. There’s more to come in Wales as we work with the Moondance Foundation and other partners on projects in Barry, Swansea, Treorchy and Wrexham. Get in touch if you’d like to talk to us about our work in Wales.

Together, the team built raised planters, installed new ramps, added a tool shed, and created a summerhouse-style shelter, painted with Cuprinol spring shades, making the area fit for outdoor learning, socialising and community use all year round.

New projects coming soon in England and Northern Ireland, thanks to Awards for All support.

• In Worcester, we’ll be working at St Paul’s Hostel, improving facilities for people experiencing homelessness. Talk to owen@teamviy.com about this project.

• And in Belfast, we’ll be teaming up with St Peter’s Immaculata Youth Centre, where local young people will help to upgrade their community space. Talk to owen@teamviy.com about this project.

These projects bring together everything VIY is about – giving young people a chance to build confidence and skills, while making a real difference in their communities.

A big thank you to #NationalLottery players for helping make these projects possible – and to all the local partners and young people getting involved. There’s more to come, and we can’t wait to get started.

VIY, Continental Tyres and Kwik Fit embark on new partnership

As England Rugby’s official partner, we’re thrilled to be working with Continental Tyres and Kwik Fit on a new programme of work to improve rugby club facilities and encourage more women and girls to get involved in rugby. This programme of work is all about creating dedicated changing rooms for girls, providing a more welcoming environment and breaking down barriers to participation.

To celebrate our latest project together, Ellie Kildunne, World Rugby 15’s Player of the Year and Continental Ambassador, visited our project at Anchorians Sports Club in Gillingham to check out the progress. As part of the project, she shared her own story:

“I played for a boys’ team where… there were only boys’ changing rooms. So I spent most of my time behind a towel that my dad was holding up or in the car getting changed.

To see the difference that’s been made over the past few years… having clubs with areas that are fit for girls to shower, to get changed, to do their hair… it’s a really cool thing to see.”

Through our partnership with Continental Tyres and Kwik Fit, we’re not only enhancing sports facilities for women and girls, but also giving local young people the chance to gain hands-on work experience, develop new skills, and achieve accreditations. This project was co-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Medway Council, VIY Partners Sport England, and material donations from Dulux and Travis Perkins.

By investing in inclusive spaces and advocating for greater diversity in sports, Continental Tyres is playing a crucial role in empowering young girls and women to pursue their sporting ambitions. These improved facilities are more than just buildings – they’re a step towards real change and making everyone feel like they belong.

The impact on the club has been fantastic. Simon Somerset, Anchorians Youth & Mini’s Chairman, shared his thoughts, saying, “The girls were thrilled, and having Ellie visit made it even more special.”

Laura Cowling from Kwik Fit highlighted their commitment to supporting the community: “Our staff and customers have strong ties to the club, and our volunteers are proud to contribute.”

Peter Robb, Marketing Director at Continental Tyres, commented on the launch of the VIY programme: “We’re proud to support this project and create an environment where women and girls feel welcome in rugby.”

See this amazing film to see impact of this project in action: 

VIY expands across the East of England

We’re looking forward to growing our reach to more young people and communities across Essex and Norfolk, thanks to funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. We’ll be working on new programmes with King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, Southend-on-Sea and Tendring Councils, all to help boost the employability of local young people, whilst renovating important community spaces too.

In King’s Lynn, we’ll be working on three local community venues at the heart of local villages there between August-October 2024, building on our previous work in the area like at Kaset Skatepark. We started at Docking Village Hall, improving the overall environment and first impressions to the popular hall hosting physical activity and local community activities. We’ve since completed this great project at North Wootton Village Hall.

In Essex we’ll be working on three community spaces across Southend and Tendring, our first project at Eastwood Community Centre in Southend taking place in August, our second at St Edmunds Hall in October.

Know of young people 16+ who would benefit from the VIY experience in this region? Get in touch here

Some projects will be match-funded by other VIY partners such as Sport England, where physical activity does or may be able to take place, supported with materials donated by our Trade Partners including Dulux.

Are you a local tradesperson interested in helping out?

About the UK Shared Prosperity Fund

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus

VIY develops new hub in North East

We’re expanding our work across to the North East, thanks to part-funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, on new programmes with South Tyneside and Gateshead Councils respectively, to positively impact local young people and community spaces.

In South Tyneside, we’re embarking on four projects in the local area, with our first project at Harton Westoe Miners Club/South Shields Football Club completed in March. See what we did here. Next, we’ll be helping Boldon Colliery FC to become more welcoming for their growing female football and cricket teams by creating more inclusive changing spaces.

In Gateshead, we’ll be helping to renovate three local community spaces, including the Gateshead Redheugh 1957 Community Football Club, Team Life Centre and Bensham Grove Community Centre.

Know of young people 16+ who would benefit from the VIY experience in this region?

Projects will be match-funded by other VIY partners such as Sport England and Barclays Community Football Fund, and supported with materials donated by our Trade Partners including Dulux.

Are you a local tradesperson interested in helping out?

About the UK Shared Prosperity Fund

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus

Creating Commonwealth legacy in Birmingham

Together, we’re embarking on 5 community projects in 2023, across five wards with the greatest levels of inactivity and low socio-economic mobility, to improve the quality and access to sport and physical activity for the local community.

Birmingham has always been one of VIY’s heartlands, following the first VIY ‘hub’ at Shard End Youth Centre from 2015 over four years, and improving community spaces for physical activity with projects at the likes of Hall Green Boxing Club and Saathi House.

Ciara Grogan, VIY Programme Director for Sport, said:

“We’re delighted to be back in Birmingham and contributing towards the legacy of the Commonwealth Games. Bringing together our model of boosting young people’s skills whilst transforming community places, altogether with our experience in renovating hundreds of spaces for physical activity through Sport England, we’re ready to help get Birmingham moving through its city motto ‘Forward’, with an approach mirroring the message of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, ‘Be Bold’.”

Laura Kerrigan for Sport Birmingham, said:

“Our first project with VIY, completed in November 2022, was at Birmingham Paddle Club, based at Ackers Adventure in Sparkbrook, an area where activity levels are lower than the national average. They’ve wanted to start a Paddle Club for ages, an alternative physical activity for the local community in a landlocked city, but haven’t had anywhere to effectively store their canoes and set sail. 

With the help of 15 volunteers from local organisations including St Basils, Edge Academy and Ashiana Community Project, plus two marvellous VIY Midlands Mentors, storage has been built from scratch, inside a shipping container on-site, right by the water’s edge.”

This project has been supported with match-funding from Sport England and British Canoeing, plus material donations from Travis Perkins Stirchley and GAP Tool Hire.

Andy Train from the Birmingham Paddlesports Hub at Ackers told us how much the works mean to them:

“The works VIY have completed have furthered our ambitions to expand the Paddle Club. Without the storage they have created, we would struggle to accommodate more members, as we simply would not be able to keep our canoes safe. Now we can finally invite more of the local community to join us on the canals, doing something active right on their doorstep. Thanks to all of the local young people who helped transform our storage container!”

Steve and the team at Ackers Adventure were also so kind as to give our young volunteers and partners a free archery session to thank them for their hard work with us on the tools to help their Paddle Club take shape!

Before/After: new storage for the Birmingham Paddlesports Hub at Ackers Adventure, Birmingham

Creating legacy in Liverpool with Persimmon

Ahead of The 2022 World Gymnastics Championships, we’re working with Persimmon Homes and Liverpool City Council’s Legacy programme to support the refurbishment of local sports facilities, at the same time as working with local young people at risk of disengagement to gain experience and qualifications in the construction trades.

New programme

For the first project in our new programme, we refurbished The Liverpool Gymnastics Club, the grassroots facility that supported Beth Tweddle as she started her career, one of Britain’s most successful gymnasts, with an Olympic Bronze Medal, three World titles, five European titles and seven British titles to her name.

We were also joined at the project by Mayor for the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, a former bricklayer himself. He enjoyed meeting Kaitlyn, Demi, Lee and Liam, some of our young VIY volunteers from the project from Employability Solutions Merseyside, who support young people with an alternative pathway to education and training.

VIY has welcomed 25 young people from Employability Solutions Merseyside, Prudentia Education and Kings Liverpool Academy Liverpool who’ve volunteered to renovate the club, painting the walls in line with the club colours and building new storage and a reception area, with10 City and Guilds Entry Level 3 accreditations gained in painting and decorating.

Persimmon, who we worked with in 2021 at Flo Skatepark in Nottingham, have added to the VIY volunteer experience offering site visits to their Edinburgh campus, Anfield, a number of staff volunteering alongside the young people and are now considering a number of apprenticeship opportunities for our VIY volunteers. Other partners include match-funding from Sport England, Dulux, who have donated all of the paint for the club’s refurbishment, as well as the local Travis Perkins branch.

This new programme marks a return to Merseyside for Team VIY, following previous projects refurbishing Mersey Bowmen Tennis Club and Portico Vine Rugby League Club in St Helens.

Keep in touch with our full pipeline of work across the UK and how to get involved here

VIY volunteers become VIY Peer Mentors

Here at Volunteer It Yourself, one of the pillars of our mission is to help inspire young people and better support them to progress towards and into employment, especially within construction. In turn, helping to develop the next generation of tradespeople and indeed ‘grow our own’ next generation of VIY Trade Mentors.

Welcome, then, our to our newest Peer Mentors, Liam Bensley and Kelsie Ferguson!

Liam, 22 (pictured right above), referred to VIY initially through the local JobCentre, first volunteered with VIY at our Community Hub project at East Norfolk Community College, where we were transforming a disused scout hut into a multi-functional community space.

Kelsie, 18 (pictured left above), who also joined the same project as Liam as a student from East Norfolk Community College, wanted to gain construction experience during the summer holidays.

Hear from Liam on becoming a VIY Peer Mentor

Hear from Kelsie about her time with VIY

Both then returned to volunteer and gain their third City & Guilds accreditation at our project in partnership with Orbit Housing at their community in Gorleston, where we’ve been bringing a disused community room back to life with improvements to the interior/exterior, as well as creating a playful outdoor space, with the help of local young residents and young people there.

There, they both expressed an interest in staying with VIY and progressing as Peer Mentors, thanks to the support and teaching from their own VIY Mentors, Jasper, Matt (pictured central above) and Simon.

Simon Kitson, VIY Lead Mentor who has been instrumental in both Liam and Kelsie’s growth since volunteering with VIY, said: “They’ve both really stepped up from volunteer to Mentor really well. Not only that, I taught Kelsie how to saw some wood and the next week she was putting this learning into action, teaching another young volunteer in the exact same way! The true role of a VIY Peer Mentor.”

Jojo Yohannes, who progressed as a Peer Mentor and is now thriving as a Youth Engagement Co-ordinator with VIY is proof of what the model can achieve: “There’s a real positive culture fostered by our people to achieve our goals, to empower young people and give them a chance. Through supporting Peer Mentors like myself, Liam and Kelsie, we’re developing the next socially-conscious generation for the construction industry, positively influenced by our own trade mentor role models of today.”

Since completing Gorleston Community Room, they’ve both been working on our latest projects with the UK Community Renewal Fund* in Norfolk; creating storage fit for purpose for the Fakenham Community Pantry, a foodbank in North Norfolk, and Bradwell Community Centre in Great Yarmouth, refreshing this multi-purpose space for young people.

Liam has also been supported with transport by the council, through their e-scooter scheme to help combat infrastructure challenges in the county.

* For more information on the UK Community Renewal Fund, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-community-renewal-fund- prospectus

Inspiring Generations: how cricket’s changing lives

Lancashire Cricket Foundation, Cheshire Cricket Board, the England and Wales Cricket Board and Chance to Shine have partnered with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and its ten local councils to create and deliver a 10-Point Action Plan for cricket in Greater Manchester, with VIY set to deliver one of its key actions.

The Inspiring Generations strategy, running from June 2022 until December 2024, has been put in place to use cricket to improve young people’s lives and create stronger, healthier communities in Greater Manchester.

One of the first programmes to break ground on one of the strategy’s key outcomes is a suite of VIY projects helping to equip young people for life through volunteering.

VIY will deliver 30 projects renovating grassroots cricket clubs in 10 priority areas across Greater Manchester, providing employability-boosting opportunities for local young people not in education, employment or training, or at risk of disengaging from mainstream education and/or becoming unemployed.

The first project we’ve completed is at Stalybridge Cricket Club, where VIY and 15 young volunteers from Active Tameside have built a brand new decking area to invite more local cricket spectators to enjoy games and to support the club’s financial sustainability and newly renovated hospitality facilities.

Keith Bowers, Secretary, Stalybridge Cricket Club was thankful of the effort and said, “Stalybridge Cricket Club would like to thank VIY and the team for their time and effort on this project. We would not be able to afford the time, labour or materials to complete such a project. The juniors, parents, spectators will benefit massively having a fantastic seating area in a sunny spot. We also know we have hopefully helped some young people on the right track to developing new skills that will help them on a career path.”

One of the youngsters involved was 15-year-old Khylam from Stalybridge who said: 

“I really want to work in demolition when I am older and I have learnt skills here that I wouldn’t have been able to if the project wasn’t available. Everyone has been good to me and am enjoying every minute of it.”

Meanwhile Francisco, aged 16, was also full of praise for the project and said:

“I have been involved throughout and it is really rewarding to see the whole thing come together. I really enjoy being outdoors and have taken part in the drilling, painting and building.”

Other key VIY partners include Sport England, who will match-fund the renovation projects to improve the cricket club facilities, along with Travis Perkins and Dulux who will donate many of the materials needed to deliver the projects.

Sandy Mitchell, Head of Community Growth at Lancashire Cricket Foundation, said: “The project is a great example of how this strategy will be used to make a positive difference to individuals and communities through cricket. As the first of 30 VIY projects across Greater Manchester I look forward to seeing the impact they have on both the young people they support, educate and train and the cricket clubs themselves.”

Gareth Moorhouse, Clubs and Participation Manager for Cheshire Cricket Board, said: “Stalybridge Cricket Club are a club very much at the heart of their local community, so it was fantastic to see them involved in a scheme that gives life and employability skills to the next generation. Together with the trade mentors, the young people have built a fantastic social space that will benefit the club and its members for many years to come. Huge thanks to VIY for their input and we look forward to working with them on future projects across the region.”

VIY confirmed as Gen22 Assignment Provider

We’re delighted to have been confirmed as an Assignment Provider with the Gen22 programme, the programme providing employability boosting opportunities to young people in the region supported by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The Gen22 programme aims to support those aged 16-24 who might otherwise struggle to access the many opportunities arising from the Games, including those who lack confidence, those who are young carers, young parents or have a criminal record. As an Assignment Provider, VIY will provide 50 employability boosting opportunities for young people from the West Midlands on three community projects, starting at Telford Hornets Rugby Club this month, where we’ll be transforming the club’s changing rooms and building a fence to prevent motorcycle access onto the pitch from a nearby public path.

Interested in taking part as a young person (aged 16-24) or as an opportunity for young people you work with to help build the next generation of sporting stars? We’d love to hear from you, please get in touch via outreach@teamviy.com.

This is a continuation of our work across the West Midlands, one of our hub regions, where we’ve completed over 94 projects during our first decade as an organisation, including Hall Green Boxing Club in 2013 (pictured above!) and Shard End Community Centre in 2017 in Birmingham, and most recently, regenerating Coventrians Rugby Club and The Tin Music & Arts Venue, both in Coventry, in 2021. More exciting programmes in the region are to be announced in coming months.

Bethan Stimpson, Gen22 Programme Lead, said:

“I’m really pleased to be adding Volunteer it Yourself (VIY) to our network of Gen22 Assignment Providers. VIY is bringing a unique set of opportunities to the project; providing a chance for some of our region’s youth to experience trade based social action in their local communities. It is my hope that many of the participants will use this experience to build skills that will help them take their next step into long term sustainable employment.”

Tim Reading, CEO of VIY, said:

“The West Midlands has become one of the core regional hubs of activity for VIY throughout our first ten years, where we’ve helped over 1,500 young people gain trade and employability skills by volunteering on renovation projects to benefit their own communities. We’re delighted to be aligning our work with the Gen22 programme, providing opportunities for those in the youngest city in Europe and the surrounding areas who stand to benefit from an exciting summer and legacy beyond the Games in Birmingham.”

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