Projects

Merryville House

Completed: 2020
Location: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Region: South East
Other local partners: Buckinghamshire County Council, Dulux, GAP Hire Solutions, Heart of Bucks Community Foundation, Lawsons, Youth Concern.

About the project

Project: we converted an empty townhouse into a new nine-bed supported accommodation unit for Youth Concern, a charity providing support, information and guidance for vulnerable young people aged 13 – 25 years old in Aylesbury Vale. The residence is used to house young people at risk of homelessness in Aylesbury.

This was also the first project supported by Dulux, who have now become one of our key National Trade Partners. They donate all of the paint and painting materials to all of our projects, their colleagues and customers support our projects as mentors and volunteers and we are now working to gain further work experience and placements for our young volunteers with their customers and contractors. You can read more about this partnership here.

Volunteers: 10 young volunteers supported by Youth Concern, supported by staff volunteers from Dulux

Fun fact: Jojo started as a VIY volunteer (pictured painting on the right in picture 9 on the stairs) and has now been a Project Executive/Youth Engagement Co-ordinator with VIY since 2021!

Skills and accreditations earned: throughout the nine rooms in the building, our young learners and Dulux volunteers got involved with plastering, plumbing tiling and decorating to transform this place into a welcoming home for young people through Youth Concern.

Hear about the project here on BBC Three Counties

 

Working with @VIYproject and @youthconcern, we provided tools to the team working on Merryville House where they have been converting a townhouse to accommodate young people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness. #trustinGAP GAP Hire Solutions, Twitter
A great project. Brilliant building too. I love the idea of involving and teaching vocational skills to people who will also benefit from the new accommodation created once the work is done. Adam Clarke, Partner Volunteer, Dulux