Reach CIC

Our first project funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with Redditch Borough Council.

The project:

The young people: 10 young people referred from Heart of Worcestershire College, Young Solutions and the local area

The impact:

• Helped create a fit-for-purpose space by remodelling and creating stud walls – opening the main space out for larger groups and activities including fitness classes
• Created smaller, safer, confidential spaces for certain services and conversations
• Installed new basic kitchen units, thanks to generous donations from Toolstation suppliers Kitchen Kit and Bushboard, where there were previously only makeshift tables
• Redecorated throughout, including a truly impactful external window design in partnership with local window artist Hannah Exall to showcase the vibrancy of the centre, to help people identify the space and know what services are on offer which could be of use to them
• This work has allowed Reach to expand their groups to the same size as their previous space – and larger – and welcome new people too

Match-funded by Toolstation, Travis Perkins Plc and Sport England.

Accreditations gained: 5 Entry Level 3 City & Guilds accreditations gained in Painting & Decorating, Conduct at Work and Health & Safety

About the UK Shared Prosperity Fund

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and 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

Redditch Youth Hub

Young Solutions, a youth training provider in Worcestershire, have never had a central location to meet and help young people from. They were faced with an office in the local town hall, which wouldn’t have been fit to run training activities and support groups, to benefit the learning, development and next steps for their young people.

The project: This 14 day VIY project was our sixth in partnership with Toolstation, seeing us convert two disused units, formerly used as a foodbank underneath the Kingfisher Shopping Centre, into one space for local young people to make their own. We’ve repainted the whole space and refurbished with a new kitchen (our first donated by Benchmarx) and storage facilities for future communal events and classes, whilst the outdoor space has been renovated with outdoor seating and will host regular sporting activities and community events. It also features a kitchen area for young people to learn cookery and provide free meals to people participating in sporting activities.

The young people: 17 volunteers from youth support organisations in the local area, including YMCA Redditch, Bromsgrove District Council and the UP Foundation

The impact? A profound result for the local community, the young VIY volunteers and a new space they’ve even named themselves – W.I.S.E.

A safe, central space for youth work which didn’t exist before in Redditch, now signposted by the likes of the NHS, CAMHS and local social services

5x number of young people in the first six months than initially forecasted

Luke Maguire, Enhanced Youth Support Officer for Young Solutions, who’s dedicated half of his life to working with young people, has never seen impact like this.

“I can’t praise the VIY mentors enough. They were able to generate a relationship with these people inside 3-4 days and help contribute towards the ambitions of the young people we work with to help them want to work, learn and grow, which usually needs weeks or months to make inroads. 

One key example for me was a young man who had recently gone through substance misuse and alcohol addiction and looked unlikely to complete our course, then came in on Monday (after a weekend) and said, “I decided not to get wrecked last night, I wanted to come in today fresh and not get buzzed out.”

By day 3-4, this young man had actively decided against taking a substance the night before and he made a decision to go down path A and not B, all because he wanted to come in, complete his work and take ownership of what he was tasked with that day. This project potentially influenced a young man to make a decision that could have saved his life. That’s the true impact VIY can make.”

Accreditations gained: 12 Entry Level 3 City & Guilds accreditations in Carpentry, Painting & Decorating and Health & Safety

See the project in action here

Redfearns Juniors Football Club

Regents Park Community College

Ridgewood High School

Riverside Youth Club

River Tees Academy

Rochdale Cricket Club

Rochford Women’s Institute

Rockstone Cycle Hub

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