Gabalfa Youth and Community Centre

22 March 2024

In consultation with the local community, including its young population, Gabalfa Youth & Community Centre is on the up. A former council building, it’s the only youth provision in the north of Cardiff, and was in a fairly tired state. A collaborative decision was made between the centre and the local young people to move the venue forward, nominating the creation of multi-media spaces for young people to make, record and produce music and learn a range of digital arts skills including podcasting, green screen technology and 3D printing.

Step in our fourth project in partnership with Barclaycard, as part of their commitment to using music and the arts as a vehicle to teach life skills to young people.

The project:

We created a sliding door to create the sound booth, fitted acoustic tiles for basic soundproofing, fitted a window in between the two rooms, boarded existing windows for soundproofing, created shelving and tables, before prepping walls and redecorating throughout in inspiring colours to lead the club into the next phase.

The young people: 26 local young people taking part, the majority of whom regularly use the youth and community centre and volunteered to help these spaces they’ll thrive in moving forwards in, as well as local refugees referred through the YMCA and the local JobCentre.

The impact:

  • 22 young people gaining a City & Guilds accreditation in Painting & Decorating and Health & Safety
  • 3 multi-media spaces prepped and ready to be fully kitted out with donated equipment from local partners supporting the youth centre – ready to officially open in summer 2024
  • A youth and community centre fit for the future, using colour zoning to create dedicated wellbeing, gaming, homework and pool table areas, in an inspiring and complementary Dulux palette chosen by the young people
  • Painting and the building of a new outdoor shed supported by 7 partner volunteers from Toolstation over the border in South West England

James Healan, Principal Youth Officer for Cardiff Youth Service: “Working in partnership with VIY and Barclaycard to bring alive a creative media space to young
people in north Cardiff was an opportunity we could not miss. Young people and the wider community will continue to benefit from a range of innovative and creative experiences in this digital space for years to come. Involving young people from the community gives them ownership and makes them partners in the space, encouraging them to be active partners in the activities and opportunities delivered.”

Dan Mathieson, Head of Sponsorship for Barclaycard, said: “We are excited to collaborate again with VIY on what is our fourth project together and first in Wales. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished space and the benefits the refurbishments will bring to the local community.”

Norfolk Community Arts

26 July 2023

Nottingham Arts Theatre

26 July 2023

Old Library

29 December 2022

A standout project in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council and the UK Government Community Renewal Fund*.

The project:

Renovating a Grade II listed venue in the heart of Mansfield, The Old Library, used for community arts activities, including a makeover through extensive painting & decorating to its interiors and community cafe, to celebrate its 25th anniversary and revitalise the venue ahead of a busy summer of arts activity and performance.

The young people: 17 young people aged 16+ were referred by two local youth organisations: Inspire Culture and Vision West Nottinghamshire College

The impact:

  • Interiors, lobby and cafe space upgraded to make it more welcoming
  • Multiple onsite work-readiness training sessions delivered by Travis Perkins
  • Visit from Executive Mayor for Mansfield, Andy Abrahams (pictured right)
  • Platforms donated by GAP Tool Hire
  • 7 of the learners have been supported by VIY in accessing and progressing to construction-related further training and employment opportunities
  • Dominic Thompson, aged 22, who was NEET on joining VIY, had no past experience in trade skills or interest in construction. He spent three weeks on the project, gaining an Entry Level 3 City & Guilds qualification in Painting & Decorating and has now successfully progressed post-VIY into a formal/higher level Painting & Decorating course and is looking to gain full time employment as a Decorator once finished

Accreditations gained: 15 young people achieved a City & Guilds Entry Level 3 accreditation in Painting & Decorating 

*You can find more information, on the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund here.

The Boileroom

29 December 2022

The Brink

9 June 2023

The Sound Lounge Music Venue

1 September 2021

The Sound Lounge is a grassroots music venue and community hub that offers live gigs and events as well as training and workshops for marginalised young people and local people in need. They have been a crucial community organisation across South London for many years.

VIY and The Sound Lounge were connected by the Music Venue Trust in 2019 as The Sound Lounge had been offered a new venue in a former bank on Sutton High Street by Sutton Council. One of 20 VIY projects funded at the time by Greater London Authority’s Good Growth fund.

The project:

Following Sutton Council’s regeneration team completing crucial enabling works including toilets and electrics, we continued the retrofitting of this high street unit into a thriving community space for The Sound Lounge – which would play a fundamental part of Sutton Council’s wider regeneration plans for the area.

We built a new stage, a new secure storage space for sound equipment, created a new bar area. new kitchen space and redecorated the entire venue, making it a fit-for-purpose home for The Sound Lounge to become a central community space; the UK’s first carbon neutral grassroots music venue and plant-based café.

The young people: 27 young people referred to the project by multiple local youth referral partners including Sutton NEET Forum, Sutton Youth Offending Team, Limes College Pupil Referral Unit, YMCA and three local schools/colleges

The impact:

  • A former bank retrofitted and repurposed to become a thriving community space
  • 8 volunteer expert tradespeople from the Federation of Master Builders took part in the project, contributing two weeks worth of skilled labour time
  • More than £5,000 worth of tools and materials donated by Travis Perkins, Dulux and GAP Hire Solutions

“The space has been completely transformed. The level of creative input and craftsmanship exceeded any other trade partner we have used in the past. The Lead Mentor Alan clearly developed an excellent relationship with the young people getting the best out of them and it was clear throughout that they all felt a huge sense of pride over the brilliant work they had done.” Hannah White, Co-founder and Manager, The Sound Lounge

Accreditations: 15 Entry Level 3 City & Guilds accreditations gaine, through a combined total of nearly 300 hours volunteering

The Tin Music & Arts Venue

14 January 2022

The Vaults

18 December 2023

« Previous Page