Procurement solutions provider, Travis Perkins Managed Services, has built a new partnership with Volunteer It Yourself (VIY). The partnership aims to create opportunities for young people to learn new skills and gain confidence through volunteering on community engagement projects.
VIY is a not-for-profit community interest company, founded in 2012. Since establishment, they have helped over 12,000 young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET learn vocational trade and construction skills. The young people, typically aged between 14-24 are invited to join community engagement projects. These involve renovating community buildings whilst being mentored on the job by professional tradespeople. The end goal is for young people to leave the project with a City & Guilds qualification or connections to further training and employment opportunities.
From the 12,000 young people that have participated so far:
- 70% aged 16+ have successfully gained an Entry Level 3 City & Guilds qualification.
- 30% of those that were unemployed/NEET have progressed onto employment or further training within 3 months.
Tim Reading, Chief Executive at VIY said, “Working together with TPMS and their housing association clients is a very effective way to identify and help community places and spaces that need support, as well as to engage local young residents who are well-placed to participate in VIY and to benefit from the skills and employment outcomes on offer.”
For more information on the partnership between Travis Perkins Managed Services and VIY, contact us. You can also find out how to get involved with these community engagement projects.