Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) project at The Hive Hub in Walsall

This proposal involves the renovation of a youth/community centre in Walsall completed by Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) at The Hive, operated by the Frank F Harrison Community Association. The works will be undertaken by young volunteers who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) or at risk of becoming so, developing new vocational skills on the job whilst being mentored by professional tradespeople.

VIY operates on a partnership model, working with a wide range of cross-sector partners across all of its projects, from National Partners supporting/match-funding the organisation’s work across the country like The Postcode Lottery, The Considered Ask, Dulux and Travis Perkins, to grant-giving organisations and UK government programmes, to delivering regional programmes of work in regional hubs across the UK including local authorities, construction companies, housebuilders and housing associations, local police forces, active partners, NGBs, cultural and youth work organisations.

The grant is requested to help deliver a new VIY community improvement/refurbishment project in Walsall, involving and benefitting at least 15 marginalised/excluded/disengaged who are NEET or at risk of NEET young people through local volunteer skills opportunities.

The project will take place at The Hive, run by Frank F Harrison Community Association (an independent charity). It supports around 1200 people through community groups, in addition to 100+ young people through its youth club provision. It provides community activities for adults, a parents and tots group, free antenatal classes and facilities for new-borns, a pre-loved school uniform shop, meeting room hire and an in-house community library. Here, works would centre around large-scale redecoration of the centre which has become tired, shabby and lacking modern personality. As well as repairs/redecorating of common areas of the centre, the project involves working with a local artist to incorporate some more modern mural artwork which reflects the centre/community in its current era and moving forwards for years to come. These works will help boost pride in the centre for those who use it for vital services and wider visitation by the local community, to help them boost their financial sustainability through wider hire from modern spaces, and allow their low-funded resource/volunteer resource to stretch further.