VIY started in 2011 with a simple idea: Why not help a group of young people in Streatham, south London, fix up and improve their own youth club whilst giving them the chance to learn and apply new vocational trade skills in the process, mentored by local builders and tradespeople. It seemed a compelling 'win-win' - helping save a valued youth club at risk of closure, whilst also enabling young people at the club, many of whom were excluded or disengaged from mainstream education or training, to gain work experience and boost their employability.

It's in our VIY Values: we're all about collaboration. We love cross-sector partnerships - we work with a range of National Partners, Programme Partners on regional programmes across the UK and a range of Project Supporters in these locations too. Working in partnership with like-minded organisations is at the heart of the VIY model.

At the heart of the VIY model, young people are mentored by, and work alongside, professional tradespeople who share their skills and experience on the job. The majority of our mentors, like the young people they support, are local to the projects we undertake and the communities in which we work - making VIY a great example of local people working together to improve their community and environment.

From top retail trade brands and employers, to grant-giving organisations and UK government programmes, local authorities, housing associations, NGBs, cultural and youth work organisations, we love doing #SomethingConstructive together in partnership. Working in partnership with a diverse mix of cross-sector organisations and stakeholders, has always underpinned the VIY approach.

VIY is motivated to help bridge the construction skills gap & tackle youth unemployment & we focus on working with young people who are not in employment, education or training or at risk of disengagement & unemployment. Our learner journey covers three principal stages: engagement, participation & progression. 11 years later & VIY have worked with over 12,000 young people principally those disengaged or excluded from mainstream education & have delivered over 600 regeneration projects across England & Wales as well as mobilising over 1,000 local professional tradespeople.