The five-year partnership with Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) has helped 500 young people gain valuable trade skills, 70% of whom have earned a City & Guilds qualification.
Toolstation has announced the completion of a new community renovation project in partnership with social enterprise Volunteer It Yourself (VIY), helping transform and refurbish the clubhouse of Whitehall RFC in Bristol.
The rugby club plays host to two senior men’s teams, a Vets’ side, and an exciting women’s team that’s currently in development. In addition to its sporting facilities, the club prides itself on supporting and connecting the young local community by providing a hub for 140 junior players from U6s to U15s, supported by a team of dedicated volunteers. It is currently overseeing a regeneration project to continue growing the club’s communal presence, and to assist with this project both VIY and Toolstation partnered up to redecorate the club lounge and build an outdoor open-faced kiosk structure for matchdays.
Several young volunteers from VIY joined forces with volunteers from Toolstation to complete the refurbishment, with the assistance of supplies donated by the DIY and trade retailer. The new kiosk and enhanced lounge will enable the club to further serve their community during match days outdoors and boost their income to sustain the club/development for the women’s game.
The project was Toolstation’s 25th in partnership with VIY across a five-year period, helping 500 young people gain valuable trade skills during this time.
Of the 500 volunteers, 91% felt their hopes and aspirations increased, 77% felt more confident in soft skills, and 94% felt more confident about getting a job. As a result of learning hands-on trade skills during each project, 70% earned a City & Guilds qualification.
In addition to boosting the employability skills of young volunteers, the regeneration of local hubs has also benefited communities across the UK, both monetarily and socially. 11,045 have been positively impacted by the community refurbishments, whilst 82% of venues felt more confident in their future sustainability and 83% felt more connected to their community.
Chris Other, Customer Director at Toolstation, said: "At Toolstation, we believe that supporting communities involves creating positive change where it's needed most. Partnering with VIY means we can help improve living conditions and share valuable skills with the volunteers from the local area. We believe that these projects will continue to encourage young people to develop confidence and learn practical trade and building skills and to consider a career in the trade.”
Ed Sellwood, COO and Co-Founder at VIY, added: “We're proud of our long-term partnership with Toolstation, helping to inspire and diversify the next generation of tradespeople, whilst helping to improve spaces that matter to communities that desperately need improvements. We look forward to continuing our great work together this year.”
