VIY
VIY combines DIY and volunteering by challenging young people to help repair and refurbish community places and spaces, whilst learning vocational trade skills on the job.
About VIY
VIY learners are mentored by local professional tradespeople and can work towards and gain Entry Level City & Guilds trade skills accreditations. Since 2011, VIY has completed over 1,000 projects, helped over 17,000 young people learn trade skills, boost their confidence and employability, and awarded more than 9,500 City & Guilds accreditations.
VIY helps young people who are disengaged or excluded from mainstream education and training, at risk of disengagement, and/or unemployed, with the aim of providing work experience opportunities to support them in progressing into the workforce, education or training.
Read their 2024-25 Impact Report here to learn more.
Our Partnership In Action
In Stores
Pick up a paint stirrer or tin opener at any of our Dulux Decorator Centre stores and turn an every-day purchase into a life-changing opportunity for the next generation of decorators. Every purchase you make donates money directly towards VIY learners gaining City & Guilds accreditations in Painting & Decorating.
Sale of tin openers and stirrers:
You have helped to fund over 600 Painting & Decorating accreditations since 2023
Donating Paint
Along with our parent company AkzoNobel we have also proudly donated paint to VIY projects:
- Litres of paint donated 20,141
- Projects supported 292
- Lives impacted 260,446
- Young people taking part 4,323
Young person case study
When 18-year-old Leon joined a VIY project at Anchorians Sports Club in Medway, he was unsure of his future. Out of education, employment, or training, he took the opportunity to work alongside professional decorator and VIY Skills Mentor, Luke Godden, Owner of LG Decorating. Leon quickly impressed the team with his commitment and eagerness to learn. Guided by Luke, he developed new decorating skills and the confidence to see himself building a future in the trade.
Thanks to the national partnership between VIY and Dulux Decorator Centre, Leon’s hard work paid off. Luke was so impressed that he offered Leon the chance to join his team at LG Decorating, turning a volunteer experience into a career opportunity. Hear from Luke here on why he believes in the VIY model to find and inspire future decorators.
Volunteering on VIY Projects
Meet a Trade Mentor
On every VIY project, learners are supported by and work alongside our Skills Mentors—all experienced professional tradespeople who are motivated to inspire and upskill the next generation, while also developing their own skills—like Ade featured who has trained through VIY to deliver retrofit and green skills projects.
“With 25 years in the trade and 17 in special education, I see the true value of VIY’s work every day, sharing my skills and experience with young people as we complete valuable renovations together. Many of our learners may not have considered construction as a possible career path, and VIY helps open that door.”
ADE LLEWELLYN | LEAD MENTOR