Southend: Supporting young people with safe spaces
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to YMCA Southend, who we have recently funded through our community grant fund to provide support to young people in the city. In our recent Listening Report we spoke to more than 1500 young people about their biggest fears and what makes them feel safe. The young people from Southend […]
Street football in Purfleet
What better way to spend a sunny Thursday afternoon than to see one of the projects we help fund in action? And so we headed to Purfleet Primary School to see the street football after-school club. This after-school club, organised by Riverview Charitable Trust, runs from 4pm to 5pm for eight- to eleven-year-olds, and then […]
Motivated Minds – Well Youth Project
The VVU is pleased to share the success of one of the projects we funded in a community grant round. Motivated Minds in Basildon was awarded just under £20k to run the Well Youth Project – dedicated youth club sessions and wellbeing activities for local young people. The project included life skills workshops on topics […]
The Community Church making a big difference
Doddinghurst Road Community Church is so much more than a church. Based right in the heart of the community it provides a safe space, a community space, a place to chat, a place to seek help, a place to just be, for anyone who needs this support. The VVU popped along to meet Aaron, the […]
Back at The Base
It was exciting for the VVU to be back to The Base in Chelmsford to see all the developments that have taken place over the last year. Running out of The Base is the Building Lives project which supports young people at risk of crime, violence and criminal exploitation. The project supports 30 young people […]
Bringing a splash of colour to Colchester
Last Sunday we visited The Outhouse in Colchester to film some of the young people who attend the project. The OutHouse is a charity that provides opportunities for LGBTQ+ people in Essex. They run a large programme of services which includes counselling, social events and support groups. The VVU has helped fund a youth counsellor […]