Building skills,
building futures

How a community investment project is

helping young people find work

New lease of life for Eastmoors Youth Centre

Click to watch the video

In the heart of Cardiff’s Splott community, Eastmoors Youth Centre has stood for generations as a beacon for young people seeking connection, creativity, and support.

The recording studio, one of its most cherished spaces, has long represented an important hub for aspiring musicians and artists.

Thanks to a £60,000 investment from Morgan Sindall and the hands-on partnership with Volunteer It Yourself (VIY), the studio has been reborn. Not just as a state-of-the-art facility, but as a symbol of what’s possible when a community comes together.

A Place to Belong

Darryl Payne, Senior Youth Support Worker at Eastmoors, knows better than anyone the centre’s impact.

“It’s a lifeline to some young people,” he says. “They enjoy coming here, speaking to youth workers, and getting any support they can. Splott is considered a deprived community, and for many, this is the only safe space they have.”

The new studio isn’t just about music - it’s about pride, opportunity, and legacy. “We’ve stripped out everything that was there previously, and now young people from all across the area are supporting, rebuilding, redesigning, and making the space their own,”

Darryl explains. “It’s a clean, professional space they can feel proud of. For some, it’s the first time they’ve ever felt that sense of ownership.”

Building Skills, Building Futures

VIY’s approach is unique: they invite young people who are struggling to find work or training to learn construction skills on real projects, mentored by professionals.

As Tom Hague, VIY’s Retrofit and Green Skills Director, puts it: “We want to give young people that opportunity to get hands-on, get amazing mentoring, work towards qualifications, and then take that next step. It’s often that spark that helps young people move on to the next step in their lives.”

On this project, participants gained City & Guilds qualifications in carpentry, joinery, painting, decorating, and health & safety - skills that open doors to future employment. “We treat them as equals,” Tom says. “It’s not just about construction; it’s about confidence, purpose, and belonging.”

Over the course of the £60,000 investment, 20 students gained qualifications and work experience, supported by VIY mentors and Morgan Sindall staff who donated 62 volunteer hours.

Giving young people that opportunity is vital. We've seen young people who are out of education and employment, come down and get stuck into our projects, and it gives them that spark - that's the magic of what we're doing with Morgan Sindall and what we need to keep doing if we want to get young people away from doing nothing, and into something positive.

Tom Hague, VIY

Elliot’s Journey: from uncertainty to ambition

For Elliot Perkins, a young VIY learner, the project was life-changing.

“I went through a lot of struggles with different colleges and courses, never really found my thing. Spent about a year just doing nothing. And then I came here. Now I feel like I’ve found what I want to do in life.”

Elliot’s story is one of transformation. “In school, they’ve got the model student, but everyone’s different. I’m better with hands-on work. I can’t sit at a desk all day. Here, I’m with real workers, not teachers. I’ve learned how to build studded walls, and I know I’ll get a qualification that will help me in the trade.”

He’s now planning to go to college for carpentry, inspired by the experience and the people he met. “If I didn’t have this opportunity, I would probably still be sat at home, wondering what to do in life. Next year I’m going to go to college and become a carpenter. Thanks to you guys, I would never have found it if it wasn’t for you lot.”

He’s now planning to go to college for carpentry, inspired by the experience and the people he met.

“If I didn’t have this opportunity, I would probably still be sat at home, wondering what to do in life.

Next year I’m going to go to college and become a carpenter. Thanks to you guys, I would never have found it if it wasn’t for you lot.”

More than bricks
and mortar

The impact of the project ripples far beyond the studio walls.

“It leaves a legacy so they can always come back and know they’ve had an impact on this space, even if they’re not musically talented. It’s massively rewarding to see young people like Elliot grow in confidence and ambition becuase of this project”

Tom continues: “At the heart of every VIY project is the impact on young people, which is incredible. But there’s also the amazing benefit to the community spaces we work with. We know over 90% of young people we work with feel more confident about entering the world of work as a result of our projects. That’s the magic of what we’re doing with Morgan Sindall.”

As Elliot puts it, “What’s the worst that can happen? You go there for a day or two, find out it’s not for you, or you stick it out, get your qualification, and maybe find your way in life. There’s definitely something out there for everyone. And I believe that now.”

Two weeks ago, I was very lost. I wasn't earning; I was just spending a lot of time doing a whole load of nothing. I went through a lot of struggles and never really found my thing. But then I came here and now I feel like I've found what I want to do in life, 100%. It's just opened a whole different pathway to carpentry for me, I never knew how vast it was. It's great. The first day I came here and we got to it, I just thought, I could do this for the rest of my life. And I'd love it. To be honest, I didn't want it to end. It's uplifted my spirits a lot knowing that there really is something out there for me. There's definitely something out there for everyone. And I believe
that now.

Elliot Perkins, VIY Learner

A spark for the future

The new studio is already generating excitement.

Young people are “chomping at the bit” to get inside, and the centre is planning a big reveal.

For many, it’s a chance to express themselves, discover new talents, and build lasting friendships.

This project is proof that when businesses, charities, and communities unite, they can create spaces that change lives.

The new recording studio at Eastmoors Youth Centre is more than just a room; it’s a launchpad for dreams, skills, and hope.

For young people like Elliot, it’s the start of a new chapter. For the community, it’s a reminder that together, anything is possible.