Pictured above: Foyer coordinator Kie Cummings and service user Tanya Bowley get hands-on with some DJing at an arts week to celebrate the end of the three-year Vinvolved volunteering project

Talented young homeless people in Herefordshire are showcasing their skills to celebrate the end of a three-year volunteering project, which has seen young people give up their time to help communities.

The Vinvolved project, which is a youth volunteering programme aimed at getting half a million more young people nationally positively involved in their communities, was run through Herefordshire Supported Housing for Young People Project (SHYPP).

SHYPP received funding for three years, which ended last month, to help young homeless people accessing its services get involved in volunteering opportunities and learn new skills. 

Over the three years the Vinvolved project has created 473 volunteering opportunities, including 341 one-off volunteer opportunities, 111 opportunities for a couple of hours a week and 21 opportunities for up to 30 hours a week over 13 weeks.   

To celebrate the achievements of the young people involved with the Vinvolved project, they held an arts week for current and former service users to work with professional artists to create different types of art. 

The arts week included clowning and drumming workshops, DJ and MC sessions, sculpting and mural painting, and laughter yoga, which were held at SHYPP's foyers in Hereford, Ross and Leominster, and its offices at Bridge Street, Hereford.

SHYPP service user Tanya Bowley, aged 18, said: "I really enjoyed the DJ session and it was great fun to try something new. It was nice that we had the support of professionals to help us learn new skills at the events. Even for people who aren't naturally artistic there were lots of different activities for them to try."

To showcase the success of the arts week there is an exhibition on Friday, May 27, at SHYPP's Bridge Street office in Hereford. 

Head of SHYPP Catherine Collis said: "The Vinvolved project has been a great success and service users have gained a lot from the volunteering opportunities it has created. 

"Not only has it created employment within SHYPP as we have employed a member of staff to head up the project but it has also given young people skills that they can transfer into employment opportunities.

"SHYPP is committed to increasing the life opportunities for young homeless people and the Vinvolved project has really supported us to achieve this goal."