Overview
Aviva is proud to take action with like-minded organisations that focus on building financial resilience for individuals and local businesses around York. We’ve established programmes to improve employability prospects and social outcomes for disadvantaged communities and young people across the city. And we’re working with partners to deliver projects that benefit the local environment and build more resilient communities across Yorkshire.
Improving employability prospects
The Place
In 2024, alongside individuals and companies such as Hiscox, Persimmon and Portakabin, Aviva helped raise £1.5 million to establish and run a new education and community space, The Place, offering children and young people of Westfield access to new opportunities.
Aviva will be funding The Place for the next five years as the skills and work partner. Through volunteering and support from our people, we’ll be co-creating programmes that aims to help children and young people develop professional skills, offer guidance on routes into employment and improve educational and social outcomes for the next generation. During its first year, The Place engaged with 350 young people and had 2,411 interactions with young people.
Volunteer it Yourself and Refugee Action York
The Aviva Foundation has made contributions to York through its Future Chances Fund. This fund aims to improve the employability of young people facing barriers due to inequality and discrimination. In York, the funding supports two key charities:
Volunteer it Yourself (VIY) is a community interest company that challenges young people to help repair and refurbish community places and spaces while learning vocational trade skills on the job. VIY work with the York Travellers Trust to help offer free, short-term work experience placements for young people, including those from Gypsy and Traveller communities who may not be engaged in employment, education, or training. Their goal is to provide valuable skills, practical experience, and Entry Level City and Guilds accreditations.
VIY and Aviva are also working on a project at Inspire Academy. The project will engage 20 young people and 10 Aviva volunteers to build a bespoke common room and sensory chill-out pod.
Refugee Action York is a dedicated service for refugees and asylum seekers based in York and have been delivering for the community for over 22 years. They provide a safe space where young people can learn new skills, form friendships, and get the support they need to enter education or employment.
Strengthening financial resilience
Citizens Advice York
Through local and national partnerships, Aviva supports projects aimed at building financial resilience. This includes partnerships with organisations including Citizens Advice that gives individuals in York support with financial issues.
Aviva colleagues in York completed training as financial capability volunteers and will see clients at Citizens Advice York monthly. Additionally, Aviva colleagues have volunteered to support the Citizens Advice York office, including the development of a social media strategy to engage more people in need with available resources and support.
York Cares
York Cares partners with some of the city’s leading employers who are committed to making York a better place through employee volunteering. Aviva is one of the founding members of York Cares. In 2024, over 790 employee volunteers from Aviva were involved in York Cares projects. Collectively, Aviva employee volunteers spent over 550 working days volunteering with York Cares. Aviva colleagues donated almost 1,400 items through York Cares campaigns and gave over 150 hours to reducing loneliness and social isolation. Aviva supported over 450 pupils through the Aspirations programme. 57 teams from across Aviva took part in Community Challenges through the Environment & Sustainability programme.
Protecting and restoring nature
Wild Ingleborough project
Since 2021, WWF and Aviva have been working together to restore UK landscapes and build healthier more resilient communities. One of these initiatives is the Wild Ingleborough project in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. This project aims to restore peatlands, woodlands, and heathlands, which are crucial for biodiversity and carbon sequestration, helping to mitigate climate change and increase the resilience of local communities. Together, Aviva and WWF planted more than 57,000 trees in the Ingleborough National Nature Reserve, restored over 360 hectares of land and woodland and installed 9 natural flood management interventions. The restoration was done with support from local farmers and landowners, developing a model for community-led upland restoration that can be applied across the UK.
Floating ecosystem
Working with the environmental charity St Nicks, Aviva has helped fund a project to create a floating ecosystem on the River Ouse. This innovative habitat is located near North Street Gardens and is designed to support local wildlife and improve water quality. It hosts between 20 and 30 different plant species, providing shelter for small mammals, nesting birds, and a feeding ground for fish. The ecosystem was installed as part of the York Cares Big Community Challenge in October 2024.
Read more about our work here:
Norwich - sustainability in action
Through local investments and partnerships, we’re working to build financial resilience, boost employability prospects and protect local green spaces.
Read more about Norwich - sustainability in action
Sheffield - sustainability in action
We're working with local leaders and charity partners to build financial resilience, provide access to nature and improve employability prospects.
Read more about Sheffield - sustainability in action