The Swan Youth Project Lfimfited (A company limited by guaTant¢e) Dire¢tors' report and fmaneial statements for the year ended 311 June 2024 Con]pany registration number 02947322 Registered charity number 1039966 Bianca Permal FCA Dux Advisory Limited Chartered A¢¢ountants Suite I Amersham House Mill Street Berkhamsted Hertfordshire HP4 2DT The Swan Youth Project Limited Company information Directors MTS S SWa￿riCk Chair Mrs J Jacques Mr T Streater (resigned 22 March 2024) MTS K Rogers Mrs V Sindernw Ms H Rognaldsen Mr R Fr¢edman Ms K Ashton (appointed 16 May 2024} Company number 02947322 Register¢d charity number 1039966 Registered offic¢ 1371139 High Street Berkhamsted H¢rtfordshire HP4 3HH Independent Examiner Bianca Pennal FCA Dux Advisory Limit¢d Chartered AccounÉants Suite I Amersham House Mill Street Berkhamsted Hertfordshire HP4 2DT Bankers Barclays Bank PLC The Swan Youth Project Lin)ited Contsnts Page Directors, report Independent examinevs report stst¢ment of financial activities Balanc¢ sheet 9-10 Notes to th¢ financial statements 11-20 The Swan Youth Project Limited Directors, Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 The Past Year - Change, Suecesses and Challenges The Swan Youth Project (SYP) continues lo prioritise the importance of providing youth s¢rvi¢¢s whilst so many faciliti¢s ar¢ closing due to a lack of funding. Unfortunat¢ly many of the challenges outlined in last year's directors report Continue whilst at th¢ same time sources of fiulding are contracting and in many cases disappearing. In exercising our core purpose, the Swan has witnessed a tsngible impact from the cost-of-living Crisis with many members having food at the c¢ntre as their main ¢v¢ning m¢al (we also provide healthy snacks when ¢llgag￿ in outreach wotk). Thus, our expenditure on food has incr¢as¢d despite donations from FareShaTe and others. Since the change in the 'best before dates,, we have also seen a drop in the number and quantlty of donations. It should be not¢d that Waitrose in Berkhamst¢d recognise the challenges we fac¢ and continue to be generous supporters of the SYP. We are working closely with Schools to address issues wh¢r¢ members and families are strnggling and in conjunction with support services we offer help where we are able. We see a range of mental health issues from low level anxiety to serious self-harn]. all of which has required a considerable amount of input from staff, with further training required to increase expertise. Our work with various organisations has provided the funding and support to deliver programmes to specifically address these changing and increased needs. our particular thanks to HertfoTdshir¢ County Council's Building Lrf¢ Chances programme which has funded two large programmes that continue into the new financial year Collaboration and sign-posting to services has lllcr&￿ed and has b¢en successful. W¢ work very closely with our feeder school, Ashlyns, and support students as required. We contillue to expand our reach by going into the primary schools to talk about th¢ work of the Swan Youth Project, especially to students in Y¢ar 6 who are transitioning to secondary school. This was a need we identifi¢d due to the impact of COVID and lack of socialisation skills amongst this demographic. We hav¢ worked with Community Action Dacorum to help s￿dentS with their CV writing and have signpost¢d work exp¢ri¢nce sMdents. We have also continued to work Closely with local churches to deliver the HCF HAPpy Programme for children in r¢ceipt of fr¢¢ school meals as well as taking part in celebrations such as Sukkot at St Peters Chur¢h. We also w0￿¢d with the Rotary Club to raise funds for the Swan Youth Project and also empower our volunteers. Funding from a variety of grants has enabled us to deliver a range ofprogramrnes, and activities. We have continued running our Cookery Life skills for Year 12 students, gardening projects in our newly refurbished coutyard WAth Hanako and tnany mor¢ life enriching experiences. The financial support and encouragement from Berkhamsted Town Council is pivotal to provide a Programme of services for our members. It also enables us to look at opportunities for staff training and expansion of the existing team. Looking ahead We continue to see more mental health issues with the volume and complexity increasing. This means more signposting to services and liaison with families and schools so that w¢ are involved in providing a positive circle of support. We anticipate we will continue to see this increase into 2025 due to the increased pressures on other youth provision services, which encourages and requires us to expand our team and its expertise. Page I The Swan Youth Project Limited Dlrectors, Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 (continued) Our Constant and greatest challenge is to secure funding as far ￿ possible into the ￿ture. Put sixnply the level of fi￿d1Thg detern]ines the resour¢es and activities we can deliver with sustainable. secure funding being critical to developing and delivering multi-year programm¢s. Our Board of Trustees is currently engag¢d in seeking opportunities for local business partnerships so that w¢ can diversify our sourc¢s of in¢ome, thus reducing our dq)¢nd¢ncy on restricted grants income. This will also enable greater flexibility for futyre programme delivery. The directors have spent an away d&y focused on diverse areas of funding and continue to do all possibl¢ to increase fimding streams. As with other youth provision services. stsff re¢ruilment and retention remains difficult, however, we have refined our r¢¢ruitment process and now hav¢ a strong team in place which giv¢s us ￿nfidence for the ￿ture. We have and will continue to be proactive so that we can best support our members and families. We are always working to incr¢ase the positive impact we can have addressing the macro societal ne¢ds that we encounter daily on a micro level. Our young peopl¢ continue to be the priority and we strive to support them as b¢st w¢ can. Structure, Governance and Management The Swan Youth Project Limit¢d ("SYP") is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee and governed by its Constitution. Its purpose is th¢ provision of a safe recr¢ational facility with an associated activity progranllne for the young people of Berkhamsted and the sum)unding area. The SYP was originally established with the aim of purchasing The Swan Inn in Berkhamsted, which at th¢ time was a sixteenth century coaching inn in danger of becoming derelict, and to develop it for the benefit of the young peopl¢ of Berkhamsted. The Inn was acquired with financial support from the then National Lotteries Charities Board. The SYP legally owns the entir¢ buildiiig though most of it is le&8ed to P¢abody (fornierly Catalyst Housing Limited and before that. Aldwyck Housing Association) on a long tern) lease which comprises of the upstairs and part of the downstairs of the building which were th¢n developed to provide accommodation for homeless young people of the district. The SYP uses the remainder of the building focusing its efforts on d¢v¢loping a recreational facility for the young people of the area. The SYP is continually looking for new, active, committed individuals to serve as trustee/directors. Most hear about it through 'word of mouth. contact with an existing trust¢¢/director and through other routes. Potential trust¢¢sldirectOTS are provided with infornthtion on th¢ SYP arld invited to attend som¢ meelings until they f￿allY decide to serve. They can dien be ¢lected as trnstee or director by the existing board of directors, which effectively ndions as its management committee. The SYP currently ¢mploys three full time staff together with a varying number of part-tim¢ youth workers to manage and the day to day activities of the clwity. Our Mission The SYP is a unique and w¢ll-eslablish¢d youth centre at th¢ heart of B¢rkhamsted- providing vital services for all young people (11-16 years) from Berkhamsted and the Su￿ound1ng areas. Somewhere to Go. Something to Do. Someone to Listen. Our mission is to provide a happy, safe, supportive and engaging place for young people in the town and surrounding areas. Page 2 The Swan Youth Project Limited Directors, Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 (continued) unde￿IDning our mission ar¢ our core values of. Empowernient: we put the needs of our young people at the heart of everything we do, remaining relevant and engaged. Respect: we respect each other and operdte with integrity" and Sustainability: we will continue to athl value to our community now and in the future. Our core valu¢s go band in hand with our planning b¢ing btsed around the holistic wellbeing principles of th¢ .5 Ways to Wellbeing.. As an integral part of the Berkhamsted community. the SYP works in parlnership with local schools and busin¢ss¢s, to support the community's next generation to realis¢ their potcntial and to contribute positively to its future. The SYP off¢rs a core daily 'dmp in. s¢rvic¢ and provides a range of structur¢d activities. It is a safe, fun. and supportive space for young people to develop valuable skills outside of school. promoting positive mental and physical healt￿ whilst offering more targeted support and signposting to the most vuln¢rable. Swan Centre Management The SYP centre is well equipped with games such as pool and table football. a computer and internet room, a chill- out room, a fully equipped music roo￿ DJ booth, games consoles and a r¢freshments area. Our regular activities during tenn time include after school thop-ins 3 6pm Monday to Friday, recreational activities. gig nights, ¢tc. Apart from th¢se regular activities, the SYP has provided and offers at various times depending on n¢¢ds and resources. stsucthred activities such as: Enrichment opportunities such as theatre visits, pottery workshops, floristy session, and many more. We ensure that finance is not a barrier to participation and access to activities is ma(k possible- Involving young people through the opportunity to volunteer at the SYP. Support and inforn]ation to enable members to make infornied choices about issues that concern thenL some of these being '¢oiinty lines, workshops, focus on 'lives not knives. through Billvs Wish workshop. PCSO visit and many wellbeing discussions. Healthy relationships and what these look lik¢- managed by third partics to provide sUp￿rt. Cr¢ativ¢ learning through arts, music and citizcnship and encouragcment to enjoy n¢w ¢xpcricnces by participating in activities such as drama, skate boarding and video making. Outreach work is delivered in th¢ local schools and Community groups. and at the local skate park and football pitch to engage wilh the harder to reach members of the community. and Training whcre members have the opportunity to attcnd many diff¢r¢nt training workshops such as drugs awareness, careers. first aid. The dircctors wish to thatth all our stsff for their continued contributio]J during the past year. We also thank all the youth workers and volunteers who help us to reach out to 11-16 year olds and to deliver a number of specific programtnes to our Lnembers. Page 3 The Swan Youth Project Limited Directors, Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 (continued) Looking forward, our priorities are to grow our membership, evolve our services and activities, rnise our profile in the local Community, and increase and diversify our funding. Our website htt s:Ilwww.theswan outh ro ect.¢o.uk) provides inforniation on our activities and a platforn] to outreach to members, local busin¢ss¢s. other related organisations and supporters of all kinds. Risk Management The trustees of th¢ charlty remain v¢ry aware of the pot¢ntial risks associated with the centre. Everybody who works with young people is subjected to Ihe appropriate DBS checks. All necessary operdting procedures have been estsblished and are r¢gularly revlewed. Wb¢re necessary, the advic¢ of the local police, health and f￿¢ authorities is obtained. Funding Whilst the SYP centre does generat¢ a small an]ount of income from activities, it remains heavily dependent on grants and donations. During this fu￿nCial year, a numb¢r of grants were r¢c¢ived and are detailed in th¢ attached financial report. The directors are extremely grateful to all those who provided such fmancial support. We are particularly grateful to HertfoTdshire County Council for th¢ir fimding and engagement on a number of programmes during the year and into our next financial year. We continue to r¢ceive fi￿dIng from BerkI￿nsted Town Council as they hav¢ done so over many years. The continued nature of this fwiding is critical to sustaining the SYP, not just because of the amount involved but also because of th¢ benefits of th¢ longer-tenn nature of this support. We continue to receive financial support from the Garfield Weston Trust, Quanta, our local churches. community organisations and schools, and Élldividuals. all of which we appreciat¢ very much. The amount of grant funding opportunities continues to decline and ourfocus continues to be to attract new sources of funding. Being a local charity, the Trustees have continued to focus more than ever on local organizations. businesses and individuals. W¢ building our network of local supporters as we see our continued funding to be mor¢ than ever dep¢nd¢nt on such local support which can be through the provision of donations, resources or participation in projects. Maintaining an adequate fi￿aillg pipeline ￿MaInS a key priority for the Trustees to ensure th¢ sustainability of the centre and its progranm]e of events. We have not employed any professional fimdraiser or commercial participator during th¢ ycar. Page 4 The Swan Youth Project Limited Directors, Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 (continued) Finan¢ial Issues Th¢ financial perforniance of the charity for ihis year is outlined in the following sch¢dul¢s, which have been prepared so as to provide an accurate, reasonable, fair and balanced view of the financial state of the Company. In preparing thes¢ fmancial ststements, the dir¢ctors have sought to select suitsbl¢ accounting policies and apply them consistently, make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent, and prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis. Following Covid, one objective has been to increase our reserves and w¢ are pleased to say that we have made son]e progress in that regard, while furthcr progress is required over thc next few years. Funds at year end Total funds at the end of the year were £118,247 (2023: £110,329). of which £65,104 (2023: £67,333) were restrictcd funds, principally represented by the freehold and long leasehold interests in buildings together with ertain ¢quipmcnt as detailed in Note 5 to th¢ accounts. The SYP began opcrations with a grant from the National Lotteries Charity Board in 1996 (£102,056 of capital funding and £90,010 of revenue funding with the final payment received in Junc 1999). AccordiDgIy, we had £53,142 of reserves being freely available unrestricted fimds at 30 June 2024 (2023.. £42,996). Llquid Assets The liquid assets held by the Company and projected outgoings are r¢viewed at regular intervals by the directors. Given the increasingly volatile natur¢ of grant funding upon which it is heavily dependent. the directors will seek to ensure that at least six months of operating expenditure is held in liquid fLmds. In the event such funds fall close to this level, the directors will seek to Taise further as quickly as possible. Should they fall below this level, a contingency plan will be implemente Management Committee The memb¢rs of the management committee who served as directors for the puLpos¢ of company law during the ycar and to the date of this report are set out ID the Company information page. Those samc directors also scrved as trustees tor charity law purposes during the year and to the date of this report. Adan] Hawkswood is the Cur￿llt repTesentativc of Berkhamsted Town Council serving as d member ot.thc ￿anagement committee. As directors we are responsible for maintaining proper accounting recor(Ls. which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and enables us to ensure that the fmancial stat¢mcllts comply with the Companies Act 2006. We ar¢ also responsibl¢ lor safeguarding the assets of the Company and taking reasonable steps to pr¢vcllt and det￿t frau(L In accordanc¢ with company law, as the Company's directors we certify that we are not aware of any r¢l¢vant accounting inforn￿tiOn of which the ind¢pendent examiner is unaware and that w¢ have taken all the steps that w¢ ought to have taken to make ourselves aware of any relevant accounting informatii)n and to establish ihat the charity's independent examiner is aware of that inforniation. Page 5 The Swall Youth Project Limited Direetors. Report for the y¢ar ended 30 June 2024 (￿￿tinUed) Indepelldent Euminer BianL&Pumal FCL aDirector with DuxAdvisory,was appoiDted as the Company's indepeodentexamin¢rth7ring the year and has expressed her willingness to continue in that capacity. Small Company ExemplioDs and chariti￿ SORP This r¢port has been prepgred in accordan￿ with the Staiement of R￿OI)l￿ellded Practice: Accounting and Rep)rtiDg by Clwiti¢s preparing their accounts in accordanc¢ with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and R¢public of Ireland (FRS 102) and with the CharitÈes Act 2011, aud in aco)rdance with the s¥ttial provisioThs olPart Vll of the Compauies Act 2006 applicable to small compani&%. Signed on b¢half