Annual Report 2022/23
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Photo courtesy of Tom Coulthard - Training at Dartington Photo courtesy of Tom Coulthard Training at the Calvert Trust
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Photo courtesy of Balloons Charity, Devon Photo courtesy of 1st Highweek Village Scouts
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“To Champion and Strengthen Children and Young People’s Organisations in Devon”
Registered Charity Number: 1054442
Voluntary Organisations for Young People and - Children (VOYC) Devon
What is it that we do?
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Provide Practical Help - to ensure the support necessary to develop and maintain the children and young people’s sector.
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Provide a Voice - to enable the children and young people’s sector to have a voice and influence.
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Facilitate Networking - to support, develop and promote collaboration and networking.
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Manage the Charity - to have efficient and effective systems for the management of VOYC Devon.
President
Sally Yeo
Vice President Nominations Invited.
Officers
Acting Chair of Trustees Gill Millar Acting Vice Chair of Trustees Peter Brewer Acting Treasurer Steve Keable
Management Committee/Executive (Trustees)
Gill Millar Acting Chair (from July 2022) Peter Brewer Acting Vice Chair (from July 2022) Paul Allan Co-option (resigned 1.8.22) Kerrie Clifford Co-option Dani de Beaumont Co-option (resigned 25.11.22) Steve Keable Acting Treasurer CEDA Paul Reisbach YMCA Exeter Rebecca Skinner Co-option
Staff
Tom Coulthard Chief Executive Juliet White Operations Coordinator Rachel Hopper Communications and Marketing Coordinator
SUMMARY OF ACHIEVEMENT 2022 – 2023
Who we are and what we do
VOYC Devon continues to bring the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sectors’ people together to solve problems, address root causes and inspire each other. As an organisation we understand the power of the VCSE sector and volunteering and are proud to champion these.
We support individuals and groups working with children, young people and families by providing practical, face-to-face support in a variety of different ways. Our offer includes a range of services, from starting up a group to developing policies or keeping children and young people safe. In addition, VOYC provides a diverse range of training opportunities, regular news and information updates as well as the reassurance of a telephone advice line, email support and web based video meetings.
We operate 6 local youth networks to give workers, volunteers and activists a place to discuss issues, collaborate and share their experiences, connecting our groups with statutory agencies, large charities and relevant agencies operating in the county.
Everything VOYC Devon offers is designed to enable VCSE organisations to become stronger, to operate more safely, sustainably and to enhance the quality of local provision. The majority of our support is available free of charge to the youth work sector through our grant agreement with Space, who hold the Youth Service contract with Devon County Council (DCC).
Summary of Achievement
VOYC Devon continues to work as a partner with Space within the VCSE infrastructure element of the Devon County Council Youth Services contract. VOYC also continues to play a key role in developing capacity within the VCSE Sector organisations through the safeguarding training and support offered to local groups.
We have trained a record number of people this year, with over 100 organisations from a range of backgrounds taking advantage of our regular courses and bespoke offers, with the VCSE sector benefiting from continued low cost and flexible options for delivery to staff and volunteers.
Local Youth Networks have been quieter than we hoped, but networks in West Devon have benefitted from free first aid training organised by VOYC . We ran meetings in East Devon, South Hams and Teignbridge as well. We did continue to offer plenty of advice, support and funding to groups both new and established on a wide range of issues.
We have secured substantial funding from 2023 to open MHFA England Mental Health First Aid up to the voluntary sector and smaller groups through reduced costs and are pledged to double the number of trainers in Devon for this vital training over the next two years. This is
to be achieved by working in partnership with a number of larger organisations to bring the training out to more remote parts of the county and online.
VOYC is involved in enabling the VCSE Sector to have their voice heard. We strive to ensure that local public services through the Devon Children and Families Partnership (DCFP) have a single way into the diverse VCSE Sector here in Devon. VOYC Devon represents the VCSE on the following: The DCFP Subgroup Chairs, DCFP Quality Assurance Delivery Group, Early Help Improvement Board, DCFP Communication and Engagement and the Holiday Activities Programme.
The rising costs of living and subsequent higher wages have put a strain on the sector. We have helped to keep provision open through raising awareness of the available support via funding streams and through help with recruitment, staff training and keeping our own training very competitive for members. We have also used our networks to enable collective buying of training such as First Aid, to reduce costs to clubs by working together and using local providers. We will continue to do our best to keep our members informed of any help available through a renewed and vibrant newsletter and more relevant social media, curated by our new communications and marketing coordinator, Rachel.
We would once again like to extend a big thank you to our staff and Trustees as both have been central to all that we have achieved during the year and we thank them once again for their commitment and time.
Gill Millar (Acting Chair)
Tom Coulthard (Chief Officer)
A Quick Summary of the year!
A Devon wide network of:
258 Local Organisations 18 Network Organisations 66 Associates
Connecting people and organisations:
4 meetings for Local Networks providing advice information and support
Strengthening Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise Sector Organisations
Organisations received direct support.
29 ‘Weekly’ to Members 10 ‘Monthly News’ to Members and Subscribers
Keeping children and young people safe
Delivering Safeguarding Training for: 380 Training Places, from 74 different Organisations
Being the Voice of and advocating for the Sector
VOYC attends the following DCFP sub groups:
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✔ Quality Assurance Delivery Group;
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✔ Early Help Improvement Board
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✔ Communication and Engagement
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT
YEAR ENDED 31.3.23
VOYC Devon is a charity (Registered Charity Number 1054442) and as such meets all the rules and regulations set by the Charity Commission. The Trustees of the Charity present this report to support the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. The Annual Report and Accounts are produced in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011, and the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities. VOYC Devon has income between £25,000 and £500,000 and so is subject to Independent Examination, conducted by Kevin Pope of KJP Financial Training Ltd.
The Charity's objects are to benefit young people in Devon by:
Championing and strengthening the informal learning offer of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector Children and Young People Organisations in Devon by:
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strengthening VCSE organisations providing support through information and advice in all aspects of work with children and young people;
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keeping children and young people safe by developing the skills of those who work with children and young people, delivering safeguarding and other relevant training;
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connecting people and organisations by developing and sustaining both countywide and local youth networks to enable youth organisations to share good practice, resources and expertise;
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ensuring that the voice of the VCSE organisations is heard.
VOYC Devon champions and strengthens the VCSE Children and Young People Sector, with over 250 members ranging from the largest charities, national network organisations (eg, Girl Guiding, Army Cadets and Boys Brigade) to the smallest community organisations. There are many committed volunteers supporting the organisations within our membership with people across the County giving their time, energy and money.
The year was a challenge for many members, with rising costs and a continued shortage of volunteers and trained youth workers
VOYC will continue to strive to support existing provision, empower volunteers, train an effective and vigilant workforce in safeguarding and to open new groups, clubs and opportunities for the young people of Devon.
Governance
The Executive Committee comprises:
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The three elected officers (Chairman, Vice Chairman and Treasurer);
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Up to twelve representatives of member organisations;
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Up to six co-opted members.
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The Executives are appointed either:
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by ordinary resolution of the members at general meeting;
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or as a co-option made at a meeting of the Executive during the year.
During the year, there were changes to the Executive Committee. Paul Allen and Dani de Beumont stepped down as Trustees. Peter Brewer stood down as Chair at the Executive Committee on 22/7/22 and the Executive Committee agreed to appoint Gill Millar as Interim Chair until the AGM in 2023.
There were six meetings of the Executive Committee held during 2022-23 and there were reports on the financial position and on the performance against targets in the management plan at each of these meetings.
Staff Team
Our able staff team has continued to be led by Tom Coulthard as CEO with Juliet White as the Operations Coordinator. Rachel Hopper joined us in Spring 2023 (Communications & Marketing Assistant) and we continue to be supported by Danielle Howlett (Safeguarding Training) as a freelance contributor.
Marketing
We continued to keep our website fresh, up to date and relevant. We produce a weekly member only e-bulletin and a monthly newsletter with wider circulation to both members and stakeholders. This publication has been re-launched and re-designed for this year. We have rebuilt our social media strategy to better reflect the achievements and focus of our members.
Statement of Public Benefit
The Executive have considered the guidance provided by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit and its impact on the charity's work, and in particular the requirement that there must be specific identifiable benefits, and ones applicable to the wider public. Trustees consider that both requirements have been met.
Reserves Policy
The Executive has examined the Charity's need for reserves in the context of planned activities during 2022/23. This process has included consideration of quantifiable financial risks to the Charity within the context of continued spending cuts by central and local government.
Reserves are needed to:
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Allow funding to cover unforeseen operational or core costs like taking on temporary staff to cover a long-term sickness / absence.
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Provides a fund to cover gaps in income of up to six months if a grant is not renewed or is unexpectedly taken away.
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Planned commitments that cannot be met by future income such as refurbishment of the website or ICT hardware.
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Covering short-term deficits in our cash flow before a grant is received.
At the year-end, the level of reserves was £70355.01. Based on the above criteria, the Trustees are confident that there are sufficient unrestricted reserves to meet the reserves policy requirements.
Approved by the Trustee Board on 26[th] June 2023, and signed on its behalf by the Chair:
Gill Millar Acting Chair of the Trustees
FINANCIAL STATEMENT YEAR ENDED 31.03.23
Financial Statement 31.03.22
| Financial Statement | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.22 | 31.03.23 | 31.03.22 | 31.03.23 | ||
| INCOME | £ | EXPENDITURE | £ | ||
| 55685.11 | B/Forward | 62995.61 | |||
| 28443.00 | Grant – Youth Service Grant | 28766.00 | 53608.32 | Employment/Travel | 37861.40 |
| 1443.00 | Grant - YS Arrears | 0.00 | 307.83 | Governance | 117.33 |
| 20000.00 | Covid-19 Recovery | 0.00 | 12.00 | Networking | 9.60 |
| 29420.00 | CSP Monies | 0.00 | 1867.39 | Office | 1426.14 |
| 3209.00 | EDDC - Youth Support | 0.00 | 2048.12 | ICT | 671.88 |
| 0.00 | Grant - Comms Fund | 4500.00 | 250.00 | Member Training | 40.98 |
| 10087.50 | Training Programme | 12813.45 | 96.00 | Bank Charges | 72.00 |
| 420.00 | Operational Income | 1245.00 | 0.00 | Train. Reimbursements | 900.00 |
| 0.00 | Youth Network | 900.00 | 26703.58 | CSP Grants | 0.00 |
| 111.24 | Interest | 343.52 | 49.90 | Misc | 0.00 |
| 27.40 | Misc | 28.26 | |||
| 93161.14 | TOTAL INCOME | 48596.23 | 84943.14 | TOTALS | 41099.33 |
| 907.50 | Res Exp again YS Rev | 137.50 | |||
| 85850.64 | TOTAL EXP | 41236.83 | |||
| Carried Forward | 70355.01 |
| BANK BALANCES AS AT | 31.03.23 |
|---|---|
| CAF Current account | 3812.92 |
| CAF Gold Account | 31247.68 |
| Shawbrook Bank 60 day notice a/c | 35294.41 |
Independent examiners report for the accounts (y/e 31.3.23):-
Auditor: Kevin Pope (FCIB) - KJP Financial Training Ltd Tom Coulthard (Chief Officer)