2023-2024 :
A Better future
www.youthoptions.org.uk
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Chair’s Statement
I am a relative newcomer to Youth Options having joined the board as chair in July 2023 half way through the year under review . Firstly my thanks to Caroline Horrill our previous Chair for mentoring me into the role and for her many years commitment to Youth Options. And my thanks also to Richard Coleman who retired from the Board of Trustees following many years as Treasurer and Trustee. We have welcomed a number of new Trustees to the Board this year and I am looking forward to working together in the year ahead.
As part of my induction, I have spent time visiting all our children and youth programmes, getting to know the team and understanding the extraordinary work we do and it’s valuable impact on the lives of the young people we work with. It is a credit to them that we were able to reach over 7,000 children and young people last year across all of our services.
The positive culture at Youth Options from Chief Executive Officer to volunteer is reflected in all the work we do often in challenging environments both on the ground and in the wider world. I have spoken to parents of young people and heard directly about how engaging with Youth Options has positively changed their lives by building trusting relationships with young people who may be struggling to make sense of the world around them.
I have not only been impressed by the professionalism and commitment of our team but also the generosity of our supporters without whose help we could not function in the way we do. Our fund-raising team do a brilliant job in ever challenging circumstances But, for children and young people, there is an epidemic of need and a shortage of funds.
Can I thank all at Youth Options for the warm welcome I have been given wherever I have visited and also to Madeleine and the executive team for the work they do. My thanks also to my colleague trustees for their support and allowing me the privilege of joining them.
Peter North
Chair of Trustees
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Chief Executive’s Statement
As I reflect on another year, it is clear that the challenges that children and young people face are growing in both scale and complexity. Rising poverty rates, mental health crises, and educational inequalities are just a few of the urgent issues demanding our attention. Recent data shows that over 4.2 million children in the UK are living in poverty – that’s nearly 30% of all children. This figure highlights the critical need for the support we provide. We know that poverty impacts every aspect of a child’s life, from their physical health to their educational opportunities, and without urgent intervention, it can shape their futures.
One of the most pressing concerns this year has been the surge in mental health issues among young people. Recent NHS data shows that 1 in 6 children aged 5-16 now has a probable mental health condition, a significant increase from 1 in 9 just a few years ago; and one in four 17- 19 year olds have had a mental health difficulty compared to 1 in 6[1]. The Covid pandemic and then cost of living crisis exacerbated these challenges, with isolation, anxiety, and uncertainty having a profound impact on the mental health of young people.
Much of the support that we provide at Youth Options is to support children and young people to talk about their mental health and well-being, build personal resilience and develop support networks to reduce the likelihood of negative outcomes, but the scale of the need continues to grow, and we must do more.
Educational inequalities remain another major issue. The attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers is widening, with children eligible for free school meals falling further behind. The latest statistics show that by the time they reach their GCSEs, disadvantaged students are 18 months behind their classmates on average[2]. This gap not only limits their potential but also perpetuates cycles of poverty. Our outdoor learning and key work programmes, working closely with schools, focus on providing strategies to help children and young people better regulate their emotions, taking part in activities that inspire them and support them to engage more positively in a learning environment.
Youth unemployment also continues to be a serious issue, with an estimated 872,000 young people aged 16 to 24 years currently not in education, employment, or training (NEET)[3]. This year, we became a registered provider of nationally recognised qualifications and, through developing bespoke programmes of learning, we will be able to support young people to gain skills and confidence to progress.
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We are proud of the number of children and young people that we supported over the past year, but we are very aware that we need to reach even more of the young people who are at risk of falling through the cracks with statutory services being stretched and funding limited. I want to thank all of our staff and volunteers who make a difference every day to the lives of the children and young people they reach. And to our supporters – trust funds and grant funders, businesses and individuals who have enabled us to achieve what we have. Your support and commitment to the work of Youth Options has truly made the difference. As we look ahead to the coming year, our mission remains clear: to engage, develop and empower children and young people, especially those who are ( most vulnerable. The numbers are sobering, but they also remind us of the vital role we play in shaping a better future. With the continued support of our donors, volunteers, and partners, we are determined to meet these challenges and create a more hopeful future. Together, we can make a difference.
Madeleine
- [1] NHS Digital 2020 Mental Health of Children and Young People in England [2] Food poverty: Households, food banks and free school meals [3] Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK: August 2024, ONS
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About Us
Youth Options has been supporting children, young people and their families in Hampshire since 1937.
Vision: We believe that every child and young person can achieve a better future, whatever their life circumstances.
Our Mission: We support children and young people, particularly those who need it most, to engage, develop and become empowered to achieve a better future.
Prevention Services aim to reduce the number of children and young people experiencing negative outcomes, including exclusion from society, disengagement from education, engaging in harmful behaviours and experiencing poor mental health.
Targeted Support through one to one or group activities for children and young people who are already impacted by negative life experiences. This includes alternative education provision through nature-based learning at our outdoor learning centres as well as key work and family support.
Progression Opportunities including developing employability skills, mentoring, supporting children and young people to take part in residential and challenge activities and social action projects in the wider community, building skills and resilience to create opportunities for young people to take responsibility for their future.
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Our Year In Numbers
5 Youth Centres (MP3, 5 7,112 60 Energy, Garage, LYP, Y-Zone) 32 children and young people young people 32 families supported supported last year (up from supported through in NVR Family Support 6,130 the previous year) one to one key work Programme 3 Outdoor Learning Centres 4,087 66 11 5 young people supported care leavers supported Pre-schools and Centre-based youth through open-access streetthrough Step Forward Out-of-school clubs sessions a week based and centre-based activities Programme ~~awe~~ 6
Our Supporting Children and Young 1 To Achieve a Better Future
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Objective 1: Prevention
Youth Services
Our prevention youth services provide positive activities and access to youth workers in local communities so that children and young people have safe spaces to go to and have trusted adults to speak to. The aim is to reduce the risk of children and young people becoming vulnerable to exploitation, crime (including knife crime) and risky behaviour such as drug and alcohol misuse.
Street-based and Centre-based Youth Work
Our strategy set out to expand the number of communities that Youth Options’ youth support workers were working in to provide more opportunities for children and young people to access the support they needed, when they needed it. We have been successful in grant and other funding to enable continuity of delivery in a number of areas which has helped to build strong relationships with children, young people and their families, as well as the wider local community.
Southampton
We run 11 different youth sessions in Southampton each week, particularly focusing on the East and West of the City. Currently these are all streetbased (detached) youth work, with the exception of our partnership with Lordshill Youth Project, which runs from the Zoe Braithwaite Centre. Our main locations include a range of parks in Southampton including Daisy Dip, St James and Freemantle Park, plus the wards of Harefield, Thornhill, Redbridge, Shirley and Millbrook.
In the year, we were successful in a grant from the Government’s Youth Investment Fund to plan and begin refurbishment of Mansell Park Pavilion (MP3) in Millbrook, Southampton. The total capital funding will be over £1million over two years and once completed, the centre will become a vibrant youth and community centre including a café, activity room and counselling room alongside a main hall for young people. It is due to be opened in November 2024.
Across Southampton, we worked with 2,570 (22-23: 1,253) children and young people over the course of the year.
Eastleigh
We continue to deliver extensive youth work across Eastleigh Borough running youth sessions from Energy Youth Centre in the town centre, Y-Zone in Fair Oak and Fryern Pavilion in Chandlers Ford. In addition, we run street-based (detached) youth work sessions across all of Eastleigh’s neighbourhoods. All of this is funded by Eastleigh Borough Council and local Parishes. At the end of the 2023-24 financial year, we began working with Botley Parish Council to help set up a new youth centre in Boorley Green and will be training local volunteers to take this on in due course.
Across Eastleigh, we worked with 832 (22-23: 1,335) children and young people. The reduction in numbers is a reflection of the first three months of the contract in the prior year was widespread consultation with children and young people about what their needs were after which the delivery was focused around a combination of centre and street-based youth work.
New Forest
Youth Options runs the Garage Youth Centre on behalf of Totton and Eling Town Council, opening the centre four nights a week during term time and during the day in school holidays. Over the summer months, our team also extend to street-based youth work to work with young people in different 9 locations across the town. Last year we worked with 685 (22-23 275) children and young people.
Early years and Out of School Clubs
We run two pre-schools and four out-of-school clubs including holiday clubs. The pre-schools are based in Andover (Scott Centre) and Eastleigh – with the Eastleigh pre-school being a woodland preschool. In November 2023, Scott-Centre Pre-School achieved a Good Ofsted inspection following an earlier inspection in June 2023 that had highlighted areas of development, all of which had been acted on by the second inspection.
Our afterschool clubs are at the Scott Centre, Andover and Pilgrims Cross School, Andover and the holiday clubs are at the Scott Centre and Bushcraft holiday club at Itchen Valley Country Park.
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Children are happy
and very settled in this
inclusive setting where
staff recognise and
nurture children’s
individuality well”
Ofsted Report
November 2023
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Case Study
When Otis* first arrived at The Garage Youth Centre, he was quiet, withdrawn, and kept to himself, struggling to find where he belonged. However, his strong interest in music, particularly the guitar, stood out. The team saw an opportunity and engaged him through music, hoping to help him feel more comfortable.
In their first jam session, Otis’ natural talent was clear, even though he was still learning. This connection through music became the key to helping him open up. Over the next few months, regular sessions transformed him from someone uncertain and hesitant to an eager and confident player, mastering new songs and techniques. His passion grew, reflected in his excitement about new bands, songs, and guitars.
Otis’ personal growth matched his musical progress. He became more confident, began interacting more with peers, and engaged in ways he never had before. One day, he proudly shared that he had joined a band—a pivotal moment showing that music had become more than just a hobby. It provided him with a sense of purpose and community.
Seeing Otis transform from a reserved beginner to a confident musician inspired everyone around him. Music had given him a voice and strengthened his self-belief, impacting every part of his life.
*not his real name; photo is illustrative of our work
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Objective 2: Targeted Support
Targeted Support
The aim of our targeted work is to provide focused support to children and young people who are already impacted by challenging life experiences. This is delivered through key work, group work and includes the provision of alternative education through our nature-based learning at our outdoor learning centres. Some of the highlights of our extensive targeted support programme are summarised below.
Key Work
Funding for key work has come from a variety of sources including the National Lottery, OPCC (as part of our knife crime awareness programme) and our prevention services, enabling us to provide additional targeted support when needed to some of the young people who attend our centres.
We supported 43 young people through one-to-one key work and group work and were also able to take a group away on a residential and, for those families who needed it, provided hardship fund access to support the young people and their families through the higher costs of living over the winter months.
Safer Pathways: Knife crime awareness programme
Responding to the challenges faced by children and young people at risk of knife crime, we have been delivering knife crime awareness programmes in schools across Southampton, Eastleigh and the New Forest. The programme consists of general workshops in schools.
A second programme started in October which, following engagement with local schools, also includes additional targeted sessions with young people who have been identified as being particularly at risk by staff. The group work has reached over 560 young people with 7 young people being referred to our focused key work support over the second half of the year.
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Care Leaver Programme: Step Forward
We have continued our successful programme providing bespoke, tailored support to care leavers through our Step Forward programme, reaching 66 young people in the year.
Support on the programme is focused on the different needs of each young adult – ranging from financial support for household goods, referrals to counselling and drugs and alcohol support services, to practical support for hospital visits, CV writing and support for employment, accommodation searches and travel training
Non-Violent Resistance Programme: Families Together
Our Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) programme provides bespoke support for families experiencing challenging behaviours including violence, school refusal, self-harm and risk taking.
Building on the principles of NVR, we provide additional support to the wider family through youth support workers and a family support worker working directly with the family to embed long-term behaviour change. Since we started the programme in 2019, we have supported over 200 families. In 2023-24 we supported 117 individuals (parents, carers and children) in 32 different families:
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100% of
participants would
recommend
Families Together
to others.
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90% of parents
say they feel
more confident in
supporting their
children.
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89% report a
significant reduction
in challenging
behaviours displayed
by their child.
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Outdoor Learning: Nature-based alternative provision
We deliver bespoke programmes of learning using nature-based activities for children and young people to develop positive relationships, improve social and emotional well-being and build confidence and resilience. Our outdoor learning provision took place in three outdoor learning centres in Bishopstoke and Itchen Valley in Eastleigh and in partnership with New Park Farm in the New Forest. Each programme is based around the needs and interests of the young person, working in partnership with their school, to inspire and engage. Activities include bushcraft, woodwork, den building, horticulture, estate management and nature-based games.
The site at New Park Farm, New Forest was newly opened this year. Because it is part of the New Forest with the restrictions on its use, we were not able to offer the full breadth of activities available at our other sites. Nevertheless, we supported 83 children in the first year of activity.
Our two sites in Eastleigh supported 791 (2022:23 867) different children and young people which reflects the increasing focus of our work on smaller, more targeted support for children and young people who need it.
Case Study
When Charlie* first joined Youth Options, he was energetic yet explosive, prone to fighting and swearing at adults. At just six years old, he had faced significant trauma and lacked support, leaving him unable to process his emotions. His disruptive behaviour put him at risk of expulsion from school, and as a looked-after child in temporary homes, he struggled to simply be a child.
Initially, sessions at the Outdoor Learning Centre involved support workers chasing him as he disrupted activities and ignored instructions. He frequently sought out adults to monitor his surroundings, showing little understanding of risks or consequences. Just attending a full session was seen as a success.
Gradually, small skills like fire lighting and whittling were introduced to build his confidence. However, the team realized structured tasks weren’t what Charlie needed, so they adapted the sessions to include role-playing, sports, and animal spotting. These activities sparked his growth, and he developed strong relationships with his leaders.
One day, he surprised the team by asking for permission before taking biscuits, showing significant progress in self-control. Recently, Charlie started at a new school, excitedly showing off his uniform and saying, “I feel proud.” Although he isn’t yet on a full timetable, it’s becoming more likely.
Charlie’s journey with Youth Options has been remarkable, and his progress fills us with pride. His growth has been incredible, and his story is far from over.
*not his real name, photo is illustrative of our projects
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Objective 3: Progression & Learning Opportunities
Our objective on progression opportunities is to help young people build skills, experience and resilience so that they can take responsibility for their own future.
Qualifications
Youth Options became a Laser qualification accredited centre in March 2024 which means that we are now able to deliver bespoke, nationally recognised qualifications. Plans for the coming year are to develop and deliver qualifications in a range of skills focused particularly around employability as well as practical skills including horticulture, bushcraft and music.
Employability Programme
We completed our Employability Programme, working with 46 young adults who were not in education, training or employment. The programme, funded by KFC and UK Youth, was a pilot focusing on employability skills and paid work placements. The programme ended in December 2023 and from that we are actively looking for funding to develop our own supported employability programme, in partnership with the local business community having learnt what elements of the programme have had the most impact.
Social action projects
31 young people were involved in a social action project focusing on improving their local community and environment. As well as working on developing a garden space within their youth centre at the Garage, Totton, the young people also arranged a local litter pick around the park and the group received a Highly Commended Award from the CPRE Hampshire Countryside Awards for their contribution to improving their local area.
Objective 4: Amplifying Young People’s Voices
Across all our programmes, we have always engaged children and young people in designing and planning the project delivery. But we want to integrate the voices of young people in our work, and in helping to shape their local communities too.
This year we have supported young people to take part in shaping #BeeWell in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. 21 young people from Totton and Eastleigh were involved in the project, commenting on the responses to the survey and developing ideas about next steps. Another group of young people were involved in providing research and feedback to Hampshire County Council’s Holiday and Activities and Food Programme focusing particularly on why teenagers were not as engaged in the programme.
We also employed a youth ambassador to support the consultation events for engaging Young People in the development of Young Southampton – where we have been founding members of an initiative to improve the representation and partnership of the Voluntary and Community Sector in the city.
Looking forward: Building from what we already do to grow and develop
We are now half-way through our five-year strategic plan. The overall goal was to bring more coherence to our work in terms of delivery and location so that there is an overarching delivery model which provides growth and development for all children and young people with whom we work. This would be achieved through:
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Provision of prevention activities, targeted support and progression opportunities in the same area so children and young people can progress and get the support they need.
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Development of new Progression Pathways for children and young people so they can continue to be supported appropriately towards adulthood. Expansion of our delivery model in new geographic areas, where there is a proven need and gap in other services for children and young people. Ensure that young people’s voices are amplified within our own services and in helping to shape their local communities.
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Improve our outcomes measurement so we can learn and improve the impact of our work on achieving better outcomes for children and young people.
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Looking forward: Building from what we already do to grow and develop
To achieve these goals, over the next two years we will continue with our existing programmes and:
Prevention Services
Open our refurbished youth centre, MP3 at Millbrook with an expanded offer for children and young people in the local area.
Embed our delivery in Southampton, Eastleigh and the New Forest to provide consistent support for children and young people.
Targeted Support
Expand our key work in the areas we already work but also into Winchester.
Continue to seek opportunities to support young people involved in the care system where funding allows.
Progression Opportunities Deliver Laser qualifications in all of our relevant programmes, providing young people with nationally recognised qualifications demonstrating their progression and learning.
Start our own employability programme, using our new café social enterprise.
Amplifying Young People’s Voice
Start a Youth Leaders Programme, supporting up to 12 young leaders from across our projects to help shape our work, amplify the wider views of young people and lead and develop social action projects within their communities.
Expand our delivery of prevention services in Winchester and Andover.
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Objective 5: Increasing the impact of our work
for children, young people and their families
Our strategy also focuses on creating the right structures and systems to enable us to succeed, including evidencing the impact of our work, building the community of supporters and ensuring that our staff and volunteers have the right support to deliver the best outcomes for children and young people
We continue to collect data from young people, parents and other key stakeholders on the quality and impact of our work. We to this through a variety of ways including Your Views Matter, Life Effectiveness Questionnaires and individual programme reviews. Whilst our strategy has a longer-term plan on evaluating impact particularly longitudinal data, we are very proud of what we have achieved this past year and the feedback we receive from young people who have benefited from our services. The following data is from 121 young people involved in a range of our programmes.
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Objective 6: Inspiring and expanding our
community of supporters
Our strategy set out how we would grow our community of supporters, from individuals, community groups and grant makers. We invested in the creation of a corporate fundraiser role at the start of 2023 and the benefit of that role has now led to the creation of a community and individual fundraiser role. We are very grateful to the many individuals and community groups and that have supported Youth Options over the past year. Including New Forest Rotary, Southampton Round Table, Bramshaw WI, Barnaby's Café, Barton Peveril College Students and the church groups who have raised money for us over the year.
Thank you also to the following businesses who have provided us with support over the last year through sponsorship of events, volunteering or donations of equipment: Aviva, Briggs Equipment, Southampton Airport, Wellington College and Zurich for their volunteering; Abri, ACD Environmental, Comax UK, Dobbies Garden Centre in Cadnam, Exxon Mobil, Love My Car, Orvis, Owtons Butchers, The Peg and Parrot Pub in Totton, Peter Cooper Cars and Wickes Andover.
Thank you to all of the Trusts and Foundations that have supported us through the year and enabled us to make a positive difference to the lives of children and young people.
Objective 7: Support staff & volunteers to enable Supporting Structures
great outcomes for children & young people
Our values are committed, supportive and inspiring and we strive to ensure that our staff and volunteers are well supported so that they can be the best they can. This includes ensuring that staff are supported in their well-being and development.
We believe that, as a social justice organisation, that focus should extend to our own staff and we have continued to pay at least the Living Wage Foundation figure which was a 10% increase for some of our lowest paid staff. Whilst this has put pressure on our wage bill, it is important that we live our values as a charity. We also introduced a medical cash back scheme, including discount vouchers and Employee Assistance Programme to support emotional and physical health. Finally, we have embarked on development of a Welfare Advocate role within our team so that staff have access to a peer trained in mental health first aid who can provide informal support and signposting where needed.
We have further developed a comprehensive training programme for youth support workers, including supporting some staff with Youth Work qualifications including Level 3 Apprenticeship in Youth Work. Alongside this we have begun a leadership development training programme and introduced our What Good Looks Like for managers into staff review process.
Alongside our Investors in People accreditation, we became a Disability Confident employer, and this coming year will look to also become an autism friendly employer too. We also were the first voluntary sector organisation signed up to the Hampshire Inclusion and Diversity Partnership. Our Staff Forum continues to ensure that staff are well represented and shape the culture of Youth Options.
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Case Study: Ian
Ian has been a volunteer with the Little Owls team at Youth Options for three years.
He has recently celebrated having volunteered for 200 sessions. Ian helps the children in their daily activities and particularly loves the story telling and Going on a bear hunt through the woods with the children – if you can’t get over it, and you can’t go under it, you have to go through it!
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I,Yl Financial Review Ik)I iyi reat ste (vptions, no ng stone was for me volunteering at Youth full time employment with a job I love as a;, lunteer
Financial Review
Objective: We will create a sustainable financial base including growth through trading opportunities
Summary
Youth Options’ consolidated accounts show an income of £2,241,587 an increase of 12% on the prior year (£1,999,200). Expenditure also increased to £2,267,925 a 16% increase on the prior year (£1,949,935) giving a small deficit of £26,338 compared to a surplus the prior year of £49,265. The increase in income was a result of continued growth in our services which has been achieved largely through success in securing additional grant income. This includes expansion of our prevention services in Southampton, growth of outdoor learning into the New Forest and increased targeted work in schools through knife crime awareness and key work.
Income from donations and fundraising events increased 23% from £61,327 to £75,672. This was made up of £45,758 (up 15% from £39,621) for donations and legacies and income from fundraising events of £29,914 (up 38% from £21,706). This was positive given the wider financial challenges presented by the cost-ofliving crisis and is a reflection in the impact of the investment in the growth of the team. However, costs of raising funds have also increased up from £67,675 to £98,701. The team are also responsible for the grants, the income of which is shown directly in delivery so continue to represent a good return on investment in the team.
Income from the limited company was down by £10,175 largely due to the temporary closure of MP3 in Millbrook, Southampton from December in preparation for the refurbishment work. Unfortunately, the refurbishment was not able to commence until April 2024 resulting in four months of lost hire income over that period.
The majority of the increase in our expenditure came from increased staffing and higher salary costs, with staff costs increasing by 17% from £1,433,776 to £1,683,251. As we grew our delivery, activity costs (primarily resources to deliver our activities) increased 42% from £92,219 to £131,728. The small deficit of £26,338, accounts for just over 1% of the overall income and was as a result of continued increased pressures around inflation, particularly in relation to staff salaries, and a lower than anticipated return on investments over the year.
We continue to balance the delivery needs with the income and, together with a good level of reserves, are confident that we continue to be financially sound.
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Reserves Policy
The Board reviews the reserves policy annually, or more frequently if required. The policy is to ensure that the unrestricted funds not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets (the free reserves) held by the charity should be between 3 and 6 months of the resources expended which equates between £567k to £1,134k.
The total funds of the charity at the end of the reporting period are £1,029,939 for the group. Of this amount, £104,960 is restricted and therefore not available for general purposes. In addition, £36,247 was designated for refurbishment of buildings at the Scott Centre in Andover and MP3 in Southampton. A further £310,178 has been designated representing the value of tangible fixed assets (mainly vehicles and property) which is necessary for the day-to-day use of the charity. This does not include MP3 Centre which, due to the construction work, is currently classified as assets under construction and is in a restricted fund.
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Investment Policy
The Board has the power to invest charitable funds. Investment decisions are taken by the Board following recommendations by the Finance Committee. During 2023-24, the Finance Committee began reviewing the investment portfolio but held off making a final decision because of the uncertainties of the outcome of a significant grant which, if unsuccessful, may have meant a different use of the reserves. In general, the Board has agreed a medium risk for the longer term whilst generating an annual income to support the ongoing activities of the charity. Capital growth will be used to support ongoing delivery as and when required.
Total investments were held in Charifund and Charibond accounts, plus short-term cash deposits to enable management of cash flow. Overall investments for 2024 stood at £874,628 compared to £844,038 the prior year.
During the period, the unrealised investment income was £25,670 compared to a loss of £5,143 the prior year.
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Governance and Management
aA ne rN a te a LA | hat “x What I love about Youth Options is that the staff always try their best to m % ‘he 7 , i 4 ve _ yN tA ™, ‘i e create a nice, safe and relaxed environment for us, I barely imagined myself SON) | oat rar 6 Ie | ,
Governance and Management
Objective: We will assure our supporters and funders that we are a well-run charity that maximises their financial support on our beneficiaries
Our Governance Structure
Youth Options was established in 1935 and became incorporated in 1996 as a charity and company limited by Guarantee and registered in England and Wales.
Charitable objects and public benefit
Our charitable objects are:
“The improvement of life opportunities for children and young people including the advancement of citizenship and development of community involvement, provided such object is charitable. The young people with whom the charity works include those who are in need by reason of financial hardship or other disadvantage or vulnerability.”
Charity Trustees have a duty to report on their charity’s public benefit. They should demonstrate that:
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There is an identified benefit or benefits
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The benefit must be to the public or section of the public.
This report sets out the activities that Youth Options carried out in order to carry out its public benefit and the Trustees confirm that our activities meet the requirement of Public Benefit of our charity.
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X
Board of Trustees
The Trustees have ultimate responsibility for directing the work of our charity, ensuring that it is solvent, well-run and delivering against our charitable objects and public benefit.
The Trustees of Youth Options are Directors of Youth Options for the purposes of company law. No Trustee has any financial interest in the charity. No Trustee received any remuneration for their services as Trustee, but they may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses.
The Board of Trustees appoints the Chief Executive Officer who is accountable to the Trustees for the day to day running of the charity and for implementing the strategic business plan approved by the Trustees. The Board set out the delegated responsibilities of the CEO, including financial delegation, on an annual basis.
The Board meet at least four times a year and this year included a number of strategic planning days to focus on the development of the new strategy. All Trustees sit on at least one Committee which convene several times a year depending on the specific terms of reference.
The committees of the Board are:
Finance and Audit Committee
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Quality and Delivery Committee
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Income Generation Committee
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Governance Committee (formed in October 2024)
The Board elects a Chair and Vice Chair who ordinarily fulfil that role for a period relating to their term as Trustees.
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Trustee recruitment, training and induction
The Board seeks to ensure a good mix of experience and expertise to help ensure good governance including finance, working with children and young people and governance. The Trustees have completed a skills audit and will be actively looking to recruit new trustees to help ensure the right balance of experience.
All Trustees receive induction training by the senior management team and are expected to complete Safeguarding training for Trustees. As with all staff and volunteers, Trustees are subject to our Safer Recruitment Policy. Safeguarding training for trustees must be refreshed every three years.
Risk Management
The Board oversee the strategic risks and delegate operational risks to the senior leadership team. The key risks that the Board have identified are:
Safeguarding
Serious health and safety breach
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Serious data breaches or loss of data
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Loss of income particularly through reduction in grants and contracts
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Substantial loss of access to building, IT, impacting on ability to deliver
Decision making and management of the charity
Having agreed the annual budget which is linked to the strategy, the Board delegate policy implementation and day to day management to the CEO and through them to the senior leadership team. The delegated powers are agreed annually by the Board. Outcomes and key performance indicators are monitored through the committee structure and through the quarterly Balanced Scorecard.
The Chief Executive is supported by a senior leadership team consisting of:
Director of Development Director of Finance and Central Services Director of Services
Pay and Remuneration Policy
Our pay policy is to support recruitment and retention of great staff through a combination of pay and wider support benefits, recognising the constraints of charitable income.
Staff remuneration is reviewed on an annual basis, based on job evaluation, comparable market benchmarking, inflation and the charity’s financial parameters. The charity operates within pay bands and reviewed the pay band structure in 2023-24. Our main objective is to be a responsible employer and we align ourselves with the Living Wage Foundation minimum wage.
In addition, we offer a generous holiday allowance; additional time off in the form of privilege days; enhanced maternity and paternity leave; flexible working; medical cash back scheme and an Employee Assistance Programme.
Fundraising practices
Youth Options has a diversified approach to fundraising, generating voluntary income from individual donors, fundraising events, corporate supporters, trusts and foundations.
Our fundraising and communications team for the year consisted of 4 staff (including a Marketing Officer) overseen by the Director of Development. Youth Options does not employ any agencies to carry out fundraising on our behalf.
The pay review process is presented to the Finance Committee and agreed by the Board based on recommendations from the Committee. The CEO pay award is agreed by the Board of Trustees and in 2024 onwards will be based on recommendations from the Governance Committee.
Honorary Offices
Youth Options is proud that Nigel Atkinson Esq, Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire is our President. He kindly supports the charity on a voluntary basis and © regularly hosts events on our behalf. We thank our President for his ongoing support and involvement in Youth Options. 31
Key volunteers, staff and advisors 66 kids have nothing around we ove c6ming down here are thin week.. Parent 32 *k
Key volunteers, staff and advisors
President: Nigel Atkinson Esq, HM Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire
Senior Leadership Team
Trustees
The Directors of the charitable company are its Trustees for the purposes of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as Trustees or the Board.
Peter North, Chair of Trustees James Fillingham, Vice Chair Karen Dagwell
Rebecca Dunn (appointed July 2024) Marie Hannigan (appointed October 2023) Jon Pickard (appointed May 2024)
Roy Perry
Chief Executive Officer and Company Secretary: Madeleine Durie Director of Development: Louise Pears
Director of Finance and Central Services: Michael Smith (resigned May 2024, Tammy King appointed September 2024) Director of Services: Becky Pollard
Charity Number: 1056464
Company Number: 3184237
Registered Offices: 3 Crescent House, Yonge Close, Eastleigh, SO50 9SX
Sue de Salis
Emily Spencer (appointed October 2023)
Steve Swift (appointed October 2023) Diana Collis (also known as Lucy Varcoe)
Youth Options Centres Ltd (Trading Company) Directors
Auditors: Hopper Williams & Bell Limited, Highland House, Mayflower Close, Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, SO53 4AR
Bankers: NatWest Bank PLC, 105 The High Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9AW
Roy Perry Ian Stickland
Investments: M&G Securities Ltd, PO Box 9038, Chelmsford CM99 2XF
Trustees who resigned in the year 2023-24
Caroline Horrill (resigned October 2023) Richard Coleman (resigned January 2024) Hayley Straker (resigned January 2024)
33
Statement of the Trustees Responsibilities
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure of the charitable company for that period.
In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
-
Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
-
Observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP;
-
Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
-
Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In so far as the Trustees are aware:
-
There is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditors are unaware; and
-
As Trustees and Directors of the Company, we have taken all steps that we ought to have taken to make ourselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are of that information.
The Trustees report under the Charities Act 2011 and in accordance with the Special Provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 was approved by the Board of Trustees on 19 December 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Peter North Chair of Trustees 19 December 24
39
Consolidated Statement 66-1 ki If every would b ne treated chi u did. the wor a better plac rer
Report of the Independent Auditors to the
Trustees of Youth Options
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Youth Options (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiary (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31st March 2024, which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, the Consolidated and Charity Balance Sheets, the Statement of Cash Flows, and the notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the financial statements:
give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and parent charitable company’s affairs as at 31st March 2024 and of the group’s incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011.
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
36
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group’s or parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, including the trustees’ report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements, or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
37
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the group and parent charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports)
Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
Responsibilities of trustees
As explained more fully in the Trustees’ Responsibilities Statement set out on page 12, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the group’s and parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
38
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.
Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. Due to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities even though the audit has been properly planned and performed in accordance with the ISAs (UK). The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that are applicable to the parent charitable company and group, and the sector in which it operates. These include but are not limited to compliance with the Companies Act 2006, UK Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and the relevant tax compliance regulations for the parent charitable company and group.
-
We obtained an understanding of how the parent charitable company and group is complying with these frameworks through discussions with management.
-
We enquired with management whether there were any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations or whether they had knowledge of actual or suspected fraud. These enquiries are corroborated through follow-up audit procedures including but not limited to a review of legal and professional costs and correspondence.
-
We assessed the susceptibility of the parent charitable company’s and group's financial statements to material misstatement, including the risk of fraud and management override of controls. We designed our audit procedures to respond to this assessment, including the identification and testing of any related party transactions and the testing of journal transactions that arise from management estimates, that are determined to be of significant value or unusual in their nature.
39
We assessed the appropriateness of the collective competence and capabilities of the engagement team, including consideration of the engagement team's knowledge and understanding of the sector in which the parent charitable company and group operates in, and their practical experience through training and participation with audit engagements of a similar nature.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities.
This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
Hopper Williams & Bell Limited is eligible for appointment as auditor of the parent charitable company and group by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charitable company’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Michaela Johns FCCA (Senior Statutory Auditor)
For and on behalf of Hopper Williams & Bell Limited Statutory Auditor Highland House, Mayflower Close, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO53 4AR Date: 19th December 2024
40
Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
| Statement of Financial Accounts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | Total | ||
| funds | funds | funds | funds | ||
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| INCOME | |||||
| Income and endowments from: | |||||
| Donations and legacies | - | 45,758 | 45,758 | 39,621 | |
Charitable activities: |
|||||
| Training and educational activities | 5 | 644,912 | 1,376,846 | 2,021,758 | 1,795,003 |
Other trading activities: |
|||||
| Income from operating centres | 4 | - | 131,904 | 131,904 | 142,079 |
| Fund raising events | - | 29,914 | 29,914 | 21,706 | |
Investments (bank interest) |
- | 2,801 | 2,801 | 791 | |
Other income |
6 | - | 9,452 | 9,452 | - |
Total incoming resources |
644,912 | 1,596,675 | 2,241,587 | 1,999,200 | |
EXPENDITURE ON: |
|||||
| Raising funds: | |||||
| Costs of operating centres | - | 107,306 | 107,306 | 123,730 | |
| Other costs of raising funds | 7 | - | 98,701 | 98,701 | 67,765 |
Charitable activities |
8 | 643,170 | 1,418,748 | 2,061,918 | 1,758,440 |
Total expenditure |
643,170 | 1,624,755 | 2,267,925 | 1,949,935 | |
Net income/(expenditure) before transfers |
1,742 | (28,080) | (26,338) | 49,265 |
41
Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
| Statement of Financial Accounts (continued) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transfers between funds |
17 | 13,997 | (13,997) | - | - |
| Net income/(expenditure) | 15,739 | (42,077) | (26,338) | 49,265 | |
| Other recognised gains | |||||
| Unrealised investment (losses) /gains | 14 | - | 25,670 | 25,670 | (5,143) |
| Net Movement in Funds for the year | 15,739 | (16,407) | (668) | 44,122 | |
Total Funds: |
|||||
| Brought Forward | 89,221 | 941,386 | 1,030,607 | 986,485 | |
Carried Forward |
104,960 | 924,979 | 1,029,939 | 1,030,607 |
All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.
The notes on pages 46 to 67 form an integral part of these financial statements.
42
Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31[st] March 2024
Balance Statement
| Balance Statement | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group | Charity | ||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Note | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Fixed assets | |||||||
| Intangible assets | 12 | 5,297 | 3,225 | 5,297 | 3,225 | E2-3 | |
| Tangible assets | 13 | 380,194 | 289,212 | 380,194 | 289,212 | E3 | |
| Investments | 14 | 874,628 | 844,038 | 874,631 | 844,041 | F2 | |
| 1,260,119 | 1,136,475 | 1,260,122 | 1,136,478 | ||||
Current assets |
|||||||
| Sundry debtors and prepayments | 15 | 165,949 | 110,752 | 170,521 | 106,656 | H2-1 | |
| Cash at bank and in hand |
31,773 | 18,484 | 20,197 | 13,866 | I3 | ||
| 197,722 | 129,236 | 190,718 | 120,522 | ||||
Creditors: |
|||||||
| Amounts falling due within one year | 16 | (427,902) | (235,104) | (420,946) | (226,438) | J2-1 | |
Net current assets / (liabilities) |
(230,180) | (105,868) | (230,228) | (105,916) | |||
| Net assets | 1,029,939 | 1,030,607 | 1,029,894 | 1,030,562 | |||
Funds |
|||||||
| Restricted income funds |
17 | 104,960 | 89,221 | 104,960 | 89,221 | ||
Unrestricted income funds |
|||||||
| Designated funds | 18 | 346,425 | 332,437 | 346,425 | 332,437 | ||
| General fund | 18 | 578,553 | 608,949 | 578,508 | 608,904 | ||
| 924,979 | 941,386 | 924,934 | 941,341 | ||||
Total funds |
1,029,939 | 1,030,607 | 1,029,894 | 1,030,562 |
43
Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31[st] March 2024
Balance Statement (continued)
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime under the Companies Act 2006 and in accordance with FRS 102 SORP. The trustees have prepared group accounts in accordance with section 222A of the Companies Act and the Charities Act 2011. The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of these Acts in respect of accounting records and preparation of accounts.
[Whilst the company is exempt from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 and the members have not required an audit under section 476 of the ] Companies Act 2006, the company is subject to audit under the Charities Act 2011.
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 18[th] November 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
………………………………………………………
Peter North - Trustee 19 December 2024
……………………………………………………… James Fillingham - Trustee 19 December 2024
The notes on pages 46 to 67 form an integral part of these financial statements.
44
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
| Cashflow | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||
| Net cash inflow from operating activities | 23 | 143,338 | 46,423 | ||||
Cash flow from investing activities |
(129,323) | (8,309) | |||||
| Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets | 10,251 | 12,564 | |||||
| Receipts from sales of tangible fixed assets | (3,255) | (3,225) | |||||
| Payments to acquire investments | (50,000) | - | |||||
| Receipts from sales of investments | 100,000 | - | |||||
| Interest received | (2,801) | (791) | |||||
Net cash inflow / (outflow) from investing activities |
(75,128) | 239 | |||||
Cash flow from financing activities |
|||||||
| Repayment of borrowings | - | - | |||||
Net cash inflow / (outflow) from financing activities |
- | - | |||||
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents |
68,210 | 46,662 | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents at 1st April |
157,232 | 110,570 | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents at 31st March |
225,442 | 157,232 | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents consists of: |
|||||||
Cash at bank and in hand |
31,773 | 18,484 | |||||
| Short term deposits | 193,669 | 138,748 | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents at 31st March |
225,442 | 157,232 |
The notes on pages 46 to 67 form an integral part of these financial statements.
45
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
Notes
- 1 General information
Youth Options is a company, limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales under the Companies Act 2006 and Charities Act 2011. The address of the registered office is provided in Reference and administrative details. Details of the charity’s operations are provided in the Report of the Trustees.
- 2 Accounting policies
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
Statement of compliance and basis of preparation
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and includes the results of the charity's operations which are described in the Trustees' Report and all of which are continuing. The financial statements are prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £1.
The financial statements consolidate the results of Youth Options Centres Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary undertaking of the Charity, on a line by line basis. The accounting year ends are co-terminus. The company has used the exemption under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 not to include an individual income and expenditure account for the parent charitable company.
Income
All incoming resources are included on the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Income from grants is accounted for on an accruals basis. All voluntary income and donations are accounted for on receipt by the charity. The income from fund raising events is shown gross, with the associated costs included in fundraising costs.
46
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
2 Accounting policies (continued)
Classification of expenditure
Expenditure is included when a liability is incurred. All expenditure has been classified as costs of raising funds, charitable activities (which includes operational programmes, support costs and governance costs) and other costs.
Operational Programme Expenditure relates directly to carrying out the objects of the charity. Support costs are expenditure incurred directly in supporting charitable activities and projects.
Cost of raising funds include the costs of all fund raising events. Governance costs are those relating to the charity's compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.
An apportionment of staff costs and overheads has been carried out on the basis of the income generated by the projects.
Tangible fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Assets costing less than £500 are written off in the year of purchase. Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life:
Leasehold land and buildings - buildings over period of lease; land not depreciated Mini buses - 25% on reducing balance
Intangible assets
Intangible assets are initially measured at cost. After initial recognition, intangible assets are measured at cost less any accumulated amortisation and any accumulated impairment losses.
Investments
Investments are stated at market value. Realised and unrealised gains and losses on investments are dealt with in the Statement of Financial Activities. Investment income is credited to income on an accruals basis, using dates of payment for dividends, and daily accrual for interest.
47
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
2 Accounting policies (continued)
Funds
All the funds have been analysed between restricted and unrestricted funds. Restricted funds are those where the donor has imposed restrictions on how the fund may be used, but which do not prevent the fund being spent. Unrestricted funds are those which are not subject to any special restrictions and they can be used as the trustees decide. Designated funds are allocated out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes. The use of such funds is at the trustees' discretion.
Pensions
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities as they become payable in accordance with the rules of the scheme.
Financial assets
The Charitable Company has elected to apply the provision of Section 11 'Basic Financial Instruments' and Section 12 'Other Financial Instruments Issues' of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial assets are recognised in the charitable company's statement of financial position when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Basic financial assets, which include trade and other receivables and cash and bank balances are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method, unless the arrangement constitutes a financial transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest.
Financial liabilities
Basic financial liabilities which include trade and other payables, are initially measured at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost, unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest.
48
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
- 3 Financial performance of charity
The consolidated statement of financial activities includes the results of the charity’s wholly owned subsidiary Youth Options Centres Ltd. The summary performance of the parent charity alone is:
performance of the parent charity alone is: |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Income | 2,109,045 | 1,860,402 | |
| Management charges made to subsidiary company |
18,843 | 15,751 | |
| 2,127,888 | 1,876,153 | ||
| Expenditure | (2,154,225) | (1,826,888) | |
| Net (outgoing)/incoming resources before other recognised gains |
(26,337) | 49,265 | A3 |
4 Incoming resources from activities for generating funds
The wholly owned subsidiary Youth Options Centres Limited is incorporated in England and Wales (No 02898083). The subsidiary operates the recreational and leisure centres owned by the charity. The company owns the whole of the £3 issued share capital. A summary of the trading results is shown below. The summary financial performance of the subsidiary alone is:
| The summary financial performance of the subsidiary alone is: | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Turnover | 131,904 | 142,079 |
| Other income | - | 805 |
| Cost of sales, administration costs and finance costs |
(113,061) | (127,133) |
| Net profit | 18,843 | 15,751 |
| Management charges | (18,843) | (15,751) |
| Retained in the subsidiary | - | - |
| The assets of the subsidiary were: | ||
| Current assets | 19,335 | 15,262 |
| Current liabilities | (19,287) | (15,214) |
| Net assets | 48 | 48 |
| Aggregate share capital and reserves | 48 | 48 |
49
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
4 Incoming resources from activities for generating funds (Continued)
The costs above include the full costs of the subsidiary. There is a small difference when compared to 'Costs from operating Centres' on the SOFA, as audit remuneration has been reallocated to support costs in the Group accounts so that full audit remuneration is disclosed on a Group level in notes 8 & 10.
5 Training and educational activities income
| Training and educational | activities income | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Prevention | 95,548 | 356,838 | 452,386 | 38,355 | 318,792 | 357,147 |
| Targeted | 379,331 | 28,290 | 407,621 | 415,470 | 42,181 | 457,651 |
| Progression | 35,916 | - | 35,916 | 37,041 | 3,729 | 40,770 |
| OLC | 43,462 | 359,240 | 402,702 | 33,990 | 266,386 | 300,376 |
| Early Years & Childcare | - | 621,491 | 621,491 | - | 557,873 | 557,873 |
| Other | 90,655 | 10,987 | 101,642 | - | 81,186 | 81,186 |
| 644,912 | 1,376,846 | 2,021,758 | 524,856 | 1,270,147 | 1,795,003 |
Charitable activities have been updated this year to the above, having previously been keyworker support, fixed term programmes, Itchen Valley country park and open access . This decision was taken by the Trustees and management team, in order to better reflect the current operations of the charity. The comparative figures have been reorganised and updated into the same charitable activity headings in order to give accurate comparative information to the readers of these accounts.
6 Other income
Other income consists of a £8,260 gain on disposal of tangible fixed assets and £1,192 of recharges.
7 Other costs of raising funds
2024 (£) 2023 (£) Fundraising event costs 20,024 10,482 Staff costs (funding and fundraising) 78,677 53,516 - Property costs 1,840 Office and other overhead costs - 1,927 98,701 67,765
50
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
8 Charitable activities costs
| Operational Programmes |
Support Activities |
Governance Costs |
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | 2024 | 2023 | ||
| Prevention | 374,764 | 34,769 | 6,155 | £ | £ | |
| Targeted | 435,263 | 31,328 | 5,546 | 415,688 | 321,711 | |
| Progression | 26,952 | 2,760 | 489 | 472,137 | 445,926 | |
| OLC | 323,753 | 30,950 | 5,479 | 30,201 | 38,200 | |
| Early Years Childcare | 558,671 | 47,765 | 8,455 | 360,182 | 241,170 | |
| Other | 159,625 | 7,812 | 1,382 | 614,891 | 582,725 | |
| 1,879,028 | 155,384 | 27,506 | 168,819 | 128,708 | ||
| 2,061,918 | 1,758,440 | |||||
| 2023 | £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Prevention | 251,132 | 50,133 | 20,446 | 321,711 | ||
| Targeted | 355,485 | 64,241 | 26,200 | 445,926 | ||
| Progression | 30,143 | 5,723 | 2,334 | 38,200 | ||
| OLC | 181,810 | 42,164 | 17,196 | 241,170 | ||
| Early Years Childcare | 472,478 | 78,309 | 31,938 | 582,725 | ||
| Other | 112,664 | 11,396 | 4,648 | 128,708 | ||
| 1,403,712 | 251,966 | 102,762 | 1,758,440 |
Charitable activities have been updated this year to the above, having previously been keyworker support, fixed term programmes, Itchen Valley country park and open access. This decision was taken by the Trustees and management team, in order to better reflect the current operations of the charity. The comparative figures have been reorganised and updated into the same charitable activity headings in order to give accurate comparative information to the readers of these accounts.
51
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
8 Charitable activities costs (continued)
| Operational | Operational | Support | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Activity costs | 131,730 | 92,219 | - | - | 131,730 | 92,219 | ||
| Motor and travelling costs |
20,984 | 19,478 | - | - | 20,984 | 19,478 | ||
| Salaries and staff | 1,483,565 | 1,122,531 | 141,026 | 240,667 | 1,624,591 | 1,363,198 | ||
| expenses | ||||||||
| Office costs | 96,017 | 60,483 | 6,129 | 4,032 | 102,146 | 64,515 | ||
| Property costs | 110,387 | 82,788 | 7,046 | 5,519 | 117,433 | 88,307 | ||
| Depreciation | 36,345 | 26,213 | 1,183 | 1,748 | 37,528 | 27,961 | ||
| Governance costs | ||||||||
| Staff costs | - | - | 168 | 18,879 | 168 | 18,879 | ||
| Auditors' remuneration | - | - | 23,770 | 21,140 | 23,770 | 21,140 | ||
| Legal & professional fees | - | - | 3,568 | 58,976 | 3,568 | 58,976 | ||
| Property and overheads | - | - | - | 3,767 | - | 3,767 | ||
| 1,879,028 | 1,403,712 | 182,890 | 354,728 | 2,061,918 | 1,758,440 |
9 Staff costs
No remuneration or expenses were paid to trustees during the year. The costs of the staff were:
2024 2023 £ £ Wages and salaries 1,523,760 1,299,683 Social security costs 115,615 94,167 Pension costs 43,876 39,926 1,683,251 1,433,776
52
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
9 Staff costs (continued)
One employee had earnings in the band £70,001 to £80,000 during the year (2023: One had earnings in the band £70,001 to £80,000). Contributions of £2,225 (2023: £2,225) were made to the defined contribution pension scheme for this staff member in the year. Staff costs are shown under the following items of expenditure:
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Fundraising and publicity | 76,045 | 53,516 |
| Operational programmes | 1,415,749 | 1,060,257 |
| Operation of centres and training services | 54,577 | 60,457 |
| Support costs | 136,880 | 240,667 |
| Governance | - | 18,879 |
| 1,683,251 | 1,433,776 |
The total amount of employee benefits (including employer pension contributions) received by key management personnel for their services to the charity was £242,748 (2023: £233,537).
The average monthly number of staff employed by the group during the year was as follows:
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| FTE No. | FTE No. | |
| Fundraising and publicity | 3.0 | 1.4 |
| Direct charitable work | 46.2 | 39.3 |
| Youth Options Centres Ltd | 1.8 | 2.2 |
| Support/Governance | 4.9 | 5.2 |
| 55.9 | 48.1 | |
| The average number of staff employed (Headcount) | 88 | 79 |
53
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
10 Auditors' remuneration
Auditors' remuneration for the group in the year consisted of the following costs:
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Audit | 16,932 | 15,720 |
| Accounts & other services | 6,838 | 5,520 |
| 23,770 | 21,240 |
The auditors' remuneration above is inclusive of VAT as the Group is not VAT registered.
| 11 | Net income for the year | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
| £ | £ | |||
| Depreciation of tangible fixed assets | 36,351 | 29,126 | ||
| Auditors' remuneration | 16,932 | 15,720 | ||
| Operating leases | -Equipment | 3,600 | 1,832 | |
| -Property | 19,114 | 23,694 |
12 Intangible fixed assets (Group and Charity)
| Other intangible | |
|---|---|
| assets | |
| £ | |
| Cost or valuation | |
| As at 1April 2023 | 3,225 |
| Additions | 3,255 |
| As at 31 March 2024 | 6,480 |
| Amortisation | |
| As at 1 April 2023 | - |
| Charge for the year | 1,183 |
| As at 31March 2024 | 1,183 |
54
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
12 Intangible fixed assets (Group and Charity) (continued)
Other intangible
assets Net book value As at 31 March 2024 5,297 As at 31 March 2023 3,225
13 Tangible fixed assets (Group and Charity)
| Leasehold land and buildings |
Assets under construction |
Minibuses | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Cost or valuation | |||||
| As at 1 April 2023 | 427,155 | - | 59,845 | 487,000 | |
| Additions | 19,216 | 75,313 | 34,794 | 129,323 | |
| Disposals | - | - | (14,130) | (14,130) | |
| As at 31 March 2024 | 446,371 | 75,313 | 80,509 | 602,193 | |
| Depreciation | |||||
| As at 1 April 2023 | 145,706 | - | 52,082 | 197,788 | |
| Eliminated on disposals | (12,140) | (12,140) | |||
| Charge for the year | 26,934 | - | 9,417 | 36,351 | |
| As at 31 March 2024 | 172,640 | - | 49,359 | 221,999 | |
| Net book value | |||||
| As at 31 March 2024 | 273,731 | 75,313 | 31,150 | 380,194 | a |
| As at 31 March 2023 | 281,449 | - | 7,763 | 289,212 |
55
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
14 Investments
| Investments | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group | Charity | |||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Held to provide investment return: | ||||||
| 2387.447 Charifund Accumulation units | 679,051 | 703,466 | 679,051 | 703,466 | ||
| 46.361 Charibond Accumulation units | 1,908 | 1,824 | 1,908 | 1,824 | ||
| Investment in Subsidiary undertaking | - | - | 3 | 3 | ||
| Short term cash deposits | 193,669 | 138,748 | 193,669 | 138,748 | ||
| 874,628 | 844,038 | 874,631 | 844,041 | |||
| Market Value at 1st April 2023 | 844,041 | 793,283 | ||||
| Additions | 50,000 | - | ||||
| Sales | (100,000) | - | ||||
| Unrealised (loss) / gain | 25,670 | (5,143) | ||||
| Movement in cash deposits | 54,920 | 55,901 | ||||
| Market Value at 31st March 2024 | 874,631 | 844,041 |
The historical cost of the investments on 31st March 2024 was £505,859 (2023 £538,258).
15 Debtors
| Debtors | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group | Charity | |||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Operational debtors | 127,071 | 74,750 | 120,431 | 67,228 | ||
| Other debtors and prepayments | 38,878 | 36,002 | 37,759 | 32,880 | ||
| Amounts owed by group undertakings - Youth Options Centres Limited |
- | - | 12,331 | 6,548 | ||
| 165,949 | 110,752 | 170,521 | 106,656 |
56
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
16 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
| Group | Charity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Operational creditors | 26,612 | 28,072 | 26,540 | 23,661 | |
| Social security and other taxes | 28,143 | 25,193 | 28,143 | 25,193 | |
| Income received in advance | 284,670 | 98,114 | 284,670 | 90,394 | |
| Other creditors and accruals | 88,477 | 83,725 | 81,593 | 87,190 | |
| 427,902 | 235,104 | 420,946 | 226,438 | ||
| Creditor amounts falling due within one year includes deferred income: | |||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| As at 1 April | 98,114 | 101,589 | 90,394 | 73,658 | |
| Amount deferred/(released) in the year | 186,556 | (3,475) | 194,276 | 16,736 | |
| As at 31 March | 284,670 | 98,114 | 284,670 | 90,394 |
Amounts included within deferred income relate to payments for services which are to occur post year end.
| 17 | Restricted funds | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming Resources |
Resources expended |
Net movement |
Transfers | ||||
| 01.04.23 | 31.03.24 | ||||||
| 2023-24 | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Restricted funds | |||||||
| 16-25 MHC | - | 8,400 | (6,859) | 1,541 | - | 1,541 | |
| #BeeWell | - | 2,600 | (2,600) | - | - | - | |
| CB Laser | - | 3,719 | (3,716) | 3 | - | 3 | |
| Charlotte B-C Trust | - | 1,965 | (1,911) | 54 | - | 54 | |
| Children In Need Impact | 3,633 | 1,500 | (7,050) | (5,550) | 1,917 | - | |
| Connect 4 Communities | - | 5,042 | (5,041) | 1 | - | 1 |
57
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
17 Restricted funds (continued)
| CYP CCG | - | 11,471 | (11,486) | (15) | 15 | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Brye | - | 1,000 | - | 1,000 | - | 1,000 |
| D'Oyly Carte | - | 4,000 | (3,948) | 52 | - | 52 |
| Daisy Dip | - | 7,993 | (8,019) | (26) | 26 | - |
| Energise Me - Eastleigh | - | 4,822 | (4,822) | - | - | - |
| Energise Me - LAC | - | 3,566 | (3,566) | - | - | - |
| Green Influencers | - | 10,920 | (10,059) | 861 | - | 861 |
| Groundbreakers | - | 9,258 | (10,117) | (859) | 859 | - |
| Hampshire County Council HAF |
- | 1,465 | (731) | 734 | - | 734 |
| Hampshire County Council Hardship Fund |
- | 12,625 | (14,762) | (2,137) | 2,137 | - |
| Hatch | - | 23,797 | (20,156) | 3,641 | - | 3,641 |
| Henry Smith Charities | 10,794 | 56,500 | (56,047) | 453 | - | 11,247 |
| HIWCF Strategic Fund | - | 15,342 | (15,342) | - | - | - |
| NVR NHS | 2,702 | - | (2,712) | (2,712) | 10 | - |
| NVR (Army Covenant Fund) |
- | 2,000 | (2,000) | - | - | - |
| National Lottery Families Together (1) |
47,762 | - | (56,192) | (56,192) | 8,430 | - |
| National Lottery Families Together (2) |
- | 94,044 | (94,044) | - | - | - |
| National Lottery | ||||||
| Community Fund Plus | 251 | 30,373 | (29,332) | 1,041 | - | 1,292 |
| Provision | ||||||
| National Lottery | ||||||
| Reaching Communities | 21,681 | 106,030 | (127,715) | (21,685) | 4 | - |
| Key Work | ||||||
| Office of the Police & | ||||||
| Crime Commissioner: | ||||||
| -Knife Crime | (342) | 4,327 | (4,519) | (192) | 534 | - |
58
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
17 Restricted funds (continued)
| -Knife Crime awareness - NF |
624 | 23,854 | (19,892) | 3,962 | - | 4,586 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -Safer Pathways - Eastleigh |
- | 5,000 | (4,593) | 407 | - | 407 |
| -Safer Pathways - NF | - | 5,000 | (4,593) | 407 | - | 407 |
| -Safer Pathways - Southampton |
- | 5,000 | (4,593) | 407 | - | 407 |
| -Southampton detached (1) |
1,299 | 27,509 | (28,873) | (1,364) | 65 | - |
| -Southampton detached (2) |
817 | - | - | - | 817 | |
| Plus You Thornhill | - | 20,000 | (19,285) | 715 | - | 715 |
| SCC Harefield | - | 20,000 | (18,119) | 1,881 | - | 1,881 |
| Vaccine Champions | - | 5,848 | (5,848) | - | - | - |
| YIF - Capital Grant | - | 75,313 | - | 75,313 | - | 75,313 |
| YIF - Revenue Grant | - | 34,629 | (34,629) | - | - | - |
| 89,221 | 644,912 | (643,170) | 1,742 | 13,997 | 104,960 | |
| Incoming Resources |
Resources expended |
Net movement | Transfers | |||
| 01.04.22 | 31.03.23 | |||||
| 2022-23 | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Restricted funds | ||||||
| Children in Need Impact | (620) | 34,240 | (29,987) | 4,253 | - | 3,633 |
| Children in Need ReLACS | 701 | - | - | - | (701) | - |
| Connect 4 Communities | - | 1,740 | (1,740) | - | - | - |
| CYP CCG | - | 11,094 | (11,265) | (171) | 171 | - |
| Daisy Dip | - | 11,350 | (11,360) | (10) | 10 | - |
| HCC - Leaders | - | 4,700 | (4,652) | 48 | (48) | - |
| Henry Smith Charities | 5,110 | 55,100 | (49,416) | 5,684 | - | 10,794 |
| HIWCF | 11,988 | 20,174 | (32,122) | (11,948) | (40) | - |
59
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
17 Restricted funds (continued)
| National Lottery | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Fund Care | 44 | - | - | - | (44) | - |
| Leavers | ||||||
| National Lottery | ||||||
| Community Fund Plus | 3,351 | 29,199 | (32,299) | (3,100) | - | 251 |
| Provision | ||||||
| National Lottery Families Together (1) |
51,057 | 120,368 | (123,663) | (3,295) | - | 47,762 |
| National Lottery Reaching Communities Keywork |
- | 103,022 | (81,341) | 21,681 | - | 21,681 |
| NVR NHS | - | 22,000 | (19,298) | 2,702 | - | 2,702 |
| Office of the Police & | ||||||
| Crime Commissioner: | - | |||||
| -Domestic Abuse and Perpetrator |
184 | 21,064 | (25,046) | (3,982) | 3,982 | - |
| -Knife Crime (1) | - | (526) | (526) | (342) | ||
| -Knife Crime (2) | 2,279 | 3,250 | (3,289) | (39) | 39 | - |
| -Knife Crime awareness NF | 2,234 | 9,643 | (11,298) | (1,655) | - | 624 |
| -Southampton detached (1) | - | 4,005 | (4,940) | (935) | - | 1,299 |
| -Southampton detached (2) | 20,000 | (19,183) | 817 | 817 | ||
| Peer Action | (3,548) | 37,041 | (33,315) | 3,726 | (178) | - |
| SCC COMF | - | 3,867 | (4,054) | (187) | 187 | - |
| Southampton Youth Partnership |
- | 3,000 | (3,000) | - | - | - |
| Vaccine Champions | - | 9,999 | (9,878) | 121 | (121) | - |
| Youth Endowment Fund | (20) | - | - | - | 20 | - |
| 72,760 | 524,856 | (511,672) | 13,184 | 3,277 | 89,221 |
60
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
17 Restricted funds (continued)
16-25 MHC
Targeted support in partnership with No Limits and Solent Mind providing key work to young people with mental health needs. #BeeWell
Youth Voice project to shape national #BeeWell programme in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton.
CB Laser
Progression opportunities funding to become Laser Accredited training centre and delivery qualifications to young people in the New Forest. Charlotte B-C Trust
Targeted support to young carers at outdoor learning centre.
Children In Need Impact
Impact enables looked after children to come together in a safe environment, where staff understand their issues and concerns, where staff care about the
individual and where young people can have fun, and feel positive about their situation, whilst developing their social and emotional capabilities. This is an ongoing fund at year end and the cause of the negative fund carried forward is due to timing. This fund is not expected to hold a balance remaining by the end of the project.
Children in Need ReLACS
Providing holiday activity linked to the educations curriculum for Looked After Children to help them reintegrate back into school following the national lockdown due to Covid.
Connect 4 Communities
Community hardship fund for children, young people and their families.
CYP CCG
Targeted outdoor learning courses for children from black, ethnic and other minority backgrounds.
Daisy Dip
Prevention youth work in Daisy Dip park, Southampton.
De Brye
Targeted support through funding for care experienced children to attend residentials.
D'Oyly Carte
Targeted support outdoor learning sessions focusing on horticulture for children with SEN.
Energise Me - Eastleigh and LAC
Prevention youth work through after school and holiday physical activity sessions in Eastleigh and Andover.
Green Influencers
Targeted support for care experienced children enabling them to influence the local environment at outdoor learning to benefit other young people in the future.
61
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
17 Restricted funds (continued)
Groundbreakers
Progression Opportunities social action environmental programme for young people in New Forest.
Hatch
Progression Opportunities employability programme funded by NYA and KFC.
Hampshire County Council HAF
Youth voice project around Holiday Activity Fund priorities for young people.
HCC - Leaders
To run outdoor activity days for Ukrainian families, allowing them to spend positive time outdoors and meet others in a similar situation to their own. Hampshire Hardship Fund
Hardship funding to children and families in need in Hampshire.
Henry Smith Charities - Step Forward
Supporting care leavers and looked after children in Eastleigh & surrounds to transition into independent living. The programme supports young people through 1:1 and small group work.
HIWCF
To further develop the volunteering programme in place at Youth Options.
HIWCF Strategic fund
Improving IT systems.
NVR NHS
Non violent resistance programme for families in Southampton.
NVR (Army Covenant Fund)
NVR Programme for families of armed forces personnel.
National Lottery Families Together (1 & 2)
Working with families who experience child to parent violence we provide Non-Violent Resistance training for parents to help them change in order to rebuild relationships and reduce violent incidents. The service also delivers activities to support children within the family to build positive relationships as siblings and with their parents.
National Lottery Community Fund Care Leavers
Providing additional support for care leavers during Covid 19 including 6 month 2 days of staff to support care leavers and money to purchase essential equipment and provisions for care leavers.
National Lottery Community Fund Plus Provision
A partnership project with Southampton Hub, a charity working with students at Southampton University, supporting young people in schools in Southampton to improve their engagement with education and raise their aspirations.
62
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
17 Restricted funds (continued)
National Lottery Reaching Communities Key Work
To work with YP to improve mental wellbeing by spending positive time outdoors, and building supportive networks.
Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner Domestic Abuse and Perpetrator
Providing a family support worker to address adolescent to parent violence (APV), in conjunction with existing NVR programmes. Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner grants
The Police and Crime Commission awarded three Community Safety Fund Grants. The aim of the programmes is to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and reduce re-offending by delivering detached youth work on the streets of Basingstoke, Southampton and Eastleigh; to engage with young people and provide positive activities.
Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner Knife Crime
Reducing knife crime by supporting police in crime awareness programmes.
Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner Safer Pathways
Knife crime awareness programmes and key work in New Forest, Southampton and Eastleigh. Peer Action
Recruit, support and retain peer researchers to engage in the Youth Endowment Fund Peer Research and Social Action Network Project. Youth Options is in a consortium led by Artswork Ltd. This is an ongoing fund at year end and the cause of the negative fund carried forward is due to timing. This fund is not expected to hold a balance remaining by the end of the project.
Plus You Thornhill
Prevention youth work in Thornhill, Southampton.
SCC COMF
Delivering outdoor learning courses to children suffering poor mental health as a result of the pandemic.
SCC Harefield
Prevention youth work in Harefield, Southampton.
Southampton Youth Partnership
Funding to support youth participation in the development of Young Southampton.
Vaccine Champions
SCC Grant to support families who are struggling as a result of Covid to feel better informed about the choices they have to keep themselves safe. YIF - Capital and Revenue Grants
Refurbishment of MP3 Youth Centre, Millbrook, Southampton and provision of expanded youth work in the area.
Youth Endowment Fund (YEF)
Working in partnership with No Limits providing 12 week outdoor learning focused programmes to young people in Year 6 who are at risk of involvement in, or becoming victims of, violence.
63
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
18 Unrestricted funds
| Unrestricted funds | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designated | Funds | General | Funds | ||
| Development fund |
Fixed assets | Youth Options Centres Ltd |
Youth Options |
||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Incoming resources | - | - | 131,904 | 1,464,771 | 1,596,675 |
| Outgoing resources | (16,541) | - | (113,062) | (1,495,152) | (1,624,755) |
| Net incoming resources | (16,541) | - | 18,842 | (30,381) | (28,080) |
| Transfers | 12,788 | 17,741 | (18,842) | (25,684) | (13,997) |
| Unrealised investment gains |
- | - | - | 25,670 | 25,670 |
| Net movement in funds | (3,753) | 17,741 | - | (30,395) | (16,407) |
| Balance 1 April 2023 | 40,000 | 292,437 | 45 | 608,904 | 941,386 |
| Balance 31 March 2024 | 36,247 | 310,178 | 45 | 578,508 | 924,979 |
| 2023 | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Incoming resources | - | - | 142,884 | 1,331,460 | 1,474,344 |
| Outgoing resources | - | - | (126,233) | (1,312,030) | (1,438,263) |
| Net incoming resources | - | - | 16,651 | 19,430 | 36,081 |
| Transfers | 23,367 | (21,174) | (16,651) | 11,181 | (3,277) |
| Unrealised investment loss | - | - | - | (5,143) | (5,143) |
| Net movement in funds | 23,367 | (21,174) | - | 25,468 | 27,661 |
| Balance 1 April 2022 | 16,633 | 313,611 | 45 | 583,436 | 913,725 |
| Balance 31 March 2023 | |||||
| 40,000 | 292,437 | 45 | 608,904 | 941,386 |
The development fund closing balance is made up of £4,247 designated for the Scott Centre refurbishment and £32,000 which has been set aside for the redevelopment of the MP3 Centre.
At the start of the financial year the Development Fund held £40,000 for the Scott Centre refurbishment. £35,753 was spent during the year; £16,541 of expenditure is included in the Statement of Financial Activities with the other £19,212 relating to fixed asset additions which have been transferred to the Fixed Asset Designated Fund.
64
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
18 Unrestricted funds (continued)
The Fixed Asset Designated Fund distinguishes funds invested in fixed assets which are required to deliver the services provided by Youth Options and are therefore not readily available to fund on-going activities, with the exception of the MP3 Centre which is currently classified in 'assets under construction' and is in a restricted fund.
Youth Options Centres Limited is a trading subsidiary of the charity and operates the recreational and leisure centres owned by the charity.
There were the following transfers in the Youth Options General Fund;
1) £18,842, which is the net management charge from Youth Options to Youth Options Centres Ltd once intercompany recharges are deducted.
2) £1,471 from the General fund to the Fixed assets fund, a balancing figure relating to additions less depreciation during the year.
3) £32,000 from the General Fund to the Development Fund for the redevelopment of the MP3 Centre.
4) £13,997 from the General Fund to Restricted Fund to cover an excess of expenditure over income incurred on some restricted projects
19 Analysis of fund balances between net assets
| Designated funds |
General funds | Total Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Fixed assets | 310,178 | - | 310,178 | 75,313 | 385,491 |
| Investments | 36,247 | 838,381 | 874,628 | - | 874,628 |
| Current assets | - | 168,075 | 168,075 | 29,647 | 197,722 |
| Current liabilities | - | (427,902) | (427,902) | - | (427,902) |
| Total funds | 346,425 | 578,554 | 924,979 | 104,960 | 1,029,939 |
65
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
19 Analysis of fund balances between net assets (continued)
| Designated funds |
General funds | Total Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Fixed assets | 292,437 | - | 292,437 | 292,437 | |
| Investments | - | 844,038 | 844,038 | - | 844,038 |
| Current assets | 40,000 | 15 | 40,015 | 89,221 | 129,236 |
| Current liabilities | - | (235,104) | (235,104) | - | (235,104) |
| Total funds | 332,437 | 608,949 | 941,386 | 89,221 | 1,030,607 |
20 Pension commitments
The charity operates a defined contribution scheme for certain employees. The assets of the scheme are administered by trustees in a fund independent from those of the charity. The charge for the year is shown in note 9. Pension commitments included on the Balance Sheet at year end total £9,469 (2023: £8,164).
21 Gross obligations under operating leasing agreements
As at 31 March 2024 the group had future minimum lease commitments as follows:
22
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Total | Total | |
| Not later than 1 year | 20,514 | 18,448 |
| Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years | 56,283 | 64,805 |
| Later than five years | 16,339 | 16,924 |
| 93,136 | 100,177 | |
| Capital Commitments | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Authorised and contracted for | 923,013 | - |
During the year a project involving the refurbishment and reconfiguration of the existing building at Mansel Park Pavilion (MP3) has commenced.
66
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2024
23 Reconciliation of net income / (expenditure) to net cash flow from operating activities
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Net income / (expenditure) for the year | (668) | 44,122 |
| Interest receivable | 2,801 | 791 |
| Depreciation and impairment of tangible fixed assets | 36,351 | 29,126 |
| Amortisation and impairment of tangible fixed assets | 1,183 | - |
| (Gains) / loss on investments | (25,670) | 5,143 |
| (Profit) / loss on disposal of tangible fixed assets | (8,260) | (8,982) |
| (Increase) in debtors | (55,197) | (24,208) |
| Increase in creditors | 192,798 | 431 |
| Net cash inflow / (outflow) from operating activities | 143,338 | 46,423 |
- 24 Transactions with related parties
Donations totalling £1,575 were made to the charity by 6 trustee(s) during the year (2023: £2,160; 4).
25 Members' liability
The liability of each member, in the event of winding up, is limited to £10 each. There were 10 members at 31 March 2024 (2023: 8).
26 Post balance sheet events
On 1 June 2024 the charity Winchester Street Reach was acquired by Youth Options. Street Reach joined Youth Options with total funds of £153,000 (restricted funds of £77,500 and unrestricted funds £75,500).
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We believe that every child and young person has the potential to achieve a better future, whatever their life circumstances. We are committed to supporting children and young people, particularly those who need it most, to engage, develop and become empowered to improve their life chances.
We focus our work on reducing the number of children and young people at risk of exclusion from society, minimising the impact of negative life experiences and providing positive ways forward for those facing the greatest adversity. We do this in a way which is tailored to each child and young person’s needs and inspires them to achieve their potential. A Better Future ~~a~~ Suite 3 Crescent House, Yonge Close, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 9SX E: enquiries@youthoptions.org.uk - T: 01794 525510
Suite 3 Crescent House, Yonge Close, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 9SX E: enquiries@youthoptions.org.uk - T: 01794 525510 Youth Options is a company limited by guarantee 3184237. Registered Charity No. 1056463.