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2021-03-31-accounts

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1068108

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

for

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Meyer Williams Chartered Accountants

Stag House Old London Road Hertford Hertfordshire SG13 7LA

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

Page
Chair's Report 1
Report of the Trustees 2 to 11
Independent Examiner's Report 12
Statement of Financial Activities 13
Balance Sheet 14
Notes to the Financial Statements 15 to 25
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities 26 to 27

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Chair's Report for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

2020/21 was a very challenging year for Voyage due to the uncertainties caused by the pandemic. Whilst there were some initial shockwaves felt by the charity as the pandemic took hold, we were grateful for a small number of committed partners coming in to support us with some ground breaking contributions. The support received at this very unusual time was at a level which encouraged us to think carefully about planning for a future. I must admit how odd this felt at a time when so many charitable organisations were planning for risks, recovery and even closure. On behalf of our wider pool of trustees I wish to convey my deepest thanks for these partners coming in to join us at such a crucial time and demonstrating an advanced understanding of the need to support young people of colour at such an important time.

I also wish to convey our heartfelt thanks to Voyage’s amazing team of staff, volunteers and young people who have stepped up at a time when the odds were against us. It was their dedication, hard work and belief that helped Voyage to shine at a time when the world was changing. I cannot express how much this has helped galvanise us as trustees encouraging new thoughts about expanding our number of trustees, widening our offer of leadership programmes and ensuring we have the necessary policy documentation to facilitate this.

It gives me a great sense of pride to continue to be associated with Voyage. I am humbled by the excellent outcomes of the work we do as evidenced by the amazing achievements of the young people we serve. I have nothing but gratitude for our staff, supporters and partners and I would ask that you continue to support us in delivering our programmes and wider services.

CEO Note

It gives me great pleasure submitting our accounts for the 2020/21 financial year. To me and our wider team 2020/ 21 was a very special year for Voyage. It was a year we did not think we would survive nor think that young people would want to join our schemes of work as they have done. In both cases we were wrong, and I have been completely surprised how the pandemic has inspired and opened many new financial avenues and partnership doors, now encouraging plans to precipitate Voyage’s expansion and growth agendas.

These contributions have gone on to focus and galvanise our amazing staff team and at the same time helped mobilise our wider circle of volunteers, supporters and our board of trustees. The pandemic and powerful events and actions at both community and corporate levels inspired by the death of George Floyd have helped highlight structural race inequalities across the globe. I believe this has also created a deeper understanding of our reason for being and the importance of a need for exclusive focus on supporting young people of colour.

This new understanding has helped to progress and forge new relationships with a wider circle of corporate companies and charities never previously imagined. This has helped to create a positive effect on our funding application success rates, corporate donations, commissioned income, individual giving and extensive offers of practical support from over 80 professionals joining us as mentors, workshop contributors and work experience hosts.

We are cautiously trying to make a sense of these new expressions of support for Voyage and whilst we wish to expand our schemes of work we aim do so at a pace we are comfortable with. That way we can observe contribution trends over a longer period and use the time to develop our strategies, policies and back office functions progressing Voyage towards a relaunch in 2022 with greater confidence.

We look forward to embracing another year of growth building and consolidating new found relations and extending our partnerships to create more opportunities for our beneficiaries.

Page 1

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

The Trustees present their report along with the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31st March 2021.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in notes to the accounts and comply with the charity's governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (Second edition) and Financial Reporting Standard FRS 102.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing Document

The charity is controlled by its governing document and memorandums of association constituting an unincorporated charity.

The Charity's Background

Voyage was set up in 1998 by the Metropolitan Black Police Association to address issues of racial disproportionality following the MacPherson report.

Voyage is based in Hackney's New City College to ensure young people under 16 who wish to become young leaders understand the importance of sustaining their involvement in higher education beyond secondary school. Voyage stands for Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment . We chose this name because we are committed to empowerment, youth advocacy and community leadership. We want young people to use their voices to have a stake and say in the wider community and we want to empower them with a greater understanding of community safety and criminal justice agendas. Our expansion plans include the exploration of new educational courses and partnerships from which leadership development can be explored and new employability routes can be strengthened and eventually accessed.

Voyage wishes to sustain its reputation supporting vulnerable young people across London and strengthening their developmental journeys towards higher education and employment. In so doing we aim to reduce secondary school exclusions, maintain and improve academic performance, improving young people ability to speak out whilst making our young leaders more resilient and active contributors in their communities. As we support young people making these journeys we wish to ensure their voices are heard and speak on agendas that affect their lives and their communities.

REFERENCES AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number

1068108

Principle address

The Hackney Community College Shoreditch Campus Falkirk Street London N1 6QH

Trustees

L Logan, PhD, MBE - resigned 30.9.20 P Ramsay - resigned 30.4.20 S Awak - Essien - resigned after the year end Ms K Okolo A R O'Flaherty Ms K Morris R Nix Ms O Matthews K Muhammad T Aumeer – appointed after the year end N S Marshall – appointed after the year end D E N Miller – appointed after the year end

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

Independent examiner

Ralph Sears, FCCA Meyer Williams Chartered Accountants Stag House Old London Road Hertford Hertfordshire SG13 7LA

Chief Executive Officer

P Anderson, MBE

Charity's website address

https://voyageyouth.com

Recruitment and Appointment of Management Board

Relevant professionals, lay people and young people are eligible to serve as Trustee Board members or to nominate others. The maximum number of Trustee Board (the Board) members is 12 comprising a mix of education, political, legal, financial, criminal justice, community safety and youth engagement specialists making up our active list of board members. Our trustees have been specially appointed to support Voyages vision to involve young people in its governance structures and working groups and in particular assist the senior management team involve and embed its graduates into its decision making structures.

A Board member may hold office for a maximum of four years. The Chair is elected by the membership for a two year term of office and for no more than four years. The board meets five to six times a year and on occasions for thematic, developmental, safeguarding, expansion and business review days. To assist with expansion of Voyage Trustees provide a wide range of skills needed for good governance, managing risks and developing strategies to enable sustainability and growth and more specifically in the areas of capital projects, digital systems delivery, climate change/ conservation and higher education financing. All Trustees are requested to complete a skills audit questionnaire and provide a brief statement to inform their involvement in ad hoc working parties, where and when necessary.

Trustee Induction and Training

Most Trustees are familiar with the work of the organisation since the board is selected from professionals and young people that have had significant levels of involvement in the organisation or have been recipients of its programmes or services. We are keen to ensure that our board reflects the communities we serve therefore Voyage has adopted a youth advisory Board to ensure the voices of young people not only reflect what the charity does but shapes how it operates and the strategies it deploys.

An induction pack has been put together which includes various Charity Commission publications, published accounts, financial protocols, staff structure, risk assessment documents, the current strategic plan, working budget and the Memorandum and Articles. This is supported by an online repository (resources, information, policy and strategies) accessible on Voyage’s recently adopted digital delivery system called Moodle.

The Chair of the Trustee Board and Chief Executive meet with new Trustees to discuss the obligations of Trustee Board members. This meeting covers;

Trustee training and development takes place according to need, in response to changes in the external environment and in response to individual requests. A dedicated budget is allocated for this purpose.

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment

(V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

Voyage organisational Structure

Risk Management

The Board is responsible for the management of risks faced by the charity. Detailed consideration of risk and mitigating action are delegated to senior management staff. Risks are identified, assessed and controls established throughout the year. A formal review of the charity’s risk management processes is undertaken on an annual basis and individual risks are reviewed at each Trustee Board meeting on a rolling cycle.

Additional functions include: -

Detailed terms of reference for all sub-committees and the involvement of Trustees in all formal or time limited working groups, including those established to oversee special partnership projects.

Through the risk management processes established for the charity, the Trustees are satisfied that the major risks identified have been adequately mitigated where necessary. It is recognised that systems can only provide reasonable but not absolute assurance that major risks have been adequately managed. Voyage also uses Trustee indemnity insurance.

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

Staff Recruitment and Remuneration

Voyage is committed to encouraging diversity and promoting equal opportunities to provide a working environment that is inclusive, free from discrimination and where everyone is treated fairly and with respect. We have a fully inclusive recruitment process which guarantees an interview for all applicants who declare themselves disabled and who meet the minimum criteria. We offer flexible working where appropriate in order to meet staff needs and also support environmental initiatives such as the “Bike to work scheme”.

We follow the NJC salary scales for administration and project staff and we are progressing towards being a London Living Wage employer. Key management personnel salaries are set by Trustees on appointment according to skills and experience. The Board reviews all salaries on an annual basis and managers also review during staff annual appraisals.

Our Trustees, staff and volunteers are important to our programme because they have had similar experiences to our beneficiaries and most if not all are from similar social, economic and demographic backgrounds.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

In 2020/ 21 Voyage was grateful to announce its plans to produce a new constitution and terms of reference document with its new pro bono partner Slaughter and May. Voyage is currently reviewing its charitable documents with a view to making specific changes in order to ensure expansion plans are appropriately supported by its governing documents.

Presently the objects of Voyage, as laid out in the Memorandum and Articles, are

Our Mission

Voyage’s mission is to:

Voyage manages three programmes guided by its themes:

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

The activities for each financial year are detailed in the sections, which follow, and broadly comprise:

In providing these services and undertaking the activities described, Voyage is providing public benefit in line with its primary charitable objectives. When planning activities for the year ahead, the organisation has considered the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit. Voyage also ensures that our young people, their families and schools, and our partner organisations help to shape the way that our work is carried out. We actively consult our beneficiaries before, during and after their engagement with us using survey tools, interviews and informal interactions (talking heads and un-conferencing). We also regularly seek feedback from our Youth Advisory Board, parents/carers, and from schoolteachers.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Our Vision

Voyage believes in creating a society where children and young people from black and minority communities are valued, protected, and listened to, their families are supported and communities in which they live are properly resourced; and we are committed to working alongside partners in the voluntary, community and statutory sector and others who share this vision. We believe that the voluntary sector has a vital role to play in achieving this vision both in the delivery of child and youth centred services and in the advocacy and campaign work required to highlight need, challenge discrimination and change public perceptions.

Our Mission

We want to Empower marginalised young BAME people and provide them with the self-awareness and motivation to Transform themselves and their communities. We aim to enable them to Sustain successful partnerships and meaningful relationships.

Achievements for the period

Navigating the Pandemic and its long-term effects

During the pandemic, life became virtual and sadly young people from disadvantaged backgrounds were not able to adapt as easily and readily as other sections of society. Locally, young people told us about how the pandemic has left gaping holes in their educational attainment and development whilst losing out on the support typically in place to help them to make successful transitions from one year to another or into places of higher educational learning.

These concerns significantly impacted on the wellbeing of our young people made worse by dwindling employment prospects, stiffer competition for university places and limited access to apprenticeships and work experience opportunities.

In any given year Voyage offers fixed and open-ended face to face programme, supporting young people in making effective academic, social, cognitive and emotional transitions. However due to the pandemic and its devastating effects on the availability of young people, access to referral schools and noticing higher levels of mental health in young people Voyage chose reduce direct face to face work in 2020/21and replace this with online engagement.

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

In addition to this Voyage has used the period to:

Organizationally Voyage chose to not run our Safer Cities and Horizon Plus programme and focus on employability schemes to ensure a stronger focus on supporting our graduate rise toward higher education. In addition organisational capacity was focused on:

Other areas of delivery for 2020/21

2020 was an unusual year at Voyage as much of our work was delivered online and much of our engagement included projects and partners who can strengthen the mental health of our beneficiaries. With the new funding from the GLA and our new partnership with the Black men for change Project Voyage was able to host several online mental health awareness sessions with health partners. Voyage was able to launch its first professional mentoring project connecting our young people with professionals as well as starting a new national mentoring project underpinned by the Governments Kickstarter Scheme.

All Voyage projects were planned in 2020/21 were guided by the Voyage (journey of a young leader) concept of Discover, Participate, Collaborate, and Lead used to focus our delivery strands.

For Discovery, as part of our wider piece of work around mental health we were able to organise and host online and face-to-face workshops on several mental health strands.

Operations Smiles under the concept of Participate, provided an excellent opportunity to involve our young people in a ground-breaking upcycling community mental health initiative. This went on to receive much press attention raising Voyages’ profile marking the start of face to face work with young people. Following the success of Operation Smiles Voyage continued with the theme of Participation and organised a scaled down version of our annual summer scheme and delivered an amazing Black History Month Programme with creative partners The Shoal Collective. Voyage also partnered with Universal Board Games to set up a Peer Mentoring Project in Quarter 4.

Summary of impact

Each year Voyage reviews its impact across the projects and programme it delivers.

In 2020/ 21 Voyage engaged a total of 336 young people under 18 years of which

68% were young women 32% were young men

30% identified as Muslim

We summarise our impacts for 2020/ 21 as follows:

278 young people recorded an improved attitude towards the Police 120 young people enrolled in University and accepted offers

120 young people recorded significantly raised attainment levels at school

120 young people have recorded significantly higher aspirations

84 young people joined our mentoring schemes

43 young people have elevated voices and participate in community structures

12 young people joined our Youth Advisory Board

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment

(V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

Summary of impact - Continued

Voyage engaged a total of 58 young adults between 18 – 21 years of which

55% were young women 45% were young men

20% identified as Muslim

58 young people recorded an improved attitude towards the Police

58 young people have recorded significantly higher aspirations

19 young people enrolled in University and accepted offers

38 young people joined our mentoring schemes

6 young people have elevated voices and participate in community structures

3 young people joined our Youth Advisory Board

Looking a head

Voyage also saw a noticeable increase in grants from trusts and foundations and additional uplifts from our new corporate partners inspiring confidence in planning long-term expansion goals.

So as a direct consequence of new funds and commitments being received Voyage is now in a much stronger position to forecast growth and take effective steps towards:

Report Impacts

Voyage is pleased to present significant progress made with a number of our respective programmes, partnerships and people made possible with increases in revenue investment from corporate companies. The confidence derived from this support has underpinned, unlocked, and enabled so much for Voyage, boosting confidence, morale and served to garner wider interest and commitments from new donors and a wider circle partners and investors.

Comparing income positions from the previous financial year in 2019, Voyage is humbled to confirm it is now in a much stronger position that it has been in the previous 5 years. Especially, given that in March 2020 Voyage began working closure plans due to an expectation the pandemic would compromise weak relationships with investors, lower our success rates in applying for grant funding and projecting statutory funding would simply dry up.

Then out of nowhere, George Floyd was killed. Within a matter of days this killing awoke the public consciousness and lead to phones (already diverted to our respective homes) ringing off the hook with enquires from individuals, small business, institutions and corporate partners. This was amazing and hugely uplifting for Voyage. These enquiries lead to Voyage being invited to take part in BBC and Channel Four interviews, helping to catapult Voyage into the public sphere leading to significant donations, generous volunteering offers and one-off contributions from corporate institutions.

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

Commissioning and income generation

Voyage's suite of learning, hard to reach interventions and our talented pool of lived experienced tutors provide unique opportunities to share our work in new locations across London. This includes offering services to local authorities, a wider network of schools (PRUs) and youth offending organisations and youth offending institutes.

Guided by the disproportionate impacts of the Coronavirus and events in the US inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement we believe our commissioning and access to income generation will grow. This includes our Diversity and inclusion training typically offered to more embryonic voluntary organisations with non-diverse staff teams and challenges with reaching marginalised young people (especially BAME young people).

Voyage will be working with experienced team of fundraisers in the future, ensuring that we are in a better position to gain larger contributions from individuals and corporations supported by an annual fund-raising events programme.

Funds in deficit

YLFSC – YLFSC is the flagship programme for Voyage but unfortunately over the years Voyage has struggled to raise the required funding to sustain this programme. During the year 2020/2021 there was insufficient funds raised at the beginning of the programme before it started and therefore Voyage has had to finance the over expenditure from the free reserves.

Horizon Plus – The project has marginally run into a deficit position within the year due to the costs incurred outweighing the income received. It is expected that further income will be received to cover the shortfall next year.

Race 4 Nature and Kick Start Projects – These projects towards the end of the year with income being received for this charitable purpose within the 2021/22 financial year.

Reserves policy

The Trustees recognise that they have an overriding duty to act prudently and in the best interests of the charity as per our overall reserves policy, and that this extends to making sensible provision for the future in the form of retaining an appropriate level of reserves. The Board has examined the requirement for free reserves i.e. those unrestricted funds not invested in tangible fixed assets or otherwise committed.

FUTURE PLANS

The new emphasis on expansion into new location across London will require a considerable effort by staff and board supported by growth in Voyages income from Trusts and foundation and in particular increasing investment from corporate sectors and income generation activities.

Overall, the organisation’s priorities will be:

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

FINANCIAL REVIEW

2020/21 was an unusual year at Voyage, with most of our engagement taking place online. Whilst this process was not entirely smooth, most of the young people engaged well and many of our planned activities in community and school settings all made safe transitions to our online portal eventually.

Our key programmes for 2020/21

The Windrush Elders project - was created and developed by Voyage as an intergenerational project for its young leaders engaging them in social action projects and community volunteering. The focus of the project was to introduce young people to Caribbean elders to help them understand the impact of African and Caribbean migration to the UK by documenting individual stories and journeys of our Windrush elders. Voyage produced a photographic book and shared this with our Haringey partners at the African Caribbean Leadership Company.

Black Men for Change – was a yearlong funded programme from the Violence Reduction Unit providing a robust programme of workshops designed to encourage young people discuss, explore and confront impacts on their mental health. This project developed our young people into becoming peer leaders for our wider community programme helping us to establish a range of peer interventions.

Secondary School Transition Programme - providing a range of transition projects aimed at four secondary schools across East and North London. The programme was developed to explore the challenges young people faced as they made transitions from year 9 to year 10. The programme explored the challenges for 30 under-achieving, at risk young people helping to ensure they avoided school exclusion and made a safe transition to year 10 linked to mentoring support and access.

Employability and work experience – is both a strategy and programme of work ensuring Voyage’s new found corporate and commercial partners contribute both individuals and opportunities to the young people we work with. Voyage was able engage its commercial and corporate partners to enrich our online engagement sessions and to explore and embed a range of physical work placements for 2021 and beyond.

Professional Mentoring – successful relationships with our growing pool of corporate and commercial donors lead to the formation of Voyage’s first professional mentoring scheme. Voyage developed a highly structured process of recruitment, safeguarding awareness training, DBS completion, maximising mentoring and pairing workshops. This successful formula has helped to increase our mentoring numbers and acts as a wider vehicle for recruiting additional mentoring partners.

Operation smiles – is an up cycling volunteering work experience project designed to redistribute unsold flowers from Arena Flowers to individuals in need. The project had a big focus on those recovering from the symptoms of the COVID19 pandemic, those who has lost loved ones, unsupported carers in the community as well our Windrush elders in Haringey. This project acted as a major catalyst encouraging young people to come out of their homes between lockdowns.

Race for Nature - Race for Nature’s Recovery will leverage Government investment via the Kickstart Scheme for a once in a generation opportunity to tackle racial inequality and climate and ecological breakdown through work placement schemes for Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people in environmental organisations.

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales, the Charities Act 2011, Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed 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 charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity's website.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on ............................................. and signed on its behalf by: 30th January 2022

........................................................................

A R O'Flaherty - Trustee

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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment

(V.O.Y.A.G.E)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E) ('the charity') for the year ended 31st March 2021 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet and related notes.

This report is made solely to the charity's trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity's trustees those matters I am required to state to them in this report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity's trustees as a body, for my work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').

I report in respect of my examination of the charity's financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

An independent examination does not involve gathering all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently does not cover all the matters that an auditor considers in giving their opinion on the financial statements. The planning and conduct of an audit goes beyond the limited assurance that an independent examination can provide. Consequently I express no opinion as to whether the financial statements present a 'true and fair' view and my report is limited to those specific matters set out in the independent examiner's statement.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.

Ralph Sears, FCCA Meyer Williams Chartered Accountants Stag House Old London Road Hertford Hertfordshire SG13 7LA

Date: ............................................. 31st January 2022

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

Unrestricted
fund
Notes
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Voluntary income
2
203,578
Other charitable activities
3
27,934
Other income
71
Total
231,583
EXPENDITURE ON
Charitable activities
4
Charitable activities
88,360
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
143,223
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
29,048
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
172,271		 Restricted
funds
£
51,567
87,283
-
138,850
147,778
(8,928)
29,760
**20,832 **		 31.3.21
Total
funds
£
255,145
115,217
71
370,433
236,138
134,295
58,808
193,103		 31.3.20
Total
funds
£
96,373
96,872
149
193,394
189,171
4,223
54,585
58,808

CONTINUING OPERATIONS

All income and expenditure has arisen from continuing activities.

The notes form part of these financial statements

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Balance Sheet 31st March 2021

Unrestricted
fund
Notes
£
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets
10
10,838
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
11
13,166
Cash at bank
183,972
197,138
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year
12
(35,705)
NET CURRENT ASSETS
161,433
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT
LIABILITIES
172,271
NET ASSETS
172,271
FUNDS
13
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
TOTAL FUNDS		 Restricted
funds
£
-
200
20,632
20,832
-
-
20,832
**20,832 **		 31.3.21
Total
funds
£
10,838
13,366
204,604
217,970
(35,705)
182,265
193,103
193,103
172,271
20,832
193,103		 31.3.20
Total
funds
£
3,533
31,976
44,649
76,625
(21,350)
55,275
58,808
58,808
29,048
29,760
58,808

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on ............................................. and were signed on its behalf by: 30th January 2022

............................................. A R O'Flaherty - Trustee

The notes form part of these financial statements

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Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the second edition of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The Charity constitutes a public entity as defined by FRS102.

The financial statements have been prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity under the historical cost convention.

Going Concern

At the time of approving the financial statements the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees have adopted the going concern basis for the preparation of the financial statements.

On the date of these financial statements' approval, there remains great uncertainty as to the long term impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and its affects it will have on the global economy. The trustees consider the charity to be sufficiently robust that its operations will not be significantly affected. The trustees are continuously monitoring the charity's income and cost base for any adverse movements in value and costs and will take action wherever necessary to protect the charity's stakeholders interests should the period of uncertainty continue for longer than expected.

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

The preparation of financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on a continuing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the year in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only to year, or in the year of the revision and future years if the revision affects both current and future years.

The Trustees consider that there are no significant judgements or estimates in the preparation of these financial statements.

Incoming resources

All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, there is sufficient certainty or receipt and so it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.

Donations and grants are recognised when they have been communicated as receivable in writing with notification of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that either type of income is subject to conditions that require a level of performance before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that those conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.

Interest on funds held on deposit is included upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.

Government Grants

Grants received via the UK Government's 'Job retention scheme' are recognised at the transaction's fair value on an accruals basis and are recorded as income within the statement of financial activity (SOFA) in the period to which the underlying staff costs relate.

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continued...

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment

(V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Plant and machinery - 20% on reducing balance Fixtures and fittings - 20% on reducing balance Computer equipment - 33% on reducing balance

Impairment of fixed assets

At each reporting end date, the Charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discount due.

Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk to changes in value.

Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Foreign currencies

Monetary assets and liabilities in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rate of exchange ruling at the date of transaction. Exchange differences are taken into account in arriving at the operating result.

Page 16

continued...

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued

Irrecoverable vat

Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the expenditure heading for which it was incurred.

2.
VOLUNTARY INCOME
Donations
Government grants received
3.
OTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Fundraising events
Grants receivable
4.
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS
Charitable activities
5.
DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Staff costs
Rent and rates
Telephone
Postage and stationery
Tutors
Project costs
Catering
Travel and accommodation
Website and IT
Residential
Volunteer
Foreign exchange losses
Depreciation		 Direct
Costs (see
note 5)
£
**196,881 **		 31.3.21
£
228,882
26,263
255,145
31.3.21
£
52,392
62,825
115,217
Support
costs (see
note 6)
£
39,257
31.3.21
£
78,697
8,661
560
1,647
45,403
46,959
5,388
3,635
2,959
2,149
-
188
635
**196,881 **		 31.3.20
£
96,373
-
96,373
31.3.20
£
35,739
61,133
96,872
Totals
£
236,138
31.3.20
£
56,902
19,289
1,340
754
36,451
43,278
-
2,041
380
-
3,306
-
560
164,301

continued...

Page 17

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

6. SUPPORT COSTS

Charitable activities
Support costs, included in the above, are as follows:
Other
Wages and related costs
Telephone
Postage
Sundries
Rent and rates
Office repairs and maintenance
Website IT and advertising
Bank charges and interest
Printing
Consultancy and professional
Insurance
Staff training
Depreciation of tangible fixed assets
Governance costs
Sundries
Accountancy and legal fees		 Governance
Other
costs
Totals
£
£
£
35,837
3,420
39,257
31.3.21
31.3.20
Charitable
Total
activities
activities
£
£
10,596
6,721
560
1,340
1,271
1,124
-
25
12,139
7,603
1,130
-
4,438
1,010
68
54
3,528
2,188
-
59
593
587
879
-
635
559
35,837
21,270
31.3.21
31.3.20
Charitable
Total
activities
activities
£
£
-
100
3,420
3,500
3,420
3,600

7. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2021 nor for the year ended 31 March 2020.

continued...

Page 18

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

7. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS - continued

Trustees' expenses

Trustees expenses charged in the year ended 31 March 2021 amounted to £nil (2020 - £nil).

8. STAFF COSTS

Staff costs were as follows:

Salaries and wages
Social security
Pension
The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

Administration and fundraising
Project officer
No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.
9.
COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
Unrestricted
fund
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Voluntary income
47,129
Other charitable activities
3,297
Other income
26
Total
50,452
EXPENDITURE ON
Charitable activities
Charitable activities
40,539
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
9,913
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
19,135
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
29,048		 31.3.21
£
84,322
3,046
1,925
89,293
31.3.21
2
2
4
Restricted
funds
£
49,244
93,575
123
142,942
148,632
(5,690)
35,450
29,760		 31.3.20
£
62,369
312
942
63,623
31.3.20
2
2
4
Total
funds
£
96,373
96,872
149
193,394
189,171
4,223
54,585
58,808

continued...

Page 19

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

10. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
Plant and
machinery
£
COST
At 1st April 2020
10,980
Additions
-
At 31st March 2021
10,980
DEPRECIATION
At 1st April 2020
9,227
Charge for year
351
At 31st March 2021
9,578
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31st March 2021
1,402
At 31st March 2020
1,753		 Fixtures
and
Computer
fittings
equipment
£
£
680
5,261
1,312
7,262
1,992
12,523
680
3,481
105
813
785
4,294
1,207
8,229
-
1,780		 Totals
£
16,921
8,574
25,495
13,388
1,269
**14,657 **
10,838
3,533

11. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

31.3.21 31.3.20
£ £
Trade debtors 200 17,335
Other debtors 13,166 14,641
13,366 31,976

continued...

Page 20

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

12. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
31.3.21 31.3.20
£ £
Trade creditors 27,280 7,144
Other creditors 4,925 2,506
Accruals and deferred income 3,500 11,700
35,705 21,350

Deferred income

The charity has received income from a number of benefactors who have stipulated that the funds are provided on the condition that they are used over a specified period of time.

Grants and donations received which have these conditions attached are held as deferred income until the charity has met the criteria, at which point it is then entitled to recognise this money as income received in the statement of financial activity (SOFA).

The movement on deferred income was as follows:

Brought forward as at 1st April
Deferred income recognised
Deferred income released
Balance carried forward as at 31st March		 31.3.21
£
8,200
-
(8,200)
-		 31.3.20
£
-
8,200
-
8,200

continued...

Page 21

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
YLFC - Young Leaders for Safer Cities
SHLA - South Hackney Leadership
Academy
Horizon Plus
Luton Project
Erasmus project
Street doctor
Digitisation
Blackmen 4 Change
Race 4 Nature
Kick Start Project
TOTAL FUNDS		 At 1.4.20
£
29,048
(14,840)
(5,766)
31,680
99
14,877
3,710
-
-
-
-
29,760
58,808		 Net
movement
in funds
£
143,223
5,113
16,339
(32,168)
-
(14,214)
-
26,991
1,638
(8,547)
(4,080)
(8,928)
134,295		 At
31.3.21
£
172,271
(9,727)
10,573
(488)
99
663
3,710
26,991
1,638
(8,547)
(4,080)
20,832
193,103

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
YLFC - Young Leaders for Safer Cities
SHLA - South Hackney Leadership
Academy
Horizon Plus
Erasmus project
Digitisation
Blackmen 4 Change
Race 4 Nature
Kick Start Project
TOTAL FUNDS		 Incoming
resources
£
231,583
10,000
28,350
-
7,412
79,792
13,296
-
-
138,850
370,433		 Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(88,360)
143,223
(4,887)
5,113
(12,011)
16,339
(32,168)
(32,168)
(21,626)
(14,214)
(52,801)
26,991
(11,658)
1,638
(8,547)
(8,547)
(4,080)
(4,080)
(147,778)
(8,928)
(236,138)
134,295

continued...

Page 22

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment

(V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net
movement At
At 1.4.19 in funds 31.3.20
£ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 19,135 9,913 29,048
Restricted funds
YLFC - Young Leaders for Safer Cities 1,679 (16,519) (14,840)
SHLA - South Hackney Leadership
Academy 2,650 (8,416) (5,766)
Horizon Plus 31,022 658 31,680
Luton Project 99 - 99
Erasmus project - 14,877 14,877
Street doctor - 3,710 3,710
35,450 (5,690) 29,760
TOTAL FUNDS 54,585 4,223 58,808

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
YLFC - Young Leaders for Safer Cities
SHLA - South Hackney Leadership
Academy
Horizon Plus
Erasmus project
Street doctor
TOTAL FUNDS		 Incoming
resources
£
50,452
44,475
39,381
26,456
24,674
7,956
142,942
193,394		 Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(40,539)
9,913
(60,994)
(16,519)
(47,797)
(8,416)
(25,798)
658
(9,797)
14,877
(4,246)
3,710
(148,632)
(5,690)
(189,171)
4,223

14. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

During the year the charity advanced £10,000 to a member of its Key Management Personnel with £1,000 being repaid within the year leaving a balance owing to the charity of £9,000 as at 31st March 2021 which is being repaid on a monthly basis.

There were no other related party transactions for the year ended 31st March 2021

continued...

Page 23

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

15. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Financial assets
Financial assets measured at fair value through the statement of financial activity
(SOFA)		 31.3.21
£
-		 31.3.20
£
14,641

Financial instruments have been revalued using the prevailing exchange rate applicable to the entity at the balance sheet date.

16. FUNDS

YLFSC (Young leaders for Safer Cities) - BTEC course level 2 qualification focused on personal development, community leadership and crime related issues.

SHLA (South Hackney Leadership Academy) - is an inspired leadership academy to provide a powerful framework designed to encourage educational and career progression, build skills and raise confidence in graduates of YLFSC programme.

Horizons Plus - is a dynamic and challenging reoffending programme that combines our innovative therapeutic sessions alongside an evolving byte size accredited work based learning course designed to transform offending.

Luton Project - is a commission by the Tutu Foundation to produce a Knife Crime resource pack for Luton Borough Council.

Street Doctors - Stepwise project is a structured partnership project with the local Hackney based reduction violence partner Street Doctors. This project targets at risk young people and provides a mix of highly structured workshops teaching first aid, peer to peer teaching skills and delivered through supported mentoring, visits to places of interest and advice with career development.

Climb Over - Is a unique two-year EU Erasmus Funded programme which facilitates the partnership between Voyage London, Brodoto in Croatia and Active Youth in Lithuania. The two-year programme explores the barriers to career development and employment for young people with criminal justice backgrounds. The project facilitates professional dialogue, exchange visits between our staff, young people and the wider circle of Hackney based youth organisations.

continued...

Page 24

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

16. FUNDS - continued

Voyage Digitisation - Voyage’s new digital strategy represents a significant overhaul of our approach to service delivery, which comes as a direct response to the impact of COVID19. Voyage adopted these strategies so that contact, communication and engagement can be delivered online, helping us work with more young people and more companies hoping to join our ranks. The new digital platform allows for the seamless embedding of forms for data collection used to monitor access numbers, learning and session improvements and to facilitate the well-timed delivery of questionnaires designed to capture the empowerment distance our young people travel.

Kickstart - Kickstart is a government initiative which is aimed at 16-24 year olds claiming Universal Credit. The programme provides them with the opportunity to get a six-month job with a local employer through the Kickstart Scheme. Kickstart jobs are partly funded by the Government to offer exciting opportunities for young people to gain valuable work experience.

Black Men 4 Change – is a yearlong funded programme from the Violence reduction Unit providing a robust programme of workshops designed to encourage young people discuss and explore the impacts on their mental health. This project led to young people becoming peer leaders for our wider community programme.

Race 4 Nature - Race for Nature’s Recovery will leverage Government investment via the Kickstart Scheme for a once in a generation opportunity to tackle racial inequality and climate and ecological breakdown through work placement schemes for Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people in environmental organisations.

Further details regarding the Funds are included in the report of the Trustees.

At the balance sheet date, the YLFSC, Horizon Plus, Race 4 Nature and Kick Start Projects were all in a deficit position by £9,727, £488, £8,547 and £4,080 respectively. The trustees are confident that sufficient funds have been received post balance sheet date to bring these funds back to a surplus position instead of making transfers from the general fund to return them to a net neutral position despite sufficient capital being available to do this.

Page 25

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
Voluntary income
Donations
Government grants received
Other charitable activities
Fundraising events
Grants receivable
Other income
Bank interest received
Foreign exchange gains
Total incoming resources
EXPENDITURE
Charitable activities
Wages and related costs
Rent and rates
Telephone
Postage and stationery
Tutors
Project costs
Catering
Travel and accommodation
Website and IT
Residential
Volunteer
Foreign exchange losses
Depreciation of plant and machinery
Support costs
Other
Wages and related costs
Telephone
Postage
Carried forward		 Detailed Statement of Financial Activities
for the Year Ended 31st March 2021
31.3.21
31.3.20
£
£
228,882
96,373
26,263
-
255,145
96,373
52,392
35,739
62,825
61,133
115,217
96,872
71
26
-
123
71
149
370,433
193,394
78,697
56,902
8,661
19,289
560
1,340
1,647
754
45,403
36,451
46,959
43,278
5,388
-
3,635
2,041
2,959
380
2,149
-
-
3,306
188
-
635
560
196,881
164,301
10,596
6,721
560
1,340
1,271
1,124
12,427
9,185

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements

Page 26

Voice of Youth and Genuine Empowerment (V.O.Y.A.G.E)

Detailed Statement of Financial Activities

Other
Brought forward
Sundries
Rent and rates
Office repairs and maintenance
Website IT and advertising
Bank charges and interest
Printing
Consultancy and professional
Insurance
Staff training
Depreciation of plant and machinery
Governance costs
Sundries
Accountancy and legal fees
Total resources expended
Net income		 for the Year Ended 31st March 2021
31.3.21
31.3.20
£
£
12,427
9,185
-
25
12,139
7,603
1,130
-
4,438
1,010
68
54
3,528
2,188
-
59
593
587
879
-
635
559
35,837
21,270
-
100
3,420
3,500
3,420
3,600
236,138
189,171
134,295
4,223

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements

Page 27