2022-03-31-accounts - Iranian Disability Support Association (Idsa)

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`Iranian Disability Support Association (IDSA)`

Annual Report
31 March 2022

Registered Charity No
1116648

Iranian Disability Support Association
Annual report
For the year ended 31 March 2022
Contents
Legal and administrative details …………………………………………..3
Structure, governance and
management.........................................4
Aims, objectives and
activities.........................................6
Trustee’s report...................................8
Annual finance ....................................10
Activities.........................................11

Iranian Disability Support Association

`(IDSA)`

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Management committee
  Dr Mahmoud Sarfarazi (Chair)
Masoud Molazadeh
Mahnaz Massomzadeh

Accountants

ALEX & CO ACCOUNTANCY LTD
23 Bell Lane
London
NW4 2BP

Bank

Barclays
Walton-on-Thames Branch
P.O Box no 193
8/12 Church Street
Walton-on-Thames
Surrey KT12 2YW

Structure, Governance and Management

The management committee presents its report along with the
financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31
March 2022.
The Financial statement has been prepared in accordance
with charities accounting and complies with the charity’s
constitution by Alex & Co Accountancy Ltd.

Principal Objective

The Iranian Disability Support Association (IDSA) is
established to promote the relief of Iranian and Persian-
speaking disabled people and their carers living in London
by provision of service, information and advice.

`Constitution`

Iranian Disability Support Association (IDSA) is a
charitable organisation (Registered No. 1116648) operating
under a written constitution. It was constituted in 2004
and has become an organisation of disabled people and for
disabled people, with a clear and firm commitment to
support Iranian and Persian disabled people who seek
support and need help.

`Management committee`

Members of the Management Committee are elected for a
period of one year at the Annual General meeting, after
which, if they are to continue, they must be re-elected.
The Committee shall consist of Chairperson, Secretary, and
Treasurer. The Management Committee must have at least
three members; at the end of March 2021 there were five.
The Management Committee meets times a year and is
responsible for the strategic direction and policy of the
charity.

Responsibilities of the Management Committee

Charity law requires the management committee to prepare
financial statements for the financial year which give a
true and fair view of the state of affairs of the
Association and of its incoming resources of the year and
the application of resources for the period.

In preparing those financial statements, the management
committee is required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
• prepare financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the charity will continue on that basis.

`Risk management`

The management committee has reviewed the major risks to
which the charity is exposed and, where practical, has
taken steps to guard against or mitigate them. It has clear
policies on many matters of professional good practice and
on issues like health and safety, and compliance and
standards of performance is monitored through appraisal and
supervision processes.
The major risk for the charitable organisation, especially
for small organisations like IDSA, is funding. In response
to this, the IDSA’s management committee has implemented a
reserve plan.

`IDSA relationships`

IDSA is a member of World Disability Union (WDU), Great
London Authority (GLA), Happy Soul Festival and has the
meeting, and relation with the others member such as
International Disability Alliance ,Inclusion London,
Transport for all. Within the Iranian community, the IDSA
has good relations with the most of the Iranian charitable
organisations like the Iranian Association, Iranian medical
society and others. The IDSA receives support from the
Iranian Association, the Ealing Council for Voluntary
Service and Richmond Mind, and has good relations with
other charities which are working in the area of disability
like Richmond JSNA and Ealing Centre for Independent
Living, Hammersmith & Fulham Refugee Forum.

`Aims, Objectives and Activities`

The aim of IDSA is to provide support, information, advice,
and advocacy to disabled people and their carers, parents
or guardians who originate from Iran and Persian-speaking
regions or who have Iranian/Persian-speaking regional
heritage, who are living in the greater and inner areas of
London and who need to access voluntary, statutory and/or
government services. This includes services such as
housing, welfare rights, health services and the judicial
system. IDSA also provides support and assistance with
activities that lead to the empowerment of disabled people
from the Iranian/Persian Community who are resident in the
greater areas of London and are UK residents.

`Activities and review`

During the year under review, the Association fulfilled its
mission by:

providing advice, information and assistance on a daily basis on welfare benefits, immigration, housing, women, training and education;
disseminating information and conducting a need assessment survey on community needs;
organising a series of cultural events in the community;

helping Iranian and other Persian-speaking disabled people to complete paperwork such as filling in application forms;
providing advice and guidance on further education and employment;
providing one-to-one counselling on mental health issues.
providing interpreting and translation;
organising a series of workshops on Mental Health support and education on opportunity equality; and
IT skills training.

`Trustees’ Report 2021/22`

The 2021/22 financial year has again been one through which
Covid-19 continued to disrupt our way of life, and we were
still living under significant restrictions. Travel and
meeting in public places was constrained, people living in
registered care homes were only permitted to have one
regular visitor, vaccinations and boosters were required,
as was the wearing of face masks. Life was far from normal.
As I look back over this past year, it is heartening to see
how things have improved. It has been a welcome relief to
see the people we support start to be able to enjoy life as
they did before the start of the pandemic. We have worked
hard to fulfil our core purpose: excellent support that
ensures the people we support live their lives to the full
and are meaningfully involved in the communities they live
in. Over and over again, our volunteers and colleagues
responded unselfishly to the challenges they face, with
enduring creativity, responsibility and remarkable
collective strength. They have continued to deliver great
outcomes and excellent quality throughout the year. Even
though we are moving out of the pandemic, there are still
substantial challenges facing the health and social
sectors. While we welcomed some interesting aspects on
innovation, housing, technology and employment schemes,
IDSA has yet to deliver on its commitment to ensure that
care providers can be properly funded, and the care sector
continues to grapple with inflationary costs and
maintaining staffing levels when faced with high rates of
turnover. In spite of these challenges, we announced an
'in-year' increase to staff pay to ensure we track the Real
Living Wage. We know that 2022 will bring additional
challenges to the sector that we work in and for IDSA. The
rapid escalation in the cost of living will have a
significant impact for people we support. We remain
committed to dealing with these challenges in the most
appropriate manner and in line with our overall purpose. I
am pleased that we are embarking on a new Long Term Plan
that will broaden and deepen the delivery of our purpose,
and at the same time diversify our sources of funding.
Specific areas that have been earmarked for strategic
development include housing, education and employability.
We are also making appropriate investments in our systems
and digital capabilities, to make our care management and
financial management capabilities a better fit for the
future.

 We have completed a programmed to strengthen our
organisation and Board effectiveness, to address some
opportunities for enhancement and to improve oversight of
our strategic development.
Further developments are in hand in respect of housing,
fundraising and investment management. Our next external
review of Board effectiveness is planned for 2022. As ever,
we end another year enormously grateful for all our
organization’s friends, who continue providing excellent
and compassionate support to the people entrusted to our
care.  We have much to be proud of in the years behind us,
and much to look forward to as we think about what the
future will hold for IDSA.

Dr Sarfarazi

`Annual Finance:`

We end the financial year in a moderate position, in spite
of a range of challenges. The pandemic continued to impact
on workforce availability. We will secure our long-term
financial future by growing our organisation, offering
good-quality, accessible accommodation. We will also expand
our support and skills programme delivery, develop our
events, training and consultancy and scale up our
fundraising. We will continue to invest in diversity and
inclusion. In the 2022/23 financial year we will hold our
first round of developmental training for aspiring managers
from ethnic minority backgrounds. Interest in these courses
has exceeded capacity, and we will explore wider-scale
training based on the outcomes of these initial courses. We
plan to work in collaboration more often, sharing expertise
and enthusiasm with other organisations who share our
goals. We will do more to reach out and include people we
support and their families, our community groups, our
regulators and other important voices in our sector. We
will continue to strengthen our use of technology and move
to digital working across all areas of our work. IDSA
worked to create this new, custom-built tool to bring
together everything managers and members need to monitor
their progress and help them develop professionally. Life
for people with disabilities in our community has improved
in so many ways since we worked with them. And finally, we
will work to build our public reputation, becoming a
trusted voice in our community so that we can give voice to
the people we support, be heard and be part of changing the
sector for the better

Activities

`Advice and Information Service:`

To improve the quality of our support: In spite of the
substantial and cumulative pressures of the pandemic, we
continued to deliver great quality outcomes for the people
who we support, with a good achievement.

The Advice and Information service deals with a range of
enquiries on disability-related matters, supporting Iranian
and Farsi speaking disabled people, and anyone else within
the Iranian and Farsi speaking community who has a
disability related enquiry.

After pandemic, IDSA Services adapted to the Covid-19
pandemic and initially delivered its services online or by
phone. During the past year the service has had many
highlights.

IDSA has been supporting disabled people in Great London
with a range of services and peer groups. Covid-19 has
affected our volunteer-run peer support groups which meant
that no face to face support groups were able to take
place. To set up the Digital Inclusivity Project which
allowed us to help tackle isolation through addressing
digital exclusion. IDSA digital inclusivity project,
provided 1:1 digital training support sessions to our
members. Each member was entitled to receive up to 4
training sessions with one of our volunteers. The project
supported members with how to use zoom and digital devices
so isolated individuals were able to stay connected with
family, friends and peer groups during the Covid-19
pandemic.

What we do on Disability’s Welfare Benefits Service offers
free benefits advice and assistance to disabled adults and
children of all ages – including parents and carers of
disabled children – living in the great London. Our

specialist advice workers and volunteers operate by
appointment only. Some of the benefits with which we can
assist are:

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Employment and Support Allowance
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Universal Credit (UC)
Housing Benefit • Council Tax

`Health Promotion`

Since corona pandemic we run this project by zoom which is
provided 1 workshop every month.

The project organised 12 two-hour workshops on mental
health issues. Each session cover topics such as Dealing
with depression, Overcoming anxiety, managing stress,
Dealing with trauma and developing good relationships.
Overall, the workshops enable over around 78 people to
build their confidence and manage their own mental health
issues through increased knowledge and information about
the mental health issues. The workshops were run by an
Iranian Psychotherapist.

We have also introduced physical health awareness sessions
which run by a medical professional and have been very
popular since launch.

With those activities we aim to promote the process of
enabling participant increase control, and to improve,
their health.

`Counselling Service:`

IDSA counselling service meets the therapeutic need of
people who require individual medium and long term
counselling support and they are not able to pay a private
counsellor. Counselling service provides one to one
session.

During 2021-2022 we supported 13 people and provide 39
sessions one to one counselling.

IDSA’s counsellor is a member of British association for
psychotherapy (BACP) and is bound by its code of ethic and
practice.

We would like to thank our counsellor for her commitment to
this valuable service.
Future plans for the service is unclear. This will mean
that if we do not find a funding to support this projectwe
will not be able to offer any more counselling sessions or
we have to short the sessions.

`Outreach service:`

In spite of the substantial and cumulative pressures of the
pandemic, we continued to deliver this service.
The Beneficiaries of this service are adults with severe
disabilities and acute mental health needs, who are

supported by IDSA – around 20 individuals as at March 2022.

Their families, carers and advocates.
The wider disability and mental health community.
The wider communities we work in, especially vulnerable people within them.

Blended Learning

Iranian Disability support Association in collaboration
with Iranian Association offers opportunities for disabled
people of all ages and carers to learn IT and English
language online by Zoom, we called these, services Blended
Learning.

The English course online helped students develop their
real-life English language skills and build their
confidence in dealing with situations such as talking to
school teachers, booking a GP appointment, talking to
hospital staff, using public transport and shopping. The
students improved their English effectively by combining
classroom and computer-based training. Furthermore, the
English improved the integration of the learners into their
community and British society. The project staff and
volunteers supported the clients to enable them to use a
computer or access online services/courses.

IT course provides practical guidance for anyone who needs
to develop their IT skills. The user will gain the tools
and techniques to boost confidence on using better
computer.

In the last year the Iranian Disability Support Association
in collaboration with the Iranian Association offered IT
courses to 23 learners.

`Parents Support:`

IDSA in spite of the substantial and cumulative pressures
of the pandemic, we continued to deliver this service
online for disabled people of all ages and carers to learn
from one another, and to work together to tackle issues.
This is called parents or peer support.

`Examples of our work include:`

Facilitating a number of groups for carers, who are often
isolated by their caring role, bringing together people
with nearly similar experiences?

Bringing people together for peer support in a regular once
per month, enabling them to share experiences and influence
service development.

Enabling members to support each other to build confidence
and find solutions to barriers which impact on their
situation.

“Knowing there is others like me who have a relative with
mental health problems or physical impairment that makes
all the difference”

Volunteering:

During 2021-2022 IDSA continued to provide volunteering
service for who wanted to be volunteers.

We would like to say a sincere thank you to everyone who
volunteered with our organisation. We are very grateful for
the many hours of time volunteered to support IDSA to help
and support disabled people in Iranian community,
Enterprises facilities and our support services.

IDSA volunteers transformed both the indoor and outdoor
with a full and a complete passion. These activities will
allow them to have a more active role in the community,
gain new skills and work experience and obtain job
reference.

IRANIAN DISABILITY SUPPORT ASSOCIATION FfNANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year enda 31* March 2022 Page General Inforniation Accountants, Report and Client Approval Certificat¢ Donations and expenditures account Statement of financial position Nota8 to the Financial Statements

IRANIAN DISABILITY SUPPORT ASSOCIATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOT the year ended 31. March 2022 ASSOCIATION.. IRANIAN DISABILrrY SUPPORT ASSOCIATION ACCOUNTAwrs: ALEX & CO ACCOUNTANCY LTD 23 Bell Lfjne London NW4 2BP

IRANIAN DISABILITY SUPPORT ASSOCIATION FINANCIAL STATEME For the year endd 31. March 2022 In accordance with instruction given lo us. we have prepared without carrying out an audit the ateXed fin8ncial statements from the accounting records of Iraoian disability support association And from inforn]ation and explanatio$ suppli&l to us. Alex & Co Acwuntancy Ltd 23 Bell Lane iA)ndon NW4 2BP 25 October 2022 PIUNCIPAL APPROVAL CERTIFICATE: l appTOV¢ the financial statements and confirn) that I have mr4Je available all rel¢vant rKords and inforn)ation for th¢ir pr¢paration. M Massomzadeh Iranian Disability Support Association 25 October 21Y22

IRANIAN DISABILITY SUPPORT ASSOCIATION Donations and Expenditure Statement For the year end 31. March 2022 Graot4 Donations and event inci)me 30,054 HMRC JRS grants 6,318 36,372 Less Expenditure.. Volunteers Exp¢nse8 Salaries 19,440 Employer Nl ContrAbutions Pension 1,462 317 Office rent Charlty Insurance Found rising & promotions Van expenses N¢wsl¢tter8 and Advertisin8 Telephone & Administrations Aecountsnt 592 5,439 309 743 349 450 Donation 750 Depreciation (i) 1292 (35,983) Bal*nce 389

IRANIAN DISABILITY SUPPORT ASSOCIATION STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION As at 31 March 2022 Not Fixed Afjsets Tangible assets (i) 5.886 Current As8ets: Debtors Petty Cash and bank a¢Unt 91,794 91,794 Current Llabllltles: Creditors (2) (841) assets 90,953 Net Assets 96.839 Flnaneed by: (3) Balance at 01.04.21 Income of this year 96,450 389 Balance carried forward 96,839

IRANIAN DISABILITY SUPPORT ASSOCIATION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022 l) Tanglbl¢ Assets: Cost Additio$ (Van) 2.654 DcpTcciation on 31 March 2021 Char8es for the year (18,476) (1,292) Net Book Value on 31 Marth 2022 2) Credltors PAYE tsx liability Pension 709 132 3) Flnan¢ed by Capltsl: Balance at 01.04.2021 Net income 96,450 389 Balance at 31.03.2022 96,839