Charity Registration No. 1119291
Company Registration No. 05475037 (England and Wales)
ACT FOR CHANGE
ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
Sobell Rhodes LLP The Kinetic Centre Theobald Street Elstree Borehamwood Hertfordshire WD6 4PJ
ACT FOR CHANGE
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Trustees Mr D Johnson Mr Marc Keidan Natalie Machta-Joseph Charity number 1119291 Company number 05475037 Principal address 17 Cannons Close Radlett Hertfordshire United Kingdom WD7 7ER Registered office 17 Cannons Close Radlett Hertfordshire United Kingdom WD7 7ER Independent examiner Sobell Rhodes LLP The Kinetic Centre Theobald Street Elstree Borehamwood Hertfordshire United Kingdom WD6 4PJ Bankers Charities Aid Foundation 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ
(Appointed 25 May 2022) (Appointed 9 March 2021)
ACT FOR CHANGE
CONTENTS
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Chairman's statement | 1 |
| Trustees' report | 2 - 9 |
| Statement of Trustees' responsibilities | 10 |
| Independent examiner's report | 11 |
| Statement of financial activities | 12 |
| Balance sheet | 13 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 14 - 15 |
ACT FOR CHANGE
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
Dear AFC supporter,
The Covid pandemic has continued to pose unprecedented and unique challenges for AFC and the sectors within which AFC operates. We have seen demands for our services continue to steadily rise and we have had to respond creatively and in a timely manner to the various requests for our services.
Our staff and Executive Director have risen to the challenges and maintained a level of service which our key stakeholders have found invaluable and as such have recommissioned and restated their satisfaction with the service. The Business plan which was developed approximately 3 years ago placed our focus and strategic approach on working with the statutory sector. We continue to seek funding solutions which are independent of Tenders.
2021 has been a clear example of this approach and strategy: whilst we continued, where possible, to explore opportunities for government funding and have been developing relationships with other funders, our services within Local Authority and Health sectors has built on a strong foundation of relationship building over a number of years and markedly grown over the period. 2021 – 2022 will see further efforts by AFC to expand and build partnerships with these established commissioners.
Due to the increased demand for services AFC seeks to ensure that its system for case management and recording meets our requirements. This means that our system is under review to ensure we are able to both meet our statutory obligations to a growing number of commissioners and be easy for staff to use and for management to retrieve information required to meet our oversight requirements.
AFC has managed to maintain and build upon the broad staff skill set and this will continue into 2022. As client needs become increasingly complex and also more clearly defined, we require our staff to update and grow their knowledge and skills base on an ongoing basis. Staff training will therefore need to take a more central role in the supervisory arrangements for staff and AFC will need to put in place arrangements to ensure staff attend the training necessary for their roles.
As Chair, I am pleased with the direction and continued hard work of staff and all those who support AFC and look forward to 2022 where we can continue to help and and support the most vulnerable in our society.
Darren Johnson
Chairman of the Board
..............................
Chairman Dated: .........................
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ACT FOR CHANGE
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
Trustees’ report for the year ended 31 October 2021
The Trustees, who are also directors of the Charitable Company for the purposes of the Companies Act, have pleasure in submitting the report and financial statements of the Charitable Company for the year ended 31 October 2021 The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on page 9 and comply with the Charitable Company’s governing document and requirements of the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities (FRS 102 SORP) issued in March 2015, applicable UK Accounting Standards and the Companies Act 2006.
Our Objectives
Act for Change is a mental health charity focussing its mission on young people and families. Established in 2007 and working as a commissioned service provider in multi-agency collaboration since 2012.
Our mission at actforchange focuses on the development of interventions supporting children, young people and their families to overcome trauma and strengthen their mental health resilience.
We are committed to the principles that underpin Every Child Matters.
We create the context for better access and engagement by responding to their special cultural, communal and developmental needs with youth-friendly services.
Providing local communities with the tools to continue the work and equip young people with the skills to actforchange at crucial moments.
We deploy creativity and innovation to achieve systemic change.
Our mission is to ensure that every child and young person who has experienced childhood family and historical adverse experiences is able to maximize their potential. We focus our efforts to achieve this through our holistic approach to Trauma, Child Development and Family Systems.
AFC MODE OF PRACTICE FOR SYSTEMIC WINS
To act for change we strive for systemic wins. This means that we help bring attention to the different roles in any conflict in a way that diffuses tension and enables everyone to come out a winner.
All our programs use our
actforchange model of practice™
a trauma-informed practice which enables practitioners working with young people with experiences of trauma to address the complex systemic and developmental issues impacting their lives within their families (particularly parental conflict) as well as across school and community. All are underpinned by research. This provides a structured process and allows us to accurately measure and monitor progress.
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ACT FOR CHANGE
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
Who We Serve
The most disadvantaged young people in our partner boroughs. These young people are selected by their teachers, social workers and youth works for the traumatic experiences which they are grappling with and often their direct exposure to conflict.
Practitioners, counsellors, mentors and volunteers in our partner borough of Bexley took part in inter-parental conflict intervention training gearing up to delivery in 2022-23 to a wider base across the Borough. This program de-escalating conflict is intended to reduce the demand on Social Services with families in which inter- parental conflict often escalates into increased intervention.
Communities, Faith Communities and Charities to develop cultural health by facilitating communities of practice. In Ealing the continued fortnightly Community of Practice facilitation has been growing awareness of systemic safeguarding. This has been increasing the ability of a community to address the first signs of vulnerability to abuse taking place.
To grow Community Safety together with our Bexley partners, another Community of Practice of volunteers in our neighborhoods in Bexley has been started this past year, to provide continuity of care to young people at risk of violence who have received support by Act for Change counsellors and wish to continue having a supportive contact.
We work alongside Schools and Family Wellbeing Services in supporting families and young people, often
meeting young people in schools.
With our University partners, University of West London and Durham University, we have been working to reduce the systemic barriers to cultural health particularly as regards human dignity and abuse of power and understanding diverse engagement with mental health services. By undertaking research into those barriers and then raising awareness of how we might mitigate the barriers, we are making a dent in the barriers to diverse engagement and strengthening community resilience.
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ACT FOR CHANGE
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
Our Activities
We provide the following targeted support:
Early therapeutic interventions for young people at severe risk of violence (Counselling and High Intensity Mentoring)
Developing a culture of systemic safeguarding
Systemic family support to the parents or carers of these young people
Facilitate conversations in person and online to meet individual needs
Engaging with communities through group work
Counselling and High Intensity Mentoring
For Young People
Intensive programmes (20 weeks) with a focus on increasing self-awareness, emotional resilience and the ability to manage conflict.
For Parents, Carers and Families
In tandem, we offer family support and interventions wherever these are most effective within the family system. (Systemic Family Therapy).
Research
Common Fault Lines and Common Ground Research and presentation of findings by running forums, round tables, conferences, studies and talks on:
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Diverse Engagement (systemic discrimination)
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Community-based systemic safeguarding
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Inclusive Education through (systemic win implementation)
Training
We run a range of trauma-informed trainings that follow our Trauma, Developmental, Systemic Model. In particular, we are running communication trainings for parents and carers in conflict situations, as well as training practitioners and counsellors in conflict intervention.
Achievements and performance
Our service provision has grown by 50% based on findings by Bexley Council Strategic Review
We initiated delivery on an inter-parental conflict intervention training for an initial 54 practitioners.
We joined the Bexley Collective as part of our commitment to seed 'light touch' interventions across the communal and cultural landscape in Bexley.
We partnered with Community Safety to reduce violence amongst young people.
During the pandemic we strengthened our Safeguarding procedures, systems and policies to ensure our ability to continuously deliver our services in the extraordinary circumstances.
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ACT FOR CHANGE
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
HOW COVID-19 MEASURES AFFECTED ACTIVITIES
During consecutive lockdowns, we delivered our services mainly online. Transitioning back to in-person delivery has been a gradual process and we have started to expand the number of local venues in which we are seeing young people and families.
Impact on our ability to fundraise
Covid, Brexit and the general state of the public finances, on which AFC relies upon for the core of its income, have all impacted and will continue to impact upon our capacity to raise funds.
The three core areas traditionally used by charities for income generation e.g. grants, donations and payment for services remain central to our financial approach. However, we note that AFC increasingly is deriving most of its funding from payment for services and therefore our plan is weighted towards increasing this approach. We also note that donations from large grant-giving organizations have not delivered the hoped for or much promised contributions and despite very strong applications we note that these bodies consistently prefer giving to existing providers. AFC will continue to explore opportunities for donations, but the effort must be balanced by a realistic prospect of obtaining the grant.
Impact of the virus on staff, volunteers and beneficiaries
Volunteer numbers have grown significantly over the period.
Risk Management
As expected in our last report, we have experienced an easing of the double bind we found ourselves in: being asked to provide services and to mothball our capacities. Our ability to sustain the charity through this turbulent time has been strengthened by diversifying our income genera- tion and fundraising more actively.
Impact of the virus on the charity’s reserves policy
The virus impacted on our reserves policy. Consequently, we took steps to ensure a 3-6 months reserve can be built up over 2021-22 and any change to designated funds set aside for future commitments.
Impact of virus-related control measures on our wider network
We have continued to join up and collaborate across any piece of work to achieve the impacts we seek within a reduced funding envelope. Our focus has been on growing the impact of our work through a wholistic approach to community that addresses mental health and wellbeing rather than a fragmented focus on individuals. This will continue to grow during 2021-22.
Financial review
We have been widening our income streams by developing our training provision and formalising our research capacity.
We are making significant strides toward our own sustainability regardless of the immediate need of the local authorities who commission us.
Volunteers continue to make an increasing contribution in managing the changed circumstances and helped us with adapting our systems and developing our communications.
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ACT FOR CHANGE
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
Plans for future
To address the increased pressure on our services we will distribute our knowhow by training other charities and public sector practitioners, parents, Carers and Volunteers within Communities. We will also be further strengthening our governance structures and internal systems. This will build our organizational capacity.
We have set out our goals for the coming year around four streamlined strands:
Our clinical provision: continuing to provide our adapted services and growing the range of young people we are seeing. Our goal here is to strengthen our links with counselling and psychology colleges and through them to offer robust student placements.
Training practitioners: having piloted our first inter-parental conflict inter- vention programme for practitioners, we will now be focused on roll-out to a larger number of practitioners and trainers who will embed the knowhow within the community at large.
Research base: We have been steadily developing key community partner- ships on the specific issues affecting mental health which we are focused on, such as: trauma and child abuse, diverse engagement.
Community: We work closely with our best placed partners to intervene early, recruiting within and in partnership with Faith Communities & Housing As- sociations. We will recruit community 'buddies' to support at-risk youth with Light Touch Interventions & social prescribing, enabling us to reach larger numbers of young people in need.
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ACT FOR CHANGE
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
Governance
Three Trustees oversee the charity and bring their expertise to their specific briefs. 30% of our Board has direct lived experience of the issues we deal with.
They oversee the performance of our delivery to ensure we consistently meet our high standards and Continuous Improvement (as set out in our Quality Assurance Policy and Procedures) and deliver each of the expectations placed on staff - as set out in our Clinical Governance, Safeguarding and Informa- tion Sharing and Compliance Policies. Our Board meets quarterly.
During COVID, we have been in very close contact weekly.
We have an informal youth advisory board. Our youth advisory board (past and present participants) help us understand the youth voices and plan future activities. This board is run informally, behind the scenes, as young people involved in gang activity, for example, might be at further risk of ‘reprisals’ by their peers were they to be seen actively in such roles.
Mr D Johnson
Mr Marc Keidan (Appointed May 2022) Mrs Natalie Machta (Appointed April 2021)
Management of the Chief Executive
The day today operational management of AFC rests with the Chief executive. She receives Manage- ment support/ supervision from the Chair of Trustees. This arrangement has been effective and active in ensuring that the Charity manages the complex demands placed upon it from a range of stake- holders. The CE of AFC and Chair of Trustees currently meet on a minimum weekly basis, and this will continue for the foreseeable future whilst the Charity develops its services in line with its plan.
Induction and Training of Trustees
We have adopted a policy for the induction and training of Trustees and will continue to strengthen the implementation of it in the coming period.
Co- opted Volunteers/ Supporters
AFC benefits from having many people who know of its work and wish to contribute their skills and services. Most of their time is given freely without recompense or payment. Where such persons are known to or related to persons employed by AFC, AFC will introduce a register of persons so that the charity remains transparent in the relationships persons engaged in the business of the charity have. Conflicts of interests or appearances of favoritism will be avoided by use of the register which will be available in any FOI request.
Remuneration Policy
Act for Change aims to ensure that all staff are paid appropriately according to the nature of the work and experience, knowledge and skills needed to carry out their job.
The charity is committed to principles ensuring that pay and conditions of employment do not dis- criminate unlawfully and are free from bias.
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ACT FOR CHANGE
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
Affiliations and Partnerships
We have been steadily developing key community partnerships on the specific issues affecting mental health which we are focused on, such as:
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Trauma and Child Abuse
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The Structural barriers to access of mental health provision
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Developing Conflict Resolution Processes and Co-creating Materials and Programs
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As we engage with increasing numbers of local communities collaboration with partners will become more active. In addition, we will be running a Symposium on the interface between safeguarding top down by institutions and bottoms up cultural change safeguarding within a community base.
We work closely with our best placed partners to intervene early (Faith Communities & Housing Associations) Our partners are:
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Ealing Abbey Monastery
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We will continue to expand our network of partners best placed to pick up the pieces when things go wrong. We will work to build an evidence-base for our systemic grounds-up approach with the univer- sities who are ~~best equipped for research. base.~~
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ACT FOR CHANGE
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
.............................. Mr D Johnson Trustee Dated: .........................
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ACT FOR CHANGE
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
The Trustees, who are also the directors of Act For Change for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
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 Charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. 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.
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ACT FOR CHANGE
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
TO THE TRUSTEES OF ACT FOR CHANGE
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Act For Change (the Charity) for the year ended 31 October 2021.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the Trustees of the Charity (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the Charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
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2 the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
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3 the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
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4 the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
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.
Adam Shelley (FCCA) Sobell Rhodes LLP
The Kinetic Centre Theobald Street Elstree Borehamwood Hertfordshire WD6 4PJ United Kingdom
Dated: .........................
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ACT FOR CHANGE
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
| Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2021 2021 Notes £ £ Income from: Grant and other income 76,985 - Expenditure on: Charitable activities 2 86,420 - Net (expenditure)/income for the year/ Net movement in funds (9,435) - Fund balances at 1 November 2020 (2,398) 15,250 Fund balances at 31 October 2021 (11,833) 15,250 |
Total Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2021 2020 2020 £ £ £ 76,985 67,922 18,350 86,420 70,091 3,100 (9,435) (2,169) 15,250 12,852 (229) - 3,417 (2,398) 15,250 |
Total 2020 £ 86,272 73,191 13,081 (229) 12,852 |
|---|---|---|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.
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ACT FOR CHANGE
BALANCE SHEET
AS AT 31 OCTOBER 2021
| Notes Current assets Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 5 Net current assets Income funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds |
2021 £ £ 6,918 (3,501) 3,417 15,250 (11,833) 3,417 |
2020 £ 15,247 (2,395) |
£ 12,852 15,250 (2,398) 12,852 |
|---|---|---|---|
The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 October 2021.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on .........................
.............................. Mr D Johnson Trustee
Company Registration No. 05475037
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ACT FOR CHANGE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
1 Accounting policies
1.1 Accounting convention
These financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice- Accounting and Reporting by Charities (FRS 102 SORP), applicable UK Accounting Standards and the Companies Act 2006. The principal accounting policies used, which have been consistently applied, are set out below.
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 £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
1.2 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 continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
1.3 Income
Income comprises grants and payments receivable for delivering the programmes and activities of the charity.
1.4 Expenditure
Resources expended are included in the Statement of Financial Activities on an accrual basis.
2 Charitable activities
| Charitable Activities Charitable Activities 2021 2020 £ £ Provision of workshops and training 84,582 70,971 Accountancy fees 1,838 2,220 86,420 73,191 86,420 73,191 Analysis by fund Unrestricted funds 86,420 70,091 Restricted funds - 3,100 |
Charitable Activities Charitable Activities 2021 2020 £ £ Provision of workshops and training 84,582 70,971 Accountancy fees 1,838 2,220 86,420 73,191 86,420 73,191 Analysis by fund Unrestricted funds 86,420 70,091 Restricted funds - 3,100 |
Charitable Activities Charitable Activities 2021 2020 £ £ Provision of workshops and training 84,582 70,971 Accountancy fees 1,838 2,220 86,420 73,191 86,420 73,191 Analysis by fund Unrestricted funds 86,420 70,091 Restricted funds - 3,100 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 £ 84,582 1,838 86,420 86,420 86,420 - |
2020 £ 70,971 2,220 |
|
| 73,191 | ||
| 73,191 | ||
| 70,091 3,100 |
3 Trustees
None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the Charity during the year.
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ACT FOR CHANGE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021
4 Employees
| 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Number | |
| Total | - | - |
There are no persons employed by the charitable company. Occasional payments are made to individuals for their contribution to specific programmes and activities.
None of the Trustees have received any remuneration from the Charitable Company during the year.
5 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
| Trade creditors Accruals and deferred income |
2021 £ 1,000 2,501 3,501 |
2020 £ - 2,395 |
|---|---|---|
| 2,395 |
| 6 Analysis of net assets between funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds 2021 2021 £ £ Fund balances at 31 October 2021 are represented by: Current assets/ (liabilities) 3,417 - 3,417 - |
Total Unrestricted funds Restricted funds 2021 2020 2020 £ £ £ 3,417 (2,398) 15,250 3,417 (2,398) 15,250 |
Total 2020 £ 12,852 |
|---|---|---|
| 12,852 |
7 Related party transactions
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2020 - none).
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