REGISTERED NUMBER." 6944317 Charlty number: 1135949 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE TRUSTEES. REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 DonnellyBentley Chartered Accountants Hazlemere 70 Chorley New Road Bolton BL14BY BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limited by guarantee) Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 Page Reference and admlnistrative details of the charity. Its trustees and advisers Trustees. report {including Directors. Report and Strategic Report) Independent auditors, report stat•ment of flnanGial activltles (including Incomo and Expenditure A¢¢ount) 3-29 30-32 33 Balance sheet 34 Statement of cash flows 35 Notes to the financial statements 3649 . BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limited by guarantee) REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRAnVE DETAILS OF THE COMPANY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Trustees W A Wild {Chairmanl Rt Hon J W Straw A H Graham E A Sidat (Resigned 26 September 2023) J Carson (Resigned 24 May 2024) M Ibrahim {Resigned 8 February 2024) K D Robinson ELSwan D Park P M Mellor M J Saxton A S Sidat (Appointed 26 September 2023) P Skupski (Appointed 29 November 2023) J Bates (Appointed 23 May 2024) J H Lamb {Appointed 23 May 2024) Senior Management Team Hannah Allen - Chief Executive Company reglstered number 6944317 Charlty registered number 1135949 Registered office Jubilee Street. Blackburn. Lancashire, B81 1EP Independent audltors Donnelly8entley, Hazlemere, 70 Chorley New Road, Bolton. BL14BY Bankers HSBC, 60 Church Street, 81ackburn. Lancashire, BB15AS BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limlted by guarantee) TRUSTEES. REPORT {INCLUOING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Contents of Trustees. Report Trustees Report Message from our CEO - Hannah Allen Strategic Parameters Our Year in Numbers Delivering Our Services - Activities, Programmes & Initiatives Plans for the Future Structure, GovemanGe and Management Organlsatlonal Structure Board of Trustees Finan¢lal Revlew Rlsk Management Reserves Pollcy Investment Poli¢y Going Concem Fundraislng Standards Infomiation Business Plan Trustses ResponslbilitEes Statement as to disclosure to our audltors BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE {A company limited by guarante•) TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The Trustees (also directors of the charity under the Companies Act) present their report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) °Accounting and Reporting by Charities {FRS 102)" in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity. Strategic Report A message from our CEO - Hannah Allen: It's a privilege lo be the guardian of such an impactful Youth Charity within Blackbum & DanNen, our team work tirelessly to open our doors 7 days per week overtwo sites and on the street. This yearwe have seen a significant increase of young people benefiting from our services with average attendance being 1,400 per week. Our core purpose is to give young people a space of their own where they feel safe and a sense of belonging. Thi5 year we undertook a consultation with young people who told us above all the Youth Zone is a safe place. We know how important our services are to young people and want to ensure they ara accessible in the context of economic uncertainty. That is why for the third year in a row the board has taken the decision to ensure access to our facilities and a warm meal FS provided for free. This year we have provided 20.127 hot m8als. In addition we are grateful to our donors who have supported our Give and Take campaigns that aim to provide gifts to mark the holidays, coats. uniform and stationary to young people and families in need. Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone is a place for every young person. we are proud that our membership reaches every ward across the borough and reftects the local population, this diversity is mirrored within our wider team. In a time where the wortd seems divided, it is vital we have a safe and inclvsive space for young people to share commonality rather than differences. Although Youth Zone is a safe space for young people to socialise and build friendships, our programmes have been curated to build aspirations, skills and roots to industy- This year we have clearly defined our seven programmes. Young people, partlcularty those from challenging backgrounds, need a trusted advocate, and they need to Sook no further than their Youth Zone. For young people. we always provide somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to. While we fulfil this role for over 5,000 members who ViSFt our venues throughout the year, it is clear from our consultation Ihat our reach should be much broader. Young people and our partners, including community members, told us we should be more prominenl across the borough and not just in our ￿nIres. This will be a key feature of our organisation as we plan for growth over the next five years. We have ￿¢entrY been successful in a bid to the Youth Investment Fund and have received a grant of £3.1 million to completely revamp a large area of our building (The Fusebox.> As we launch our annual report this exciting development will become a new World of Work Cent￿ supporting young people's life journey. We have ambitious plans for this spa￿. and like many of our other programmes, this will be delivered through the Power of Partnership. This year, we have transitioned Ihe Chair of the board from the Rt Hon Jack Straw to Wayne Wild MBE. Through Rt. Hon Jack Straw's leadership, we have been inspired to do more and be more for the young people of Blackburn and Darwen. We have been able to create impactful change and are forever grateful for the support has given and will continue to give as he continues to be an active member of the Board. We are extremely excited for the future of the Blackburn Youth Zone board under the leadership of Wayne Wild. MBE. With th8 changas we will see over the next year, our aim is to ￿rna1n consistent in quality of programming. while strengthening our internal systems to withstand and thrive amongst the change. This yearwe undertook a significant consultation with our stakeholders to inform our new five year strategy aimed to develop and evolve as a service to reach even more local young people than ever before, meeling thern where they are at and supporting them to where Ihey want to be. BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company Ilmited by guarantee) TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Blackburn Youth Zone Objectlves Blackburn Youth Zone's objectives are to help educate children and young people resident in the North West of England through their leisure time activtties. Blackburn Youth Zone does this by promoting their physical. mental and spiritual potenlial so that they may grow to full maturity as individuals and members of society. The Twstees have given due consideration to the Charity Commission published guidance on the operation of the public benefft requirement and are satisfied that this requirement is met by carrying out the activities described in this report. Strate9lc Paramelors In January 2023, we commenced a root and branch review of our organisation in preparation for the next decade. We consulted widely with young people, our people, parents, patrons, partners and members of our communities. Together, we agreed on the following strategic parameters: Our Purpose: To enable all young people lo reach their full potential. Our Vlsion: For all young people to be safe. healthy and happy. Our Prlorlties One: Place young people at the heart of our delivery & decision-making Two: Extending our reach and influence inlo the wider community Three: Invesling in the Workforce of thé Future Four: Strengthening Partnerships for Enhanced SeNices Flve: Sustainability and Long-Term Impact Six: Revitalising Spaces and Services Our Values Our Values. developed alongside our young people and team members in 2017. still guide how we support each other, our wider Cofnmunity. partners and other stakeholders. These we express as our 'H.E.A.R.T. Values. Honesty is the best policy Excellence Is leamed through experience Accountability Is doing whatever is right Respect Should be universal Teamwork Mak8s Ihe dream work! Our Strateglc Pillars Our work is built on three strategic Pillars. which have guided our hand over the last de¢ade. They have enabled us to focus on the central aspects of our Movement that do not vary, irrespective of the programme. proj8Ct or initiative. These are.. Health & well-being Social integration Aspirations, skills and ernployability Our Delivery Model Our brand of youth work is predicated on personal development through informal education. Even in a play environment, we believe that every young person can leam from their experiences and aim to provide a surplus of opportunities for young people. Over the past year we have developed the seven youth work strands which dr5ve our service offer in line with our engagement model of Try, Train, Team, and Teach. The "Try, Train, Team. Teach" approach allows our young people to experience many new activities for the first time. For those activities that prove popular. we codesign a training programme alongside young peoples. aspirations and help them develop hard (technical) and soft skills (life skills.) BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limlted by guarantee) TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 If there is sufficient demand and ambition, we then progress to a fomal Team approach through a club. team or initiative, which allows our young people to develop their social. emotional and technical life skills. A small proportion take the activity to the next level and seek a qualification in the discipline. This approach accelerates learning and provides opportunities for essential life skills to form part of a young person's unconscious cornpetence. Our Year in Numbers Below is a summa of our delive out uts. These are contextualised in the section 'Deliverin Volume our Services.. Data Type Explanation Mèmbers 5,414 This is comprised of 2.219 Minis & Juniors (5-7 & 8-12) and 3.123 Youth (13-18.) Membership has increased by 249 com red to 4.091 members in 22123 Young people 13-18 who have completed the Young Leader ro ramme across both our Blackburn and Darwen sites. The Young Leaders initiative began in 2023 and has is continuing to gain momentum over the years These indude Corporate. Individual, Event Young People. and Youn Leader hours. These are made up from Arts Awards, Health and Safety. Food Safety and First Aid Representing delivery hours across our sites in the towns of Blackburn and Darwen This represents the number of young people engaged in polls, questionnaires. and focus groups. It also includes decision- makin sessions delivered throu h our Youth Voice rou This includes activities from every youth work strand and includes 35QA of our members. The focus here was based on needlask and included substance misuse, sexual health, bull in relationshi s and dernocrac The young people 11-18, who gave their time this year to communi ro ects This includes sessions in Blackburn and Darwen and also trips awa and detachedloutreach en a ements Nearly half our membership visited us on ten separate occasions or more. Young Leaders 47 Total number of Young Leader hours All volunteer hours 1,755 6.882 Qualifications AQA. DofE and Sport Level 1 Average hours of service r week Youth consultation 192 90 5.501 Young people trying somethin new Informal education sessions Young volunteers 1,893 2,863 107 Average attendance per week Young people attending ten or more sessions durin the ear Female members Male members Other members 1,491 3,169 Reflective of the borough demographic Reflective of the borough dernographic 15°A of young people preferred not to give their gender or gave identi as other Reflective of the borough demographic Individual vistts across both our Blackburn and Darwen centre Across both our Blackbum and Darwen centres Representing 11°/ts of our membership Ethnic minorities Number of visits this year New members 2022123 Members with a disability or special educational need Members receiving free school meals Members from top 10 % of the most deprived wards in En land 46° 68,149 1,323 387 2,827 This is one of the highest proportions of young people in Lancashire receivin free school meals This is the 2nd highest in Lancashire after Blackpool 8LACKBURN YOUTH ZONE {A Company limited by guarantoe) TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORn FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 PIIARCH 2024 Members living in the top 5 de rived borou h wards 52% Just over half of our members reside in the poorest five borou h wards Delivering Our Services - Activities, Programmes & Initiatlves Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone (the brand identity used for the registered charity 1135949 Blackbum Youth Zone) now operates from two sites and across the borough in detached and outreach settings. The largesl of these two venues is on Jubilee Street, Blackbum, which houses, across three floor5, a wide range of youth facilities. The second, in the tovm of Darwen. is located in a temporary space which houses. across two floors, a range of youth programming spaces. Irrespective of the location from which our services operate, we provide high-quality youth facilities across our 7 Youlh Work Strands. These include: Sports and Physical Activity (Next Level. TaAF. 6 Golden Sports) The Arts (Maker Zone. Performance, Making, Music) Diversity (Diversity Zone- SEND, Allsorts - LGBTQ+ supports) Aspirations. Skills and Employability (Youth Hub" Wortd of Work) Emotional Health & Wellbeing (Wellness Zone and Targeted Twilight} Cyber & Tech (Cyber Zone-Al, Cyber. Tech Zone-ESports) Outreach (Street Zone. Community Zone, Enrichment Zone) Access lo our venues and services is provided free of charge. Every young person and member of our youth work teams is provided with a free, hot. nutritious meal at every visit. This includes detached and outreach, where nutritious snacks are distributed alongside healthy drink options. (Hot drinks in winter.) Our three pillars of social integralion, health and wellbeing and aspirations, skills and employability permeate our programmes and aGtivities. We are heavily influenced by the national levelling up agenda and are committed to providing our young people with every opportunity afforded to their more affluent peers across the UK, proving that postcode doesn't determine success. This year, we have seen even more young people a¢cessing our services. projects and programmes and now have a record of 5,482 members. We welcorne an average of 1,491 young people per week, S2 weeks a year, across our two sites and detached and outreach provisions. Youth Zones across the UK historically focus their youth services on a universal offer. We are similar in this regard. but we also provide targeted services for young people who require an elevated level of support. particularly around emotional health and wellbeing issues. Our Seven Youth Work Strands are a useful referen￿ to view both our universal. outreach and targeted offers over the last year. Below is a snapshot of the strands and activities offered wtthin them. Sports and PhysirAI Activity We are committed to delivering a vibrant sports and physical activity offer directed and supported by our young people. We are keen for young people to have the opportunity to try as many activities as possible. and this is central to our Try. Train. Team. Teach melhodology. Our sports programme. tilled The Next Level". funded through the generosity of Gordon Taylor, enables young people to live healthier. more prosperous lives through the power of sports and physical activity and for them to strive for Iheir°Next Level." The three primary aims have been core to our sports offer this year: Children and young people have the opportunity to realise developmental. character-building experÉences through sport, competition and active pursuits. 'Next Lev81" is designed around th8 principles of physical literacy, focuses on fun and enjoyrnent and aims to reach the least active and tackles health inequalities of those most affected. supporting Ihe national agenda of, "every young person participating in 60 minutes of activity every day..) BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company lirnited by guarantae) TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDEO 31 MARCH 2024 Use our greatest biggest asset. our building, to act as a beacon for Sporting excellence that drives change and provides a centre ftJr'Next Level" building Young people have told us that football, boxing, cricket, badminton, gym, dimbing, and basketball are their chosen sports (We term these 'Golden sports,). We have plans to develop an academy approach around these as we go forward. As we build the academy, below is a summary of the progress v￿'ve made around sports and physical activity in general Over the last 12 months. Our aim is to increase the number of partnershlps within the community. Building train sessions and aiming to provide provisions in the team portion across all Golden Sports. Actlvities Offered 2022123 Clirnbing Wall Badminton Ice skating 8oxing Dance Volleyball Cycling Football Rugby Cricket Martial Arts club Dance Fitness Open Gym11:1 PT Inter-youlh Zone Basketball Bootcampsl Assault Courses Cycla to London Challenga.. An ever-popular challenge for our young people who, every two months. take turns to cyde the 267 miles from Blackbum lo London. This takes some commitment over two sessions and allows plenty of opportunity to do 'youth work in the wings. Rowing to Manchester Challenge." Following the SLJCLess of the Cycle to London Challenge, young people used rowing machines lo row the 26 miles from 81ackburn to Manchester. Members loved the challenge. and it has become a stsple in the gym sessions. Fèmale only Tralnlngs.. After assessing and much needed change, female-onty football and netball youth sessions were put into place along with our Current open gym female-only sessions. We aim to only increase the amount of Female only sessions to include all golden sports over the next year, including junior sessions. Juniors Competitive Taams: The creation of junior competittve teams for the following sports: netball, football (female and male>, basketball, and climbing wall. The goal is to duplicate across all golden sports across both the youth and juniors, sessions, Basketball Senlor Team: Th8 interest has increased in Basketball and with that, an increased programming schedule followed suit. This includes increased training sessions leading to Team sessions. These included a match against Mahdlo Youth Zone. Golf Introduction.. Over the past year. we have seen an increased interest in golf. We have partnered with Clitheroe Golf Club and théy have donated golf clubs and nets and have introduced try sessions. We have also started Train sessions including driving range practi￿ and time on the course. Quick Quote: "It is so good to see my son play. It's good to know how he s doing, and the win made it extra special." Parent Partn•rships: In 2024, we had the ability to work with multiple partnership agencies, trusts, and foundations. These included: Blackburn Rovers.. Over the last year. we have created the Ewood express programme which gives our young people an opportunity to watch live football matches. This partnership has also led to youth training sessions for BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE {A company limited by guarantee) TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 both genders. The female team played in community football toumaments against professional community trusts and we aim to only increase this participalion on both teams. Blackburn Rovers Ladies Team: We were given the opportunity lo have the girfs football team be mascols for the day. In aims to increase female participation in the sport, they had the opportunity to be ball girls for the match and meet and greel with all the players. Tauheedul Boys and Empire Fighting Chance: Boxing is extremely popular with OUT young people. and Empire Fighting Chance is a non-contact form of the sport that achieves the same results of self-discipline and hard work. Tauheedul Boys is a high-performing school, and we have worked closely with them to enable their young men to explo￿ their feelings. This includes how they see themselves developing towards adulthood and plan to contribute positively to society. Female Only Boxing: Through our partnership with Technique Boxing, we led a weekly session exclusively for women. These were led by boxing champion. Brook Louise. at our Blackbum location free of charge to members. Blackburn Hawks: A connection was created with 4-week pilot programme to introduce Hockey to the Youth Zone and successfully created a partnership moving fo￿ard. It ended with a day out at Blackbum Hawks where over 100 young people and family's members attended. We aim to increase Ihis parinership to include Try and Train sessions for Hockey. Case Study - Klckz Poppy began her journey in sports by participating in 'Try' sessions at Blackburn. While she enjoyed the sessions. feedback from the girls revealed that they felt uncomfortable training alongside boys. They expressed a desire for girls-only sessions. emphasising that they believed this would enhance their experience and development. In response to the girls, feedback, the sports coach organised dedicated girls-only session5, led by a female coach. This initiative not only addressed the concems raised bui also created a supportive environment where the girls could thrNe. The Sessions quickly evolved fram "Try" to "Train,. thanks to the high tumout and enthusiastic participation. As Poppy engaged in these tailored sessions, she enjoyed numerous opportunities that enrich8d her experience. Some highlights of her journey include participating in trips like Ewood Express, which allowed her to experience football beyond the training ground, compeling in a toumament at Liverpool FC. which exposed her to a higher level of play and competition. and watching women's football matches at Blackburn Rovers. where she had the unique opportunity to be a mascot and a ball girl during a match, providing her with valuable insights into the sport. Over weeks and months of dedicated training, Poppy developed a genuine love for football. She excelled in her skills. demonstrating remarkable improvement and resilience. Poppy's hard work paid off. and she is now a player for a IoGal football team. Blackburn Eagles. Despite her success with the Eagles, she continues to attend and train at the Youth Zone, eager to further enhance her skills and contribute to her team's success. Poppy's journey highlights the importance of listening to participants. feedback and creating inclusive environments in sports. The transition from mixed sessions to girls-only sessions not only improved attendance and engagement but also allowed young alhletes like Poppy to discover their passion for football. Her story leins exem lifies how tar eted initiatives can lead to ersonal rowth and o ortunities for oun eo orts. Attendance: Number of young people who attended programmlng Engagemgnts: Number of overall Interactions 1,999 18,147 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limited by guarantoa) TRUSTEES. REPORT {INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Engagements: Try 15,538 Engagements: Train 2,135 Engagements: Team 474 The Arts Our Arts offer is represented across three distinctly different programmes. These are Performing Arts. Creative Arts and Digital Arts. Our young people are passionate aboul all genres of 'The Arts,. and we intend to develop our programrnes over the next period further to give this youth work theme greater prominence in our offer. Our Maker Zone makes up a large portion of our Arts programming offering. The main goal of the Arts strand this year has been to In￿eaSe SEND and targeted support while integrating more youth voice based programming into the schedule including more music provisions and upcycling. Activities Offered 2023-2024 Jewellery Making Therapeutic Drawing Sewing Vinyl Printing Up-cycle workshop p￿Clou$ Plastics Comic Book Creation Laser cutting Clay Modelling Henna Art Bubble paint Baklng Club DJ Workshops Scrapbooking Digital Arts Creative Writing Drum Machines Ear Training Drama Music Production 3D Diamond Art Music PerfO￿nanCe Screen Printing Slime Making Gamient Design Festival Of Maklng: We again participated in the wonderful Festival of Making this year. Working alongsidè a local artist, our young people decided to 8xplore the art of fashion and how 'fast fashion, is such an issue in today's society. They also explored the effect of fashion on mental health, culture, sexuality and ccmrnunity togetherness. They planned and designed their art pieces for six weeks leading up to the festival. They made four distinctly different outfits and plan to use them in a showcase at a fashion show later in the year. PTecious Plastlcs: Following interests in up-cyding recyclable materials, two members ventured into creating a business making coasters from recycled plastic bottle caps, titled Star Makers. Creating momentum and interest amongst other members, Precious Plastics was created to support Star Makers and now includes upcycling for other plastic materials. Arts Mental Health Night: Our Youth Voice consultation group members designed and ran an Arts Mental Health Night. They planned and led sessions in relaxation, creative wrtting and drawing, self-care face masks, and art creations. Quick Quote.. ou get the opportunitie5 to record. make newfriends. andpossibly make your own music.- Young person Partnerships: In 2024, we had the ability. to work with multiple partnership agencies, trusts, and foundations, These included: Darwen Music. We Are Noise,. our delivery partner in Darwen, delivered various music programmes four hours a night from Monday to Friday every week of the year. Simple drop-in sessions are available, as well as targeted engagement, subject-specific delivery and group practice. This provision offers the young peop18 the opportunities to take part in a multitude of art practices. which include music production, recording, mixing, perfomiance, singing, rapping. Mc'ing, songwriting. drumming, guitaring, keyboards, DJing. PC gaming, video production, podcasting, radio skills and photography. 10 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limited by guarantse TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Young Voices Unlte: Alongside 'We Are Noise, (our Darwen music partners), young people participated in a 6 week journey of discovery, exploring music genres. and lyricism session to create musical pieces based on young people-led concerns such as substance abuse, bullying and overcoming financial hurdles. Case Study - The Creation of Star Makers After many months of experimenting, making and recycling, the brother and sister partnership hit on a new business idea to make coasters from discarded plastic bottle tops. (or precious plastics, as we call it here at Youth Zone.) They noticed that during the recycling process for plastics. many cool shapes and designs popped out randomly. They experimented some more and found bottle tops made with the best materials and the funkiest designs. They didn't have nearly enough to make any more than a few products so went on a mission to shout about recycling and set up six collection points across the borough. After a few weeks. these were full to overflowing, and the pair now had their raw materials to get things moving. With the help of their Maker Zone youth workers and Crown Paints (one of their best customers). they launched a new business selling their beautifully recycled coasters. Each coaster is unique and produced to a high standard. They now grace the many dinner tables of Blackburn and Darwen, and demand so far still outstrips supply. °ljoined Bfz, not the most confident person, but my mum pushed me to do a coding workshop in the December which l enjoyed. I went a few times and then covid. Again. my mum pushed me to do some online quizzes, she had to sit next to me as I wouldn't do it on my own, they Soon became the highlight of my week. After covid I became a lot more confident talking to other people. Here is a quote, I live by. "If you have an idea, don't let anyone stop you." -Gareth Attendance: Number of young people who attended programming Engagements: Number of overall interactions 2,435 13.040 Engagements: Try 9,206 Engagements: Train 2,783 Engagements: Team 1,051 Diversity We support young people wilh various special educational needs and disabiltties. Complex needs are adequately catered for across our local partnership network and within schools. Our Diversity strand aims to provide an inclusive space for all young people who enter our walls. Our primary programming within this strand falls into the Allsorts (LGBTQ+) and Diversity Zone (SEND). The goal of the Diversity Strand over the past year has been to increase participation within the Rainbow Zone, build a more diverse SEND programming offer with the support of IMO, and support Ihe progression of Members to universal services. BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limited by guarantee) TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Activlties Off•red 2023-2024 Dance Syndrome Mask Painting Gardening Clay Moulding Bracelet Making Canvas Painting Magic Tricks Autisrn Awareness All8Orts Pride Events Allsorts on the Go: Our Allsorts group had the opportunity to travel to Trans Family Fun Day. Blackburn Pride. and the Festival of Making. These opportunities have allowed young people to practise the inclusion. self- confidence. and identity skillset they have worked on throughout their programming sessions. Autism Awareness Day: On National Autism Awareness Day. we took the opportunity to celebrate and recognise the challenges and achievements of those of our Diversity Club members who have Autism. Members shared their experiences with their peers and participated in inclusive programming activities. Quick Quote.. All people with autism need sometimes is a friend, orjust someone lo tslk to. I come to Youth Zone so I can make fnends with people who understand m& and my autism. -J. Diversity Member Partnerships: In 2024, we had the ability to work with multiple partnership agencies. trusts, and foundations. These included: Burberry Project: Young people from Allsorts designed a collaborative mural representing their voices and identities. Using spray paint and stencils, they created a banner that will be displayed at the 8urt)erry Head Offices in July 2024. symbolising their resilience and positive affirmations from their lived experiences. Ignite Cricket: In partnership with IMO. our diversity club & ignite group attending a cricket competition camp, the first they've entered. Despite this, our team placed 3rd place in the toumament. A message from D (15).. Case Study - Autism Awareness Week "People think that because we hav8 autism. we cany follow instnictions. But I have been worf(ing on a Meccano car with Martin. Martin is always patient with me, and when I get things wrong. he doesn't shout. He tajks fo me about ways to fix and let me try". A rnessage from N (9): "People think that just because we have aubsm, our life is boring because sometimes we like to do the same things. After all, it helps us feel safe. But we are all drfferent and still the same ° A Message from C {13): "Usuajly. people donl let me help do baking because they think111 burn myself or get it wrong. In diversity. I have leamt how to do things safely with staff who explain things to ma so that l understand. Today, for autism awareness day, I made a cake nearly all by myself." A message from J (8): 'Sometimes people donl understand what autism is and can end up leaving people out or bullying them. But all people with autism need sometimes is a friend or someone to talk to and go to, We come to Youth Zone and can talk to our lriends and staff who understand us. This makes me happy,: 12 8LACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limlted by guarantee) TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Attendance: Number of young people who attended programming Engagements: Number of overall interactions 114 4.304 Engagements: Try 4.089 Engagements.. Train 73 Engagements: Team 142 Aspiratlons. Skills and Employability Now in its third year, Youth Hub has undergone significant growth and evolution, cemènting its role as a vital source for the local youth community. The Youth Hub has diversified its offerings to address the needs and interests of local young people. This Includes the introduction of new partnerships with local businesses, educalional establishments, and non-profit organisations. This year. we have spent time working on solidifying the Youth Hub further. With a focus on the development of a 5 tier support system supporting those on the cusp of NEET while supporting those furthest away from the labour market we aim lo put in tools for consistent support across the programme. In addition, we have introduced the co-location of other agencies to the youth zone, for the future development of the Fusebox while continuing to increase our presence amongst the Darwen Youth Hub. Actlvlties Offered 2023-2024 CV workshops Inter¥iew Skills World of Work Tours Careers Fairs Life Skills Galentine's Evenl Badminton Anxiety Workshops Schools Fairs Mentorship Careers Fair On February 29th, we hosted our first Careers Fair of the year at Blackburn Youth Zone in collaboration with the Department of Wofk and Pensions. The event was a resounding success. with 189 young people in attendance from across Blackburn and Darwen. Nine patrons from our network generously volunteered their time to highlight local employment prospects. Additionalty. nine local education and training providers, alongside five emotional health and wellbeing providers, actively participated in the fair. Together. they presented a comprehensive range of opportunities, encompassing work placements. skills enhancement programmes, apprenticeships, specialised courses, and a holistic approach to emotional health and wellbeing. Quick Quote: 'Dare to D￿arn has helped me build up my self-Gonfidence and take a positive step towards entering the world of work. The voucherfs incentives were a g￿8t help to me during my time on placement," there are not many incentivized work placement opportunities around. -CM, Dare to Dream participant Partnerships: In 2024, we had the ability to work with over 13 partnership agencies. trusts, and foundations. These included: Princes Trust, New Directions BWD Adult Learning, National Careers Service, Lancashire Mind, Department of Working Pensions. Lancashire Skills Hub, Blackburn College, Aldridge Academy. North Lancs Training Group, Training 2000, UCLAN, and Star Academies. BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limited by guarantee) TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Our partnership approach to aspirations. skills. and progression has been highly impactful, creating synergy among organisations by merging resources. expertise. and ne￿orkS. This collaborative Èffort has significantly enhanced our ability to deliver comprehensive support services and maximise positive impact across the borough. By working together. we have become rnore effective in identifying and addressing diverse educational. employment. and mental health needs, ensuring a holistic approach to progression and development. UKSPF With UKSPF funding, our Aspirations. Skills, and PTogression senrice empowers young people facing barriers to employment by addressing specific challenges and bridging the gap to meaningful job opportunities. Youth Hub Engagement: Our Youth Hub provides weekly one-on-one sessions for 14-18-year-olds. offering personalised support to tackle mental health stigma and lrfe challenges. significantly enhancing their well-being and development. Phase 1 Engage: Young people participate in sessions linked to industry skills. focusing on active lrfestyles, well-being, and community prosperity. The Skills Aspiration Hub aligns with local industry needs in areas like digital, energy. and healthcare. Phase 2 Train: Participants move to induStry-Sp￿lfic workshops, eaming accreditations and gaining work experience through our Industry Skills Incubator Hub. These sessions, supported by local businesses, address skill gaps and provide real-world exposu￿. lrnpact and Benofits: These programmes help young people develop critical skills, improve well-being. and gain practical experience, making them more competitive in the job market whilg benefiting local industries with a skilled workforce and stronger community ties. Henry Smith - Emotional Health & Wellbeing support: The project enables us to work with young people who are furthest from the labour mark8t due to multiple barriers such as emotional health or well-being issues. This year, we have already worked with 145 young people. and the demand for support remains high. This cohort has had the opportunity to socialise with peers. overcome personal barriers. and visit our business patrons. workplaces to gain insight into the opportunities that await them. Through these experiences. they have developed greater confidence and a clearer vision of their potenlial career paths. UK Youth- Hatch programme. Hatch is an employability programme run in partnership behveen UK Youth and KFC. Throughout the programme, we successfijlly supported over 30 young people, with 29 of them progressing to a 4-week paid work placement programme. Work placements took place with KFCS across the Lancashire area and within our patron ne￿Ork with Hertjert Parkinson and Vampire Vape offering suctsssful. meaningful work placement opportunities. Out of the 29 young people engaged in work placements, 11 young people went on to secure more permanent paid employment. Dare to Dream- Care Leavers Initiative. In partnership with Blackburn and Oafwen Council. the Dare to Dream Initiative has been launched as a comprehensive 12-month program exclusively designed for 30 care-experienced young people. The programme aims to equip participants with essential employmenl skills. personalised mentorship, and practical work experience to help them transition smcothly into the workforce and achieve their career aspirations. Placements will be arranged across various local organisationsfrom our patron network, carefully matched to each individual's unique interests and career aspirations. Cohort 1 of the programme has now started with 8 young people identified to participate. Initial 1-1 s have now taken place with workshops due to stsrt in the upcoming weeks. Case Study CM started his Youth Zonejourney 3 months ago. He walked into the Youth Zone with little expectations, hoping to raise his self FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Panaz Kay Group Watson Ramsbottom Limited Suez Recycling & Recovery Ltd Cardboard Box Co Symclean Trevor Dawson Cummins Mellor Dobson + Beaumont Hadgraft Electrical Perspex Catchpoint Rosslee Construction Lee Banner Electrical IN4 Damen Terracotta Prornethean lsAurray Building Services Crown Paints Sales Geek ACG Renewables J&A Kay Wellocks Elgra Furrjiture Pendle Doors Gordon Taylor OBE Cube Funder Bright Blue Foods MK Illumination AMRC Blackburn Round Table We are once again grateful for the continued support of our Patrons, without whom we would not be able to provide vital help and support to the young people of Blackburn with Darwen. In-Kind Support During the year, we have received £92.135 in In-Kind Support. We are grateful to the below Patron5 & supporters who have provided this: Staci - Boxes of Lego, Children's bedding, Glasses Finch Bakery- Brownies and Blondies Cardboard Box Company - Cardboard Boxes Morrisons - Pumpkins Promelhean - Office Equipment Forbes Solicitors Christmas Trees and Lighls, Vouchers Bright Blue Foods - Mince Pies Accrol - Toilet Rolls Collection Cosmetic5 - Various make-up items Rock FM - Christmas Toys Various Patrons - Christmas Toys Flavour Warehouse - Football Boots Multiple Companies - Easter Eggs Grant. Trust & Foundation Funding A major source of income for the charity in 2023124 was derived from Grants, Trusts or Foundations. This amounted to £1,595,136 during the reporting period {59.3Q/o of our total income) and included £227.198 from the Youth Investment Fund for the Fusebox project. The following Grants, Trusts or Foundations supported us in the 2023124 financial year. Clothworkers, Foundation Shepherd Street Trust Burberry Foundation Tes¢0 Community Grant Leathersellers UK Youth- HATCH Henry Srnith Charitable Twst MPT Steps 22 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limlt•d by guarantee) TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 UK Shared Prosperity John Lewis Foundation UKH Foundation Peter Harrison Foundation Eric Wright Foundalion Holiday Activity Fund Onside Impact Fund Prudence Trust UK Youth Futureproof BBC Children In Need NCS Masonic Trust BWD Council UCLAN Million Hours Fund Barclays Community Football Fund The Big Gtve The Casey Trust WMandB WLloyd Charity D'OYEY Carte Charitable Trust DCMS {YIF) Amazon Events. Gift Ald & Community Fundralsing Fundraising Events continue to be an important income stream forthe Gharity With a total of £130,705 being raised. Our biggest fundraising event continues to be the very popular Blackburn Beer & Gin Festival which raised income of £54.603 whilsl the Big Give raised an additional £26,696. Fundraising on behalf of the Youth Zone by third parties raised £24.479 and we are very grateful to the organisations involved. Facllity Hlre Due to the uncertainty of access to the building caused by the refurbishment project, we did not promote the use of our facilities to third parties. However, as a result of existing commitments we did raise £8,918 during the year. Once the refurbishment is complete in early 2025 we will be promoting the use of Ihe facilities more and hope to raise substantial funds in the future. Plans for the Future Fuse Box Development Following last year's exciting news that we had secured £3.1 Million from the Government's Youth Investment Fund (YIF) we have spent the last year planning and designing the new facilities. The main contractor was appointed towards the end of the year and construction commenced in April 2024. The project will be completed in early 2025. The fvnding will support the development of our iconic Fusebox. one of the first electricity generating centres in the United Kingdom, as an advanced world of work centre. This will house our Youth Employability Hub and provide essential facilities for young people to explore a range of skills in preparation for the future. We aim to retain the unique qualty of our building whilst transforming it into an inspiring place for young people to dream the dreams they deserve to dream. Alongside the Fusebox development. the funding will also enable us to upgrade our re￿ption and outside area to make them more engaging and usable for young people. We are extremely grateful to the DCMS and the Youth Investment Fund for supporling our work with this substantial investment whith will help and inspire young people for many years to come. Flve Year Strate9y After an extensive consultation with stakeholders. we have created a S year strategy This strategy will seNe as a roadmap of vision and reflects our unwavering dedication to fostering a nurturing environment that utilises youth voice to create a holistic approach to programming. Our strategy serves as a guiding compass, steering us toward a transformative journey of positive impact and growth. 23 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limlted by guarantee) TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 In pursuing our purpose to empower and uplift the youth of Blackbum and Da￿en, we have identified six key priorities that will seni8 as the foundation for all our endeavours and aligned goals. Prlorlty 1: To ensure young people are al the heart of our delivery and decision making. Prlorlty 2: To extend our reach and influence into the wider community Priority 3: To be an organisation that bullds and invests in Ihe W0￿fOrCe of the future. Prlorlty 4: To work in partnership to enhance services Prlorlty 5: To be a sustainable organisation that has a long term positive impact on young people and the local community Prlorlty 6: To refurbish the Blackburn & Dap¥ven Youth Zones & relaunch services Increased Presence In Darfftn Our Darwen presence has made an imrnediate impact on the 10,000 young people who live in those communities. Our work. in many ways, has only just begun. We are currently configuring a new consortium of youth sector providers. Together Dar¥ven and have already received support for this initiative. We have secured significant 3 year funding for the provision of sports-based activities across the town and plan to appoint a sports and physical adivities manager to oversee the development of this partnership programm8 through Blackburn with Dapwen Council's Together an Active Future programme. Incrèas•d 'Stre8t Zono, Over the past year, we have Introduced our Street Zone provision throughout DaNen. Ensuring that we reach high-need areas on a recurring basis while e￿ating positive impressions amongst young people has been the main goal. With 468 hours served across both Blackburn & Darwen. we aim to make strong connections with young people while steering them towards provisions. Through a Darwen based trust, we have been able to secure a bus which will be Teconverted and brought to a series of locations in Darwen with an aim to reach more young people by meeting them where thèy aro at and helping them towards where they want to be. With Ihis addition, we aim to provide a 74ay provisional offer with designated staff focused on supporting the neighbourhoods of Darnen. Enhance our Emotlonal Health and Wellbeing Offer Our emotional health and wellbeing offer does not match the demand for this type of senrfice. We plan to expand our existing offer incrementally over the coming y&ars to ensure that all local young people's needs are met in this vital area of youth work. Our long-temi aim is to have a fulty integrated emotional health and well-being seniice which supports the NHS and local borough council in providing high-quality earfy interventlon for young people showing the early signs of ernotional distress. Our focus for the next Period is to secure sufficient fvnding to support communities that have been historically underrepresented in accessing this type of care. Internal Restructure for Growth With a large amount of growth and change within the organisation, we have become increasingly aware of the need to restructure the intemal operations. This has included reviewing internal HR systems, organisational structure, strategy development and the streamlining of service strands to futureproof the services we provide. With increased financial support, we plan on increasing the amount of full-time staff on our roster, diversify staff to represent the communities we serve. and anaEyse and improve our employee retention rate while introducing supports focused on supporting employees during their tenure wtth the organisation. Structure, Govemance and Management We operate as a regtstered charity and a company limited by guaranlee without share capital. 'Blackbum Youth Zone, is registered under the Companie5 Act 1985, registration number 6944317. The company is gov8m8d by its Memorandurn and Articles of Association, dated 251h June 2009. Management of the companys affairs is vested in the Trustees. 24 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE {A Company limited by guarantee) TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 In the event of a winding-up. the present members and those who have ceased to be a member thiin one year of such event have guaranteed liabilities of the company to the sum not exceeding one pound each year. Organlsational Structure The legal entity, Blackburn Youth Zone, is govemed by its Board of Trustees, who are also D1￿CtorS for the purposes of Company Law, which retains overall responsibility for the strategic dir8Ction and the organisation's policies. The Trustees cary ultimate responsibility for the conduct of Blackburn Youth Zone and for ensuring that the charity Satisfies its legal and contractual obligations. The Board appoints a Chief Executive to manage the day-to-day operations. To facilitate effectiv8 OP8rations, the Chief Executive has delegated authority as approved by the Board for all operational matters, including finance, human resources and operational delivery. The board approves the strategic plan and annual business plan. scrutinising business perfonnance. induding financial perfomiance. and provides advice to the Chief Executive on operational matters of performance. The pay of the Chief Executive Officer is reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees, benchmarking their salary against those of similar Youth Zones within th6 Onside Networl(. Blackburn Youth Zone is part of the network of Youth Zones estsblished by Onside Youth Zones (Charity Registered in England & Wales no.. 1125893). Many of the operational policies and procedures of the Youth Zone are influenced by being part of this wider netsvork. Board of Trustees The Board of Trustees comprises 12 Directors represenling the public. private and third sector, along with trwo more members who provide additional expertise but do not have voting rights. Trustees Can be nominated for a fixed or indeterminate term. One-third of the Directors will retire by rotation at each AGM. retiring Directors can then be r8-appointed. The Trustees normally meet bi-monthly, where finance and delivery perfomiance are scrutinised and strategic plans reviewed. New Trustees will be recruited according to the needs of the charity and the suitability of possible candidates. The unanimous approval of existing Trustees leads to their appointment. Newly appoinled trustees are provided with a comprehensive induction to Blackbum Youth Zone's provision, including key information about the organisation's development, governance and safeguarding. The Board appointed four new Truste8s during the reporting period with three Trustees resigning during the same period. The Board wishes to record their thanks to the retiring Trustees- E A Sidat. J Carson and M Ibrahim - who ￿Signed in good standing. Financial review." Total income for the year, excluding the YIF project. was £2,462,822 <2023: £1,754,563), with a further £227.198 relating to YIF. Of this amount, £936,151 (2023: £831,079) was from donations, primarily from the local business community. £608.284 (2023: £232,990) was from grants; public grants of £759,654 (2023: £538,520) were also received. and the balance of £158,733 (2023: £151,974) was income from charitable activities, fundraising and investment income. A further £227,198 from the Youth Investment Fund for the Fusebox project was received during the period, of which £158,571 related to Capital. Total expenditure for the year was £2,383.485 {2023: £1,886,239), of which £188,697 (2023: £156.220) related to fundraising activities and £2,194,788 {2023.' £1.730,019) related to charitable activÉties. The resulting surplus for the year of £306,535 {2023: deficit £131,676> was after charging £136,057 (2023: £137.170} of depreciation on fixed assets. Excluding the YIF funding the surplus for the year was £148,344. 25 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limited by guarante•} TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The total unrestricted funds held on 31 March 2024 were £810.873 {2023: £562,041). This included a Deslgnated Fund of £135.828 spectfically for the work within the town of Darwen. The total net assets of the organisation as of 31 March 2024 were £5,521,589 {2023.. £5,215.054) Reserves Policy The Board of Trustees of Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone has established a reserves policy that appropriately reflects the risks to which the charity is exposed. In reviewing the potential costs that could arise should a significant reduction in income be incurred, the Trustees have detemiined that it is appropriate for unrestricted. 'free'. reserves to be maintained at a minimum 013 months. Due to the current uncertainty in the economic climate. shifting restrictions and an anticipated increase in demand for our services. Ihe Trustees hav& agreed that the Charity will ideally hold more unrestricted funds than the minimum required in the reserves policy. On 31 &t March 2024. the charity had accumulated unrestricted. 'free'. reserves of £810,874. this provides cover equivalent to 5 months of operating costs, within the range that the Trustees are currently comfortable with. The reserves policy does not consider expenditure linked to restricted projects and therefore. covered by restricted funds. The charity has plans In place to regularly review both the sum it wishes to hold in reserves in un￿StrICted funds and the basis for that figure, particularly considering the ongoing irnpacl of the increase in the cost of living. Totsl reserves at the end of the period were £5.521,589 of which £4.756,442 can only be r8alised by disposing of fixed assets. £158,571 of the Fixed Asset figure relates to the Fusebox projed, all professional fees. Total reserves after deducting restricted funds, fixed asset funds and designated funds is £675,045. Investment Pollcy Any surplus funds that are not immediately required may, at the Board's discretion, be invested lo ensure the charity's future sustainability. To ensure such investments are safeguarded; Any decision about investment will be made by the Board (potentially having professional advice) considering the suilability and diversification of investments, including investments in deposit accounts. to ensu￿ that the failure of one investrnent or institution does not have a major impact on Blackbum & Da￿en Youth Zone Investments will be made in line WFth Blackbum & Danven Youth Zone Values Investment performance will be regularly reviewed Records will be maintained of all investments held (including details o charty Accounting controls will be fully implemented to ensure that all dividends or interest payments due are received and accounted for. During the year £341,871 was depostted with various accounts via Flagstone and terms ranging from 3 months 10 12 months ensuring a reasonable spread of maturity should the funds be required. This amount is included in the Cash at bank and in hand total of £948.741. Going Concern The financial statements have been prepared on a going con￿rn basis as the Trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The Trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure are sufficient, with the level of reseNes. for the charty to continue as a going concern. Risk Management The Board fully accepts its responsibilities under the Charity Commission's Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP). The Trustees have considered the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are committed to ensuring these are effectively managed. The Chief Executive and senior managers have undertaken a comprehensive risk assessment and established risk registers from an organisation and op8rational perspective and have established risk management and control procedures, which are reviewed regularly by the Board. 26 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limit6d by guarantee) TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone's top risks are outlined below. Risk Mitigation Safeguarding Risk of abuse by Blackbum & Dafwen Youth Zone stafflvolunteers Non-reporting of serious safeguarding COn￿mS All staff, volunteers and board members have DBSS and full training on safeguarding. Freelancers and partners must also pnxluce their DBS to work at Blackbum & Dar4ven Youth Zone and have a full induction. We have a nominated safeguarding lead on the Board and an SLT member who acts as our health and safety lead, both are responsible for ensuring we review our annual safeguarding policy and procedures. We have an annual review of our safeguarding policy and procedures. and these are now captured in a new policy review schedule which includes training if required. Health and Safety We review annually, our health and safety policy and procedures and ensure all team members are trained in line with the policy. We have an annual a￿ernal check of our health safety culture and compliance. The BWD borough council manages all statutory compliance to ensure the highest standards. Finance We have a finance committee that reviews monthly income, expenditure and cash. We have a fully resourced finan￿ team r8sponsible for reporting management accounts and ensuring all financial controls are enforced. We have a fully resourced Business Devek)pment team to ensur& we maximise ncome, with govemance around meeting targets. Income Expenditure Cash Perfonmance Poor qualty service. which does not meet the needs of young people Low attendance numbers. which results in low return on investment Poor performance from facilities staff, which results in an unclean or unsafe building Poor performance from catering staff resulting in unhealthy or unsafe food Poor perfomance from Business Development team resulting in financial instability Stsff are fully trained with regular refreshers to ensure youth offer is up to date. Staff values ensure the team is happy, committed and passionate. Proactive membership and engagement. which maximises all routes to securing new members and retaining existing members. Regular one-to-ones and appraisals. along with spot checks where necessary to ensure staff performance is of expected levels. Check- ins with all team members and their managers every six weeks 27 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limited by guarantee) TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Reputation Negative impacts on the repulation of Blackbum & Darwen Youth Zone due to: Negative press coverage of incidents Negative opinions of stakeholders due to unprofessional work ethics Mismanagement of time, resources. service delivery Maintain a professional, reliable and trushvorthy appearance through: Attendance at local and regional networking and multi-agency meetings Fulfilling all obligations to funders including reporting and financial management Sharing best practice and research as appropriate Ensuring all policies and procedures are effectively followed and enforced People Staff issues due to,. Tumover Sickness Poor organisational cutturelmorale Poor communication Bumout We have a clear plan to build the culture at Blackburn & Da￿en Youth Zone ensuring all team members feel valued and engaged in decision making. A full review of HR functions was caffied OLrt during the year and as a result we have appointed a dedicated People & Cutture Lead who will ensure that all of our processes are reviewed. Fundraising Standards Infomiation Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone raises funds by approaching businesses and philanthropic individuals interested in supporting young people. We also apply for Grants from Trusts that have the same interest. During the year, we used a mix of our own employees plus the services of an extemal team of freelan￿ fundraisers who assisted with funding bids up to £20,000. The charity is not currently a member of any voluntary scheme for regulating fundraising. Primarily, we work with prospeckn've business Patrons who have been introduced to our Gause on a one-to-one basis. The Chief Executive monitors all fundraising. During the period. the charity received no complaints regarding its fundraising activities. The charity does not do street or door-to4loor fundraising, so it does not come into contact with vulnerable or other people who may feèl intruded upon, unreasonably persistently approached or have had undue pressur& placed upon them. Business Plan A 2024125 business plan has been developed. This will be the benchmark against which the organisation will be monitored. Thi5 monitoring will occur monthly by the Senior Leadership Team and bi-monthly by the Board of Trustees, Each programme of work has an associated operational plan, fed into the annual objectives of all team members across the organisation. Trusté•s R•sponslblllties The Charity's Trustees {who are also directors for the purpose of company law) are responsible for preparing the Annual Report (including the Strategic Report) and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and the United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company Law requires the charity's Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, Under cornpany law, the Trustees must not approve financial slatements unless they are satisfied that they give a Irue and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitab5e company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including Ihe income and expenditure of the charitable company. for that period. 28 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE {A company Ilmited by guarantee) TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 In preparing those financial statements. the trustees are required to; Select suitable a￿OUntIng policies and apply them consistently Observe the methods and principles of the Charity SORP 2019 {FRS 102) Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent State whether UK accounting standards have been followed, and Prepare financial statemènts on the going concern basis unless it Is inappropriate to assume the charity will continue in operation The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to 8nsure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and. hence for laking reasonable steps for the prevention and deteGtion of fraud and other irregularities. Statement as to Disclosure to our Auditors In so far as the Trustees are aware at the time of approving this report: There is no relevant audit infomiation, being information needed by the auditor in connection with preparing their report. of which the auditor is unaware. and The trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have laken to make themselves aware of relevant audit information and to estsblish that the auditor is aware of this infonnation. This report was approved by the Board of Directors on 28 November 2024 and on behalf of the board by.. Wayne Wild, MBE Trustee 29 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limit•d by guarantee) INDEPENDENT AUDITORS. REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE Oplnion We have audited the financial statements of Blackburn Youth Zone (Ihe 'charitsble company,) for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balanc& sheet, the statement of cashflows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounttng policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, induding Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Praclice). In our opinion the financial statements: give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company's affairs as at 31 March 2024. and of its incoming resources and application of resources. including its income and expenditure. for the year then ended., have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. and have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. Basis for opinion We conducted our audit in accordance with Intemational Standards on Auditing (UK} (ISAS (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditorfs responsibilities for th8 audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC'S Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide basis for our opinion. Conclusions relating to golng concern In audFting the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees, use of the going con￿rn basis of accounling in th8 preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work have perfomied, we have not identified any material uncertainties ￿lating to events or conditions that, individually or coltectively. may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concem for a periixl of at least ￿1ve months from when the financial ststements are authorised for issue. Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concem are describéd in the relevant sections of this report. Other infomiation The other infomiation comprises the infotTnation included in the trustees, report. other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereorl. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial staternents does not cover the other information and, except to the extent Other￿lSe explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other infomiation and. in doing so. consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we idenltfy such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements. we are required to detemiine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If. based on Ihe work we have perfomed. we conclude that there is a material misststement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. Opinions on other matters prescrfbed by the Companies Act 2006 In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit.. the infonnation given in the trustees. report (incorporating the strategic report and the directors, report) for the fsnancial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and 30 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company Ilmited by guarantee) INDEPENDENT AUDITORS, REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BLACK8URN YOUTH ZONE the strategic report and the directors. report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. Matters on which we are requlred to report by •xception In the light of our knowledge and understandin9 of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit. we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report and the directors. report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to Teport to you if. in our opinion: adequate accounting records have not been kept. or retums adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us. or the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns" or certain disclosures of directors, remuneration specified by law are not made. or we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit. Responsibillties of trust8es As explained more fully in the trustees, responsibilities statement set out on page 28, the tnjstees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being salisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such intemal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial stat8ments that arè free from material misstalement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial ststements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company's abllity to continue as a going concern. disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concem and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either inténd to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operatlons, or have no realistic altemative but to do so. Auditor's r•sponslbilities for th• audit of th• financlal statements Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditorfs report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAS (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if. individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to inftuence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. Irregularities, including fraud. are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detsiled below: We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the company and the sector in which it operates and considered the risk of non - compliance witti applicable laws or regulations. We detennined that the following laws and regulations were most significant= the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, Accounting and Reporting by Charities." Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial and Reporting Standard applicable to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland 1,888 (369) (71,145) (2,357) 1.519 71,145 2,357 Capital Building Project YIF National Lottery Onside Winter Holiday Hunger Onside Impact Fund Residential 4,642,179 (110.310) (68,627) (75,000) (12,964) {5.644) 4,531.869 1 $8.571 227,198 75,000 12.964 5.644 Total 4,653,014 1,261,561 1.203,859 4 710,716 45 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company Ilmlted by guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Providing positive activity and food through the Easter holidays to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds tackling holiday hunger. HAF- Easter Various projects lo help young people, particulady those with special needs, get into employmenl or training. Youth Hub Monies received for the inlts'al conslruction and fitting out of the building. The original expenditure relates to the annual depreciation charge. Capital Building Project To support young people and their families through the cost-of-living crisis. Eric Wright Foundation 1 to 1 and tailored activities for young people struggling with mental health issues. Time to Talk Plus - UKH Foundation To support the pilot year of the Try, Train. Teach Sports and physical activity programme. Peter Harrison - Triple T Spots To deliver positive health and wellbeing Ihrough sport and physical activity. BWD Targeted Community Physical Activiti8s Fund Providing positive activity and food through the summer & winter holidays to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds tackling holiday hunger. HAF Summer 22 & Winter 22 To engage young people, community, and the private sector in community activbties, volunteering and business engagement. UK Shared Prosperity Fund Supporting young people aged 16-24 who are currently unemployed. not in training or learning and who may have a range of vulnerabilities and need help to move into employment, training or leaming opportunilies. John Lewis Foundation Health and wellbeing evaluats'ons in session and signposting for support where needed. Prudence Trust Wellbeing Worker To deliver weekly performtng arts sessions. Ooyle Carter- The Arts Support vulnerable young people, aged 10-17. at risk of involvement in crime, anti - social behaviour and serious violence Ihrough involvement in local sporting activities. Youth Justic8 Fund - Triple T Sports Digital Futures - Maker Zone To develop a fiexible curriculum which aids the quality and impact of Maker Zone. UK Youth Hatch A work readiness programme for young people aged 16-25 who are not in employment. education, or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. 46 BLACK8URN YOUTH ZONE (A company limited by guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 UK Youth - Futureproof The Futureproof programme aims to support youth workers with the tools and time to work with young people to build practical. essential life skills around challenging topics. Onside Winter Hunger To support the delrvery of free visits with a free meal be￿een November 2022 and March 2023. Clothworkers - refurb intervention room Capital refurbishment of the Intervention Room and outdoor space. Burberry Foundation Creative/Enterprise projects. NCS Community Experiences Encourage young people to try different activities and to step out of their comfort zone. Shepherd Street Trust New basketball kits. Barclays Community Football Increase participation in football activities. BBC CIN- Darnen Targeted Support Worker Funding for a Targeted Support Worker at Da￿len Youth Zone. UCLAN Future Uni Connect programme. Masonic Charitable Trust Care Leavers Mentoring programme. Onside Impact Fund- Maker Zone Development of the Maker Zone. digital arts, space National Lottery Contribution to increased costs relating to utilities, staffing and free meals. NHS ACMH Lancashire and Cumbria Mental Health Transformation project. NCS Delivery of NCS programme to 195 young people. Designated Fund The designated fund is a fund to support the work of Youth Zone Dan•ien. 47 BLACK8URN YOUTH ZONE (A company limlted by guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 15. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS- CURRENT YEAR Unrestrictèd Rastricted funds funds 2024 2024 Total funds 2024 Tangible fixed assets Current assets Creditors due within one year 66.002 1,127.612 382.741 810.873 4,690,440 20,276 4.756.442 1.147,888 382,741 5.521,589 4,710,716 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS - PRIOR YEAR Unr8Stricted fvnds 2023 RestriGt8d funds 2023 Total funds 2023 Tanglble fixed assets Current assets Creditors due wlthln one year 65. 633 845, 392 348, 984 562,041 4, 642. 178 10,835 4.707,811 856, 227 348,984 5,215,054 4,653,013 16. RECONCSLIATION OF NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 2024 2023 Net income l(expenditurel for the year (as per Statement of Financial Activities) 306.535 (131,676) Adjustment for: Depreciation charges Dividends, interest and rents from investments Loss on the sale of fixed assets Decreasel{increase) in stocks (Increase)Idecrease in debtors (decrease)lincrease in creditors Net cash provided by operating actiV5ties 136,057 115,995) 840 137.170 (2.454) (94,699} 33,757 (27. 704) 366,495 67,680 48 BLACKBURN YOUTH ZONE (A company limited by guarantée) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 17. ANALYSIS OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 2024 2023 Cash at bank and in hand 757 779 Total 18. PENSION COMMITMENTS The company operates a defined contributions pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the company to the fund and amounted to £19,829 (2023 £15.568). Contributions totaling £4.335 (2023 - £5,947) were payable to the fund at the balan￿ sheet date and are included in other creditors. 19. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS AH Graham, who is a trustee. is a director of Graham & Brown Limited. During the year. this company made donations totaling £25.000 (2023 - £25,000) and sponsorship of events of £590 (2023 - £1,540). E Swan, who is a trustee, is a partner of Forbes Solicitors. Wayne Wild, a trustee. is the husband of the Managing Partner of Forbes Solicitors. During the year, Forbes Solicitors made donations totaling £11,833 (2023- £9.165) and sponsorship of evenls of £650 {2023 - £2,000). Blackbum Youth Zone paid £1,080 (2023 £Nil) for legal services. Wayne Wild is the sole director of Lumax Ltd. who are in tum the sole shareholders of 3g Pitch Hire Ltd. During the year the company paid 3G Pitch Hire Ltd £3,135 (2023: £1,265) for the hire of the 3G pitch al AFC Darwen. EA Sidat, who was a trustee until 26 September 2023, is a director of AMS Accountants Group Limited and Signature Tax Ltd. During the year the company made donations of £10.000 {2023 - £12,500) and sponsorship of events of £2.500 (2023 - £840) M Saxton, who is a trustee. is a director of Totally Wicked. During Ihe year Totally Wicked made donations of £25.000 {2023 - £25.000) and sponsorship of events of £4,220 (2023 - £2.230) P. Mellor. who is a trustee. is a director of Cummins Mellor Limited, Chef Jobs UK Ltd and Personnel Checks Limited. During the year Cummins Mellor made donations totalling £8,220 {2023- £9,480). During the year Blackburn Youth Zone paid £nil {2023 £5.844) to Cummins Mellor Limited for recruitment se￿ICes. £3.848 {2023: £1,017) to Chef Jobs UK Ltd for temporary staff and £2,390 (2023: £2,532) to Personnel Checks Limited for DBS checking services. 20. FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS At 31 March 2024 Blackburn Youth Zone had financial commitments of £57.967 (2023: £nil) not included in the balance sheet. 21. CONTROLLING PARTY There is no controlling party. 49