## EL TELEFONO DE LA ESPERANZA ## **TRUSTEES ́ ANNUAL REPORT** REGISTRATION No. 1145474 COMPANY REGISTRATION No. 06910719 1 ## **Table of Contents** |1.|DIRECTOR’S NOTE|3| |---|---|---| |2.|CHARITY DESCRIPTION|4| ||OBJECTIVES|5| ||MISSION|5| |3.|DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT|6| |3.|PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITES|7| ||ACTIVITIES:|8| ||ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE INTEGRATION:|8| ||ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE|8| ||IN-HOUSE TRAINING:|10| |4.|TRUSTEES REPORT|11| |5.|INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT|12| |6.|CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS|13| |7.|EVENTS AND MEETINGS INFORMATION|14| |8.|CHARITY BOARD|15| 2 ## **1. DIRECTOR’S NOTE** ## **“WE HELP TO THRIVE AND WE THRIVE TO HELP”** My life mission is to help with altruism and professionalism. This year we met again after the COVID pandemic and the work done by the volunteers was great. It was a year of gathering and supporting our volunteers for their brilliant work, and at the same time of re-organizing means to provide services. We are now online and face-to-face. It has been a year full of challenges, empowering our community to get together again and progressing with our personal development and well-being. That way, we assisted with the integration to the UK system and supported Spanish and Portuguese speaking families. We managed to lower the level of anxiety, fear and inspiring people to get involved in our school of emotional health; we are a charity who work promoting migrants’ mental health and along with the University of Bath and Red Atenea we achieved the participation of more than 300 people in the International Congress on Migration and Mental Health, and thus considerably more activities were developed. Our vision is to increase the volunteers training by 50% along with our networks. We are frontrunners in supporting well-being and mental health, we count on the trustworthiness of the community and we realize that our services are increasingly required. It is, therefore, our priority to continue in fundraising. “Wishing is not enough, knowing how is essential too”. Kind regards, Nan��Lis���� Director 3 ## **2. CHARITY DESCRIPTION** Voces Amigas de Esperanza UK (VOADES UK) is non-for-profit organization dedicated to support people’s mental wellbeing and social integration that are migrants or refugees Spanish and Portuguese speakers. Our communities are based across the UK, with the majority of the group living in London and Birmingham. VOADES UK services are aimed to improve the prevention and management of emotional and psychological crisis, and the promotion of emotional and mental wellbeing. We believe in prevention of harm and the promotion of emotional health, and thus we develop programmes and campaigns within the community. People using our services can take workshops, including, ‘Think well and feel better’, ‘Be yourself’ (aimed at young people), ‘Emotional autonomy’, ‘Learn to love’. We also run the campaign, ‘Your emotional health is as important as your work, study, family’. This campaign is being conducted jointly with CLAUK (a coalition of fifteen Latin American organizations). We provide support in different ways that include a low cost ‘Talking Therapy’ service, personal development programmes and support for good mental health of migrants. At our office, we operate our crisis intervention phone line and low-cost therapy service, in addition to conferences, courses, workshops, seminars, one-on-one therapy, couples and/or family therapy, and group therapy. We have 38 volunteer members who have supported around 4120 people during the last year. People contact us through personal recommendations, self-referrals via our publicity, and NHS referrals. 4 VOADES UK was established in 2003 by Nancy Liscano. She was working on the radio program "En contacto" (In contact) The program audience were spanish speakers who welcomed the support offered for their emotional wellbeing and mental health through workshops, seminars and events for children and families. In 2004, Ernesto Ortega, t director contacted Nancy to propose they create in the UK a branch of “Teléfono de la Esperanza” (telephone of Hope) UK. In 2003 Nancy was trained by the president of the Spanish Charity himself whilst achieving her PhD studies in Madrid. She also started to build the basis and structure of the organisation by training future London volunteers with free mental health programmes. On 11 April 2006, El Teléfono de la Esperanza UK is formally constituted as a new institution, with the settled program: " Agentes de ayuda" (Help agents). In October 2008, the telephone helpline for crisis intervention is opened. A big restructure took place in 2016 with the name of the institution changed to VOADES UK, with Nancy Liscano as vice president of VOADES INTERNACIONAL; the organisation became a member of the International Federation Voces Amigas de Esperanza. This change has brought wider scope and new approaches to the way the organisation plays an important role as an emotional health school for the promotion of the mental wellbeing of Spanish and Portuguese speakers. In 2019, VOADES UK conducted a process of reflection on our mission and vision. We consolidated a link with VOADES sections in Spain, Portugal, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, and other centres in Latin-America and Morocco; we are in a stronger position to serve our communities in the UK. This better reflects the extension of our focus and commitment to migrants more widely than Spanish and Portuguese speakers. ## **OBJECTIVES** The main objective of the charity is to provide support in emotional and mental health and general wellbeing for migrants and refugees mainly, but not exclusively, for the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking communities in the UK. Our purpose is to help develop the ability of people to overcome a crisis, to keep hope during difficult times and to develop their full potential as human beings. ## **MISSION** The mission of El Teléfono de la Esperanza (VOADES UK) is to promote a culture of wellbeing and personal development, preventing mental illness of migrants and refugees, from Spanish and Portuguese-speaking communities living in the UK. We are immigrants working for immigrants, offering ethical and professional support to people in times of crisis and distress. We promote their interaction and integration in British society. We aim to advance our motto: ‘Take care of our mental wellbeing’. WE ALL CAN GIVE WE ALL NEED TO RECEIVE ## **VISION** VOADES UK aims to be a pioneer – an altruistic and professional organisation exercising emotional support in the community. Run by trained and committed volunteer members, we use a Relational Skilled Helper approach. We remain open to addressing new challenges and extending our support beyond Spanish and Portuguese-speaking communities. 5 ## **VALUES AND CORE PRINCIPLES** **1.** VOADES UK is a non-profit, non-governmental, voluntary, social action, development organisation. Our main purpose is to offer professional, ethical and comprehensive crisis intervention and low-cost emotional therapeutic support services to migrants and refugee primarily but not exclusively from Spanish and Portuguesespeaking communities. We promote a culture of wellbeing and emotional health. **2.** We believe in the personal capacity of individuals to overcome crises and difficulties, empowering their abilities to develop their full potential as human beings, via a holistic approach of keeping hope alive whilst undergoing difficulties. **3.** Our principle of solidarity – ‘taking care of the wellbeing of migrants’ – is the foundation of our professional practice, offering needs-based assistance in the context of primary care to as many people we can, empowering individuals, families and/or groups in crisis, experiencing change and/or migration. ## **3. DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** Each area of activity is managed by a director, assisted by a co-director and volunteer members. All volunteers involved with VOADES UK must have a clean Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) registration. This process helps to familiarise everyone with the aims, 6 objectives and structures of the organisation, as well as the policies and procedures that are likely to be of relevance to their work. ## **3. PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITES** For the last 12 years we have organised an International Congress on mental health for immigrants. Last year the event took place in Bath Spa University in England, we had online activities with participation of more than 50 speakers and participants. El Teléfono de la Esperanza (VOADES UK) presented research on mental health within the immigrant Latin American community in London, with young people speaking about their wellbeing and mental health lead family migrant support. 7 InternaAonal Utysses SyndromeDay Dia dela World WoddBook Dav forChiWren atKI Aduhs SPEaAL(WION DAYS TOTAL PAR TIQIPANTS-. 397 TOTAL HOURS". 49 TOTAL RESPONSIBLE- 19 Cdebration ÉathÈrinÉ honouring eldedv vdunieersand Chrismias Fair Interna(ional Volunteer Day Volunteers 8athering and singing to lrfe Natuie Walk and Mindfulness wtth Picnic Breakfasi wtth Voades OUTINGS FORMENTAL HEALTH TOTAL PARTICIPANTS= 80 TOTAL HOURS: 34 TOTAL RESPONSIBLE= 11 London Boat Ride and Musical bv the Rtver Spa for Relaxation |**DATE**
**EVENTS**
**PARTICIPANTS**|**DATE**
**EVENTS**
**PARTICIPANTS**|**DATE**
**EVENTS**
**PARTICIPANTS**| |---|---|---| |**30 octubre**|Mental Health Congress|357| |**24 abril**|Brixton Reel FesAval, FesAval de
Encuentro|260| |**25 mayo**|Wellbeing and Mental Health week|350| |**28 mayo**|Voades in First InternaAonal Congress
for entrepreneurs and investors|150| |**4 abril**
|Refugees and Mental Health in the UK,
talk with Red Athenea|65| |**6 mayo**|Ulise en syndrome day|120| ||Mental Health and Migration|| ||Ulyses Syndrom Trainning|23| ||Christmas Logoteraphy AMES|115| ||Among friends|260| |**TOTAL**||**1700**| |||| 9 ## **ACTIVITIES:** ## **ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE INTEGRATION:** - ‘Among Friends ́, a program that provides a space for the community as a whole. - Wellbeing activities, such as, ́Body tapping balance’ and ‘Mindfulness’. - Activities for the social-emotional development for children and teenagers during school holidays. - Celebrations of International Mental Health and Prevention of Suicide days, involving other organizations and the media. 10 - Celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week on 18-23 May, as part of a campaign for emotional support and activities promoting emotional help. - A conference on emotional health for one week annually. ‘Listening to the Loneliness People programmes. ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** During the year from I June 2021- Mayo 2022, the charity’s key achievements were the following: - Our telephone helpline service assisted 3169 calls. - Personal support and assistance was provided to 151 people in 615 one-to-one sessions, some of them online. - Family counselling was provided to more than 80 families. - Workshops, courses and conferences were carried out with more than 789 participants in total, on the following subjects: managing stress and anxiety, improving parents’ relations with their children, suicide prevention, self-esteem and personal development, mental health challenges faced by immigrants, and developing healthy communication. - A Congress and campaigns to promote good mental health and foster integration led by THE TEUK (VOADES) in partnership with 15 other organizations members of CLAUK. - All i all we have participated in more than 31 events with over 5799 participants in total, online and face to face - To boost the morale of our community in times of pandemic, we conducted the “Salva la Esperanza” (Save the Hope) campaign, in which we shared through our social media and radio, different messages of hope for the community as well as valuable and relevant public health information in Spanish and Portuguese. 14 Express News programs and 7 news articles - Likewise, in coordination with other Latin institutions, we provide valuable information in Spanish Portuguese on the health measures implemented by the authorities and their changes. - We were able to consolidate Voades' international support with other institutions and networks in different parts of the world through the use of remote communication technologies. - We integrated with other institutions and through the platform of the Athenea Network, we were able to address the situation of the pandemic with the migrant community in an assertive way, thus providing timely information so that they could experience the health crisis in an equanimous way. - Together with the Athena Network and the NHS, we held three panel discussions where we invited health experts to talk about health measures, vaccination as well as the impact of the pandemic. - As the pandemic unfortunately affected the pockets of vulnerable groups, such as the migrant community, we held workshops on financial management in crisis situations, so that our community could learn how to manage their money efficiently and strategically. 11 We provide communication and therapeutic training courses for volunteers, to give them basic and advanced tools as required, knowledge and confidence to engage with vulnerable people, with sensitivity and professionalism. In addition, we provide resilience and wellbeing training that provides volunteer members with techniques that support their own emotional wellbeing in their private and/or work life. For more than 16 years, our dedicated team has delivered these courses under our ‘Aid Agents Programme’, which consists of two parts: ## **First Part:** This part focuses on self-knowledge, personal growth, and the therapeutic process of individuals. We believe that when our volunteer members are comfortable on their own personal journey, it is much easier for them to accompany others on their journey. Self-Knowledge Course: Consists of three intensive days of theoretical work, followed by twelve therapy sessions of two hours each, weekly to enable the volunteer to consolidate a personal self-concept and their personality’s make-up. Personal Growth and Development Course: Consists of three intensive days of theoretical work, followed by 12 therapy sessions of two hours each, weekly, to consolidate more grounded personal growth and development. ## **Second Part:** The second part provides guidance on practical listening skills and therapeutic practical. Skilled helpers and relational helping professionals provide this course. This equips all our members with a professional attitude in delivering professional crisis intervention. Skilled Relational Helper Therapy Seminar This seminar consists of a relational therapeutic practice, focused under a humanistic psycho-educational approach, allows for emotional support and an acknowledgement of an ethical framework for duty of care. ## **IN-HOUSE TRAINING:** Our in-house training course for members. This seminar links to three other training options: - a) The ‘help-line crisis intervention course’, ‘a professional approach to talking therapies seminar’ - b) ‘The leadership workshop’ and Help-line techniques, short or long term emotional support and guidance for leadership; and - c) ‘Professionals’ Seminar’, for fully qualified counsellors and/or psychotherapists (or counsellor trainees). This is an advanced seminar for Counselling and Psychotherapy, consisting of 10 practical seminar sessions of two hours, during a period of ten weeks and it is valid to formalise hours of a Continuing Personal Development (CPD). 12 All of these activities are carried out by 35 members on a voluntary basis. ## **4. TRUSTEES REPORT** ## **5. INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT** ????? 13 ## **6. CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** Significant accounting policies and practices 14 ## **7. EVENTS AND MEETINGS INFORMATION** Our programme of activities included courses, workshops, conferences and events for children, lonely people and couples. Furthermore, El Teléfono de la Esperanza (VOADES UK) supported integration to the community with the programme of prevention and promotion of emotional wellbeing. 15 8. CHARITY BOARD Richard Anthony Carter Trustee Jose Lopez Trustee Nancy Liscano Trustee 16 ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES** ## **EL TELEFONO DE LA ESPERANZA** I report on the accounts of Voades Voces amigas de Esperanza for the year ended 31[st] May 2022 set out on the following pages which have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies shown in the corresponding pages. ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of accounts: they consider that the audit requirement under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act), does not apply. It is my responsibility to: - Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act. - Follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners made under section 145 (5) (b) of the 2011 Act. - State whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of Independent examiner’s report** My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention: 1. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material aspect, the trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that: - Proper accounting records are kept (in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006) - Accounts are prepared which agree with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statements of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities have not been met; or 2. To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Claudia Patricia Giraldo FCCA Tel. 020 8150 6244 1 ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES** ## **EL TELEFONO DE LA ESPERANZA** I report on the accounts of Voades Voces amigas de Esperanza for the year ended 31[st] May 2022 set out on the following pages which have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies shown in the corresponding pages. ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of accounts: they consider that the audit requirement under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act), does not apply. It is my responsibility to: - Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act. - Follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners made under section 145 (5) (b) of the 2011 Act. - State whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of Independent examiner’s report** My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention: 1. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material aspect, the trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that: - Proper accounting records are kept (in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006) - Accounts are prepared which agree with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statements of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities have not been met; or 2. To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Claudia Patricia Giraldo FCCA Tel. 020 8150 6244 1