## **Trustees Annual Report for the Period April 2020 to March 2021**
## **Reference and Administration Details**
**Charity Name:** Bright Futures NE
**Registered Charity Number:** 1157578
**Charities Principal Address:** Community Hub
459 John Williamson Street South Shields Tyne and Wear NE33 5HP
## **Name of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|Name|Office|Dates acted if not for
whole year|
|---|---|---|
|Joyce Welsh|Chair||
|William Thompson|Treasurer||
|Erin Price|Vice Chair||
|Andrew Moore|Secretary||
|Stuart Meikle|Member||
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
## **Description of the charity's trusts**
**Type of governing documents:** Constitution adopted 01/10/14.
**Trustee selection method:** Trustees are appointed or reappointed annually at the Annual General Meeting held in April.
## **Objectives and Activities**
The objects of the organisation are to act as a resource for young women aged up to 25 living in Tyne and Wear by providing advice and assistance and organising programmes of physical, educational and other activities, in particular but not exclusively to address issues concerned with alcohol and substance misuse and sexual health as a means of:
(a) advancing in life and helping young people by developing their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals;
(b) advancing education;
(c) providing recreational and leisure time activity in the interests of social welfare for people living in the area of benefit who have need by their youth, age, infirmity or disability, poverty or social and economic circumstances with a view to improving the conditions of life of such persons.
## **Achievement and Performance**
During the course of this financial year Bright Futures services have been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. In line with Government guidelines, we have been required to continually adjust our work throughout the periods of lockdowns, tiered systems and in adherence to social distancing measures. These continued adjustments had a significant impact in the way we have been able to provide support and services to those most vulnerable young women and girls within our communities. However, the significant implications that Covid-19 was having upon the young women that we support challenged us to quickly adapt and change our delivery in order to continue to provide our support services, this included the delivery of activities online, delivering additional projects including food and activity packs, continuing to pilot new ways of involving young people in our services for example virtual fitness sessions, group activities and social action projects. We have continued to develop a wide range of projects alongside the young women we support allowing us to engage them further in positive, social and educational activities aimed at increasing their personal and social development as well as increasing our reach to support further young women in the services Bright Futures deliver.
Bright Futures have continued to develop and deliver a range of programmes with a wide range of outcomes including our bespoke prevention and education programmes, social action and community projects, young mums and mums to be groups and intensive support programme, volunteering project and detached youth work. We have continued to recruit and support volunteers to work with us in a variety of ways including face to face work with young women, the planning of positive social activities and administration tasks. Our volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and many have approached the organisation to volunteer as they have themselves benefited from the work of Bright Futures and would like to give something back.
All young people are encouraged to play an integral part in the planning and development of Bright Futures activities. We continue to consult with children, young people, parents/carers, staff and board members regularly through group discussions, feedback and surveys. This consultation has helped to shape the new ways we have delivered our services over the course of the pandemic and will continue to influence our delivery moving forward.
We are proud to report that in November 2020 Bright Futures were awarded North East Charity of the Year.
Bright Futures have extensive experience of working strategically and influencing which is demonstrated in our ongoing commitment to tackle the disadvantages, injustices and inequalities facing young women and providing them with a platform to use their voices to drive long term change. Over the last 9 years Bright Futures have
forged significant relationships with key strategic partners including local and national government, social care services, local authorities, police, researchers and alliances to share its own findings and good practice to create a long-term fairer future for young women effected by a range of issues and inequalities. We have continued to develop and build on these relationships over the last year, particularly to raise awareness of the significant impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the young women and their families that we support.
Please see a brief summary of the projects we have delivered below, as discussed, they have been delivered through a variety of ways in response to government guidelines throughout the year including face to face delivery, online activities and support alongside physical resources and activity packs which we have delivered to young women and girls homes and support services and education via Zoom and telephone.
## **Sexual Exploitation**
Bright Futures have continued to deliver a range of interventions aimed at preventing and addressing child sexual exploitation across Tyne and Wear. We have continued to deliver education sessions, school assemblies, street based outreach work, parents and carers support and one to one support to young women. We continue to see an increase in the numbers of referrals that we receive for a range of support and since the start of the pandemic we have seen an increase of 20% in referrals for young women who have been affected by issues relating to child sexual exploitation. We know that our role within the community continues to play a key role in supporting young women at the earliest opportunity and ensuring action is taken to prevent, protect and safeguard.
## **Community Ambassadors Programme**
We have continued to recruit young women to the Community Ambassadors Programme.
This project reflects all of the #iwill 6 principles which define great social action:
Reflective- We recognise the valuable contribution that young people do and can make to the communities in which they live and actively involve young women in the planning, delivery and evaluation of this project in order to identify success and also learn and improve. Regular consultation takes place ensuring we continue to meet the needs of the young women involved and also to ensure that young people are aware of the wider social impact of their activities.
Challenging - This project develops the ambitions of young women involved. We engage young women in accessible and enjoyable weekly activities within their communities and utilise their engagement in these activities to inspire them to become further involved in other social action projects.
Youth-Led - This project has been developed alongside our Community Ambassadors and actively encourages more young women to continue to be involved in the planning, delivery and monitoring ensuring it addresses and tackles issues that are
important to them.
Progressive - The young women engaged are supported to access our other programmes which meet their needs including our Employment Project, Young Mums Groups as well as accessing other volunteering opportunities.
Embedded - We continue to ensure that this project becomes embedded into the lives of those we engage with by providing weekly activities ensuring attendance becomes a habit and social action is integrated into their consciousness now and in the future.
This project has gone from strength to strength throughout this year with young people developing a number of social action projects within their communities in response to Covid-19. Examples include a pen pal scheme alongside our local care home and a project to provide food parcels to our local food banks within the community.
## **Health and Wellbeing**
Bright Futures have continued to deliver a range of services aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of young women, we know that South Tyneside is within the worst 10% of local authority areas in the Index of Multiple Deprivation Health and Disability which measures the risk of premature death and the impairment of quality of life through poor physical or mental health. Our services continue to encourage young women to take more care of themselves and range from specific activities focused on reducing harmful behaviours such as our distribution of condoms and STI screening to fun activities that encourage young women to eat more healthily and take more exercise such as our weekly fitness sessions, healthy cooking classes and our issue based work around a range of health issues including obesity, period poverty, sexual health and substance misuse.
## **Mini Ambassadors**
The 'Mini Ambassador Programme' has continued to be delivered to children aged 5- 15 in the Cleadon Park area of South Tyneside. Over the last year the project has engaged 87 children in a range of projects giving them better physical and emotional health, new skills and opportunities to have fun.
Although our service delivery has been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic we were able to adapt and respond developing new ways of working and have continued to deliver a range of intergenerational, environmental, health and community projects including multi-cultural activities, seasonal projects and activities, poetry and arts projects, cooking, science, relaxation and wellbeing techniques.
We have continued to provide a wide range of educational opportunities for children around a range of life skills impacting upon their safety, health and wellbeing including hygiene, obesity, bullying, online and e-safety, healthy relationships, antisocial behaviour and crime.
We have continued to provide opportunities for young women aged between 12 and 17 to become Peer Leaders as and when face to face delivery was permitted. They have continued to be instrumental in supporting the development and delivery of activities, engaging with younger children and being positive role models. Increasing their own self-esteem and confidence and gaining practical skills and experience to move forward in further education, training and employment.
This project has continued to have an impact on community cohesion helping to create safer and stronger communities with more active and healthy citizens working together to overcome local problems breaking down barriers between generations .
## **Young Mums and Mums to Be Groups**
Bright Futures have continued to develop and deliver our two Young Mum and Mums to Be Groups which have been established for the last 7 years across two highly deprived areas of South Tyneside; West Harton, where it is estimated that 45% of children are living in poverty; and Jarrow, where it’s estimated that 47% of children are living in poverty. Groups are delivered weekly in local Children’s Centres and were open to all young women aged 14-25 and their children. The groups engage both mums and their children who suffer multiple disadvantages including poverty and deprivation, feelings of depression and isolation, poor health and wellbeing which all impact upon their ability to meet their own and their children’s day to day needs and provide practical support to young mums around housing, benefits, budgeting, employment, domestic abuse and mental health as well as providing support specific to the needs of their children including healthy cooking, first aid and parenting skills.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns and restrictions young mums and their children have been extremely isolated, often residing in small single person accommodation with very little outside space and struggling more than ever with feelings of isolations and increasing mental health concerns. We have continued our support for these young mums and their children through this difficult situation by providing a range of adapted and flexible projects including:
- Increased intensive support on a daily basis through telephone and Zoom contact and the facilitation of group sessions providing an opportunity for the mums to share their experiences and support each other to reduce their feelings of isolation.
- - The provision of essential emergency supplies to those young mums and their children who are most disadvantaged and in need, these have included weekly food parcels, supermarket e-vouchers, toiletries, baby formula and nappies.
- Developed a monitored WhatsApp group, working with our Young Mum Mentors to ensure it remains a safe place out of hours. The activity on group extremely active everyday with over 80 young mums in the group. Discussion is varied from relationships, parenting issues, arts and craft ideas and sharing food recipes.
- Delivered well-being parcels. including crafts, baking, well-being packs and mindfulness activities.
- Supported those young mums most in need by applying for funding to purchase items including beds, carpets and. help with household bills.
- Employment support, leading to paid employment.
- A range of training opportunities, 18 mums have engaged in 42 online training course organised by Bright Futures, including first aid, food safety, health and
safety, health and social, safeguarding, these range from certificates to level 2 qualifications.
- Collection and delivery of essential items – working with partner organisations including foodbanks our staff have been able to source items for the mums during lockdown.
- Partnership work with other agencies including national research with AGENDA, Young Women’s Trust, BBC Tiny Happy People, BBC Look North and local media.
- Support with statutory meetings – staff supported mums during safeguarding conferences and meetings, providing support and reports, before, during and after.
- Confidence and self-esteem building activities, to break the monotony and isolation during lockdown staff organised fun games for the group to join in with, both via zoom and through WhatsApp.
-
- Face to face meet ups when allowed, including one to ones in public buildings and small group work in parks.
- Weekly group sessions in Covid secure venues – we were able to privately hire a gymnastics venue for the mums to meet up safely.
- Domestic violence support, as an ongoing part of our support we offer healthy relationships education and signpost the most vulnerable mums to other organisations where necessary.
- Seasonal events throughout the year delivered in the community when able to meet face to face and online activities events alongside the delivery of practical activities including arts and crafts.
Bright Futures quick adaptation in its service delivery has produced many positive outcomes throughout this period, for example, the young mums have asked if daily Zoom calls can continue, this has been an excellent way for the mums to keep in touch, ‘a reason to get up in the morning’, ‘the only thing that is a constant in my life’, ‘something to look forward to’. The mums have deepened their connections to each other, they feel like they know each other better and have built up new social connections as a result. Being able to see the mums in their own surroundings, on their good days and their bad days has enabled us to massively reduce isolation within the community. Mums from all over the area have been able to join.
## **Employment, Education and Training Support Project**
Bright Futures have continued to develop its Employment, Education and Training Support Project and in the last year we have developed and delivered more intensive employment support programme. Through our experience of delivering employment support to young women we know that there are root causes to many young women’s unemployment which include low self-esteem, mental health issues, substance misuse, homelessness, exploitation, trafficking, criminal records, previous low educational attainment and being young mums to address this we have continued to develop and deliver programmes which allows us to be able to provide a more intensive support to address these issues.
## **Future Hope Project**
This project has continued to develop and flourish over the course of this financial year. This project is delivered alongside women whose primary experience of vulnerability has been their direct involvement in sex work.
We know that volunteering is extremely rewarding and provides opportunities to learn new skills to improve womens life chances making them less vulnerable and ultimately assisting in them to exit sex work and begin to build a positive future. Furthermore, we know that developing the role of volunteers within this community provides Bright Futures and our partners with an invaluable user-led perspective and expertise on their needs and allows us to co-design and deliver safeguarding responses and strategies which meet the needs of our most vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups.
The group meets weekly and continues to go from strength to strength with women travelling from across the region to attend the group.
## **Financial Review**
Our main source of income this year has been grant funds which totalled £438,378. Of which, £58,113 was restricted. Spending on charitable activities and generating funds was 92.99% of total expenditure for 2021, this highlights our commitment to utilising the income to where it is most beneficial to our aims and objectives.
At the year end Bright Futures had £520,752 cash and cash equivalents with a split of £130,000 unrestricted and £390,752 restricted. The amounts held will allow Bright Futures to continue providing their vital services for several months if all funding comes to a standstill (an unlikely prospect, nevertheless, one that needs to be planned for given the current circumstances with the COVID-19).
The coming year will see Bright Futures build on the work that we have already successfully delivered in improving young women's health and wellbeing, providing them with a brighter future. The aim of this work is to increase the reach of Bright Futures.
## **Declaration**
The trustees have complied with the duty imposed by section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the guidance published by the Charity Commission in respect of public benefit.
Signed on behalf of the trustees:
Full name: Joyce Welsh
Position: Management Committee Chair
Date: 9[h] December 2021
CHARITY COMAIISSION
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Brigm FLrtures NE
ChaTrty No
1157578
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Section A
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**Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
## **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**
**Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of** Bright Futures NE **On accounts for the** 31[st] March 2021 **Charity no** 1157578 **year ended (if any) Set out on pages** Document CC17a pages 1 and 2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
**Respective** The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. **responsibilities of** The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year **trustees and examiner** under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
- **Basis of independent** My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions **examiner’s statement** given by the Charity Commission. 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 the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given 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** In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention
- **examiner's statement** 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
- 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.
|**Signed:**
**Name:**
**Relevant professional**
**qualification(s) or body**
**(if any):**|P.Martin
**Date:**|12/01/2022|
|---|---|---|
||||
||||
||Phillip Martin||
||||
||AFA
MAAT||
1
**March 2012**
**IER**
**Address:** 23 Oakham Gardens North Shields Tyne & Wear, NE29 7QG
## **Section B Disclosure**
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems.
2
**March 2012**
**IER**
**Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** .
3
**March 2012**
**IER**