Annual Report and Financial Statements Year ending 31[st] December 2023
WHO ARE WE?
VISION, VALUES & APPROACH
Novō’s vision is to bring freedom to individuals, peace to families, and hope to communities gripped by addiction. How do we do that? By empowering God’s people in developing nations to create transformational communities that offer healing, wholeness, and hope.
Five core values shape what we do: integrity, empowerment, respect, excellence, and community.
We view addiction as a whole-person (bio-psycho-social-spiritual) problem requiring a whole-person solution.
We believe that long-term recovery is achievable, whatever a person’s story or circumstance, and that the best foundation for true freedom is a living relationship with God through Jesus Christ. However, we will never impose our viewpoint upon anyone, recognising freedom of choice in faith, as in other areas. We welcome and value applications from men from all walks of life, backgrounds, ethnicity, culture, and faith.
NOVŌ BOLIVIA
TRANSFORMED LIVES
In November 2016, Novō’s community in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, opened its doors to help men find healing, wholeness, and hope. Today, the work runs effectively under local leadership and has a measurable impact.
Quinta Totaices, our home in Santa Cruz, is a sizeable colonial-style property on the edge of the city, the Quinta is an ideal location for delivering our two treatment programmes. We have space for up to 20 men in recovery.
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On our 24-week Therapeutic programme, residents address the past and prepare for the future, mostly within the security of the Novō community of staff and residents. Our 12week Transition programme focuses on ‘putting into practice’ learning and growth from the recovery programme and establishing relationships in the community.
Both programmes involve 1-1 counselling, recovery groups, opportunities to explore and grow in the Christian faith, vocational work and training, as well as the wider benefits of life in community. In recovery groups, residents share their autobiographies, relapse prevention plans, and other individual projects and explore a whole range of subjects, such as triggers to relapse, communication, and ‘triggers’ to relapse.
Since 2021, Novō has developed a relationship with the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) in Bolivia. Having assessed our work against international standards of addiction care, the UN considers Novō a centre of excellence and a model programme.
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
NOVO SERVICES & NOVŌ ADVENTURES
Quinta Totaices is also home to two businesses. Both independent social enterprises donate 100% of their profits to Novō Communities and are registered under a limited company in Bolivia.
Novō Services is a property and garden maintenance business. The primary focus of the business is the provision of a context for work training, skills formation, and the development of communication skills, character, self-esteem, and positive habits. We offer our manpower free-of-charge to other charities and social organizations, giving our residents that opportunity to serve the wider community.
Novō Adventures is and a motorcycle tour company, catering primarily to international customers.
MULTIPLYING IMPACT
EMPOWERING & EQUIPPING
Addiction is a global epidemic. With our work in Bolivia now well established, Novō is actively seeking to empower local teams elsewhere to develop effective and sustainable recovery communities. Rather than start new works under the ownership of Novō, our aim is to come alongside those called to serve those gripped by addiction, supporting them as they pursue their vision for creating a recovery community with mentoring, training, the Novō
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recovery programme, project evaluations, and broader sense of community and prayer support.
Our long-term goal is to create a community of communities whose heart and approach are a model of compassionate addiction care in the developing world.
In this context, Novō’s community in Bolivia will operate as both a rehabilitation centre and a context for equipping recovery workers from elsewhere in the world. As our capacity develops, we hope to be able to make financial grants that will enhance the effectiveness of our partners’ work.
REVIEW OF YEAR ENDING 31[st] December 2023
Throughout 2023, Novō’s core recovery work in Bolivia was sustained by a stable, experienced team of staff and volunteers under the leadership of our National Director, David Salazar.
During the year our team delivered a holistic programme to the 24 men who joined the programme, including:
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223 hours of therapeutic groups
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466 hours of 1-1 support (counselling/key-working)
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Daily practical work/training opportunities
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Routine medical care, opportunities for sports and recreation, food, and shelter.
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130 Bible studies and visits to local church services
During the year, we saw seven men completed the 6-month “therapeutic” programme and three men complete the 3-month “transition” programme. Additionally, one man completed our intensive programme for ex-residents who want to restart their recovery after a relapse.
Addiction is complex, particularly for those coming from severely disadvantaged backgrounds. It's more than a simple “problem”. Recovery is exceedingly hard. As God’s people, we invest in this work as an expression of God’s sacrificial love and grace, celebrating the results but working, above to all, to glorify by offering healing, wholeness, and hope.
In this context, we are pleased to be able to report that 60% of our 60+ graduates are drug/alcohol-free today. Equally, we celebrate the profound impact made on many more men who experienced God’s grace, and took steps forward in recovery, because of their time with us.
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Our work in Bolivia continues to operate from Quinta Totaices, for which we have a secure and reasonable rental contract. Quinta Totaices is a sizeable property located on the edge of the city, meaning our staff can reach it on public transport, our residents can receive visits from family, and our income-generating businesses can operate within the bustling economy of the city. There is an agreement with the owner to purchase the property as soon funds permit.
Our International Director, Andy Partington, is now located in Managua, Nicaragua from where Andy continues to oversee the work in Bolivia, connecting with the Novō Communities and Novo Adventures teams virtually and through twice-yearly in-person visits. (Andy and his family are self-supported financially, drawing no salary from Novō Communities.)
From Nicaragua, Andy is focused on developed new partnerships through which Novō can multiply its impact. During 2023, Andy developed relationships with recovery workers in Nicaragua, Ecuador and South Africa.
In October 2022, Nanine Steenkamp, CEO of RealDeal , an NGO based in Stellenbosch, South Africa, visited Novō Bolivia with a view to the developing a response to the addiction problem in the townships of the Western Cape. Throughout 2023, we have mentored Nanine and her team.
In March 2023, Rommel Raudales from Nicaraguan NGO Quien Soy Yo? , spent 10-days in Bolivia learning from Novō’s team and programme on-site.
In September, Andy and Bruno Ramirez, a member of our Bolivia team, travelled to Ecuador to meet and train the leadership of Renacer en Cristo , a rehabilitation centre in Guayaquil.
In all the above, we are incredibly grateful to all those individuals, churches, and trusts whose compassion and generosity allowed us to fulfil our mission during 2023.
PROPERTY
In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, we continue with a secure and reasonable rental contract for Quinta Totaices, an ideal base for this work. Quinta Totaices is a sizeable property located on the edge of the city, meaning our staff can reach it on public transport, our residents can receive visits from family, and our income-generating businesses can operate within the bustling economy of the city. There is an agreement with the owner to purchase the property as soon funds permit.
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STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT, ACCOUNTS
UK Novo Communities is formed as a charitable trust. The 4 UK based trustees have met 4 times in the 2023 accounting period and have included Andy Partington, our CEO based in Nicaragua, via video link. Also there have been frequent 1-1 discussions between trustees and Andy Partington. We are thrilled that the monthly update and prayer time via Zoom has continued strongly and forms a bedrock of encouragement and support. As previously, main UK trustee activities have been to manage donations, transferring funds to Bolivia, and acting as advisors in major decisions affecting the project. The Partingtons fully established themselves living in Nicaragua, with no home visits in 2023, though Andy both travelled to the USA and spent a considerable time with on-line interviews following the publication of his book ‘Hope in Addiction’. The book has been very well received and is recommended reading for some international rehab organisations. The local management team in Bolivia has been stable and continues to mature and develop. Novo Adventures continues to operate separately from the charitable work, and we continue to be grateful for the help and advice from a UK retired experienced commercial banker. The team have an experienced local lawyer on employment contracts and other staff issues. Novo Communities Bolivia is registered as a ‘Foundation’ under Bolivian Law.
The trustees have had regard to the guidance from the Charity Commission on public benefit and confirm that the whole work is directed towards the Object of the charity, currently focussed on Bolivia as the pilot project, but with new partnerships under development elsewhere in S. America and S Africa.
Board of Trustees :
Mr Trevor Childs (Chair), Mr Ian Hudell (Treasurer), Mrs Sharon Klitgaard, Mr Jonathan Horne
Leadership Team Bolivia
Dr Andrew Partington CEO Leadership Team
Mr David Salazar Bolivian team leader
Andy Partington is funded personally by donations separate to Novo Communities.
Finance
During 2023 total income increased by 15%. However at the same time the expansion of the work caused significant expenditure increase, as noted in the report last year. The biggest items were travel associated with the expansion of the work within Nicaragua and elsewhere in South America, and purchase of a vehicle to reach remote rehabilitation centres in Nicaragua. The Designated Growth Fund was depleted for the expansion of the work.
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Annual Accounts: NOVO Communities for the year 1[st] January 2023 to 31[st] December 2023
(Registered Charity Number 1164421)
| Opening Balance | £4,205.54 |
|---|---|
| Income for the Year | £118,737.03 |
| Transfers from Reserves | £21,501.10 |
| Transfers to Reserves & Cr Int | £5,000 |
| Expenditure for the year |
£139006.79 |
| Closing Balance | £342.10 |
| INCOME BREAKDOWN | |
| -From Regular individual Giving | £33,389.86 |
| -From Corporate Entities | £33,076.50 |
| -Through Stewardship | £29,773.06 |
| -Through Stripe | £7,423.39 |
| Gift Aid receipts | £14,979.44 |
| Credit interest | £94.78 |
| Total | £118,737.03 |
| EXPENDITURE BREAKDOWN | |
| -Donorfy system | £1,452 |
| -A Partington operational expenses | £16,957.63 |
| -Bank Transfer fees | £240 |
| -Funds Transferred to Bolivia | £103,967.02 |
| -Bank Charges in UK | £301.65 |
| -Advertising | £1290 |
| -Cube Creative – Website Design | £970 |
| -Drug kit requisition | £163 |
| -Training Manual | £1,365.49 |
| -vehicle purchase | £12,300 |
| Total | £139,006.79 |
| Reserves (as at 31/12/23) | |
| Designated Property Fund | £706.52 (£5.87 of credit interest earned through the |
| year) | |
| Designated Growth Fund | £25.63 (£82.99 of credit interest earned through the |
| year) | |
| General Reserve | £0.12 (£5.92 of credit interest earned through the year) |
| NB: Earned interest is reflected in the transfers to and from Reserves |
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Administrative Information
Charity Name: Novo Communities
Charity Registration Number: 1164421
Registered Office & Operational Address:
April House 3 Eastcourt Burbage Wiltshire SN8 3AG
Trustees Declaration and Report of the External Examiner
The trustees declare they have approved the above annual trustees report.
Chair of UK trustees
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