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← Second Chance

2023-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

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Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod
From Period start date To Period end date
1st January 2023 31st December 2023

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1169426

SECOND CHANCE TRUST

Charity's principal address 46 BRAZIL STREET

LEICESTER

Postcode LE4 7JA

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1
2
3
4
5		 Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole
**year **		 Name of person (or body) entitled
to appoint trustee (ifany)
Bibi Amena Parker
Fatihiya Saad
Razia Suleman
Khadija Mugari
Zara Lartey

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

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Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

Constitution

How the charity is constituted

Trust

Trustee selection methods

Nominated by trustees and elected by vote

(eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

Governance Structure

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. Trustees are appointed by the current board members of Trustees. Trustees start off as general members and volunteers and are recommended to become Associate Members, some of whom are further recommended by existing Trustees to become part of the Board. Trustees deploy a wide range of skills and experience essential to good governance of the charity and the balance of the expertise is kept under review. The trustees along with the associate members give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits.

Operational Management is carried out by the majority members of the Board and delegated to the Associate Members who are accountable to the Board. The trustees and associate members hold regular meetings together as a body and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to the running of the activities provided by the charity. To assist in the smooth running of the charity, the Board has several sub-committees to ensure each member plays a clear role and there is accountability for all functions.

Sub-committees are currently set up for finance, projects, and day-to-day management of the charity and report back on performance to the full meeting of the trustees. The subcommittee’s membership reflects the specific skills that trustees can bring to the work of the specific functions of the sub-committees.

Induction and Training of Associate Members

The year 2023 was quite a vibrant year. The current Trustee members are 5. There has been an appointment of one new Trustee member. The charity still plans to advertise for new trustees and associate members to join the organization. Once nominated, the new trustees and associate members would be introduced to their new role and given an induction pack with copies of our governing document, minutes of last meeting and policies and procedures adopted by our charity. Many publications by the Charity Commission are also provided including the guidance on charities and public benefit and our code of conduct. This ensures that new trustees and associate members are aware of the scope of their responsibilities under the Charities Act. Due to the increase in elderly vulnerable people requiring supported living, the charity is looking into the idea of setting up a care agency and later a home to help facilitate the industry which was currently struggling to cater for the large population of elderly and vulnerable members of the community. Once they successfully complete their inductions, the new trustees and associate

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members would initially work with existing members assisting on activities and projects run by the charity. After satisfactory feedback from existing members, they are then given the task of leading an activity or project, reporting progress at trustees and associate member’s meetings. Adequate support is provided to the new Associate Members through training and coaching on specific areas of the skills gap in their roles.

The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works.

Risk Management

The trustees assess the risks the charity faces and draw up a risk matrix which identifies the major risks by area of activity. The nature of those risks, the likelihood of the risks happening; and the measures taken to manage them.

Trustees regularly review and assess the risks faced by the charity at trustee meetings and sub-committee meetings in all areas of its work and plan for the management of those risks. The trustees are satisfied that systems are in place, or arrangements are in hand, to manage the risks that the charity faces.

Insurance cover was in place and the finances of the charity were kept in order. Appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service ( DBS) checks, supported by regular reviewed policies and procedures, were made for all those who work with children or other vulnerable groups within the charity to ensure that there was no risk to the vulnerable people in the community.

Volunteers

Although public Institutions and offices were now fully functional, operational challenges were still the same, with the charity still lacking an office. Despite this, 2022 was another positive year, with over 40 volunteers playing their part in our mission to improve the lives of the community’s most disadvantaged women and young people. Volunteers continued to play a key role in the delivery of our services online and those who had access would visit community members thus remaining vital in enabling us to reach more vulnerable members of the community and to help provide the stability and support that they need.

All our trustees and associate members also give their time freely. We encourage all members of our charity to be involved in voluntary activities and to share their skills with others. We also arrange training and skills workshops for volunteers’ development. All those volunteers working with projects involving children or other vulnerable groups are DBS checked.

The charity Trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The trustees along with the associate members give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits.

The trustees and associate members hold regular meetings together as a body and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to the running of the activities provided by the charity. To assist in the smooth running of the charity the trustees plan to set up several sub-committees to ensure each member plays a clear role and there is accountability for all functions.

Sub-committees are currently set up for finance, projects, and day-to-day management of the charity and report back on performance to the full meeting of the trustees. The sub-

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committee’s membership reflects the skills that trustees can bring to the work of the specific functions of the sub-committees.

For the year 2023, due to the uplifting of movement restrictions, we managed to do a few physical activities in some community centres. Despite this some members were still comfortable holding online sessions for the coffee mornings and other classes.

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the
charity set out in its
governing document
Summary of the main
activities undertaken for the
public benefit in relation to
these objects (include within
this section the statutory
declaration that trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit)		 Vision:
A community where women have an improved quality of life and
through them their whole families
Goals:
to build a strong community; promote community cohesion irrespective
of faith, ethnicity, and nationality; provide character building skills and
activities and promote socialisation and integration
Our vision, mission, goals, and values reinforce everything we do,
keeping us determined to achieve our ultimate vision for a community
where women living in deprived areas of Leicester and surrounding
areas irrespective of ethnicity or faith are provided with services to
improve the quality of their lives.
Objectives:
•
Building a strong community,
•
Promoting community cohesion irrespective of faith, ethnicity, and
nationality,
•
Providing character building skills and activities and promoting
socialisation and integration.
Services, Activities & Achievements: How do our activities deliver public benefit?
The charity carries out a wide range of activities in pursuance of its charitable aims. The
trustees consider that these activities summarized below provide benefit both to those
who have direct access to our services and to the wider community of Leicester.
Community Services & Activities
Our charity provides a valuable educational and recreational resource. A wide variety of
activities are organized and take place from our center.
Counselling
Our counselling service is open to women aged 18 and over. Our counselling clients
come to us for several reasons, ranging from depression, anxiety, low self-esteem to
deeper issues such as abuse and domestic violence. Our Counsellor is a volunteer and
a trained practitioner in Counselling andPsychotherapy. As the community was coming
to normalcy after the COVID19 pandemic, cases continued to spiral hence the urgent
need for more online and face to face counselling support.
Between January 2023 and December 2023, our counsellor saw clients on a regular
weekly basis. Most of them were referrals to Shama Women’s Centre. Many reported
that they felt that their emotional needs were addressed through therapy.
Housing, Benefit & Family Support Service
Due to the lack of office premises, fewer women were supported or signposted through
this service. Women and their families struggling with benefit and debt problems and
wanting advice and financial support. Our Support Workers worked from home and dealt
with cases by drawing up budgets and teaching money management, providing benefit
and housing support by completing forms and signposting to other agencies.

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These women were able to improve their financial situation and rebuild their lives. Many of the women were experiencing situations which affected their ability to access mainstream support. Single parenthood, ethnic minority background, poor numeracy and literacy skills, risk of eviction, homelessness and relationship difficulties were some of the issues tackled. Volunteers who had access to transport were able to visit some of the members who needed physical support.

Telephone Enquiries

For the period of January 1[st] , 2023, to December 31[st] , 2023, we received approximately 350 individual telephone enquiries on private phones. This was up by almost 50 calls from the last year mainly attributed to the mental state of the community as many were being rehabilitated into various occupational posts that had been disrupted post COVID19 pandemic. We also received many enquiries via email and social media. Benefits, Domestic Violence, Immigration, Form Filling, Homelessness, and Counselling was a main factor. Domestic Violence, Unemployment and homelessness cases were alarmingly high attributed to the influx of immigrants due to war and other economic factors from Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. This also saw a great demand in language translation services.

Wednesday Coffee Mornings

This year, unlike last year, there were a few physical contact coffee mornings arranged. The charity was able to sign post members facing isolation and loneliness to various community centers that offered regular coffee mornings like Wesley Hall, St Matthews center and Leicester City in the Community. Some members were still comfortable doing online group support, so we had activities organized and run through apps like Zoom, Skype, MSN messenger and Google meet. Online support was provided regularly once a week and links were made with other social online support groups. The charity was able to continue developing social networks for the community for young and older people living in the area that contributed to health, social and mental wellbeing. The women attending have discovered mutual support networks where they can chat freely and offer advice and exchange information. The online support groups were able to gather over 420 participants in attendance, 70 more than last year, for the different support sessions. From these groups the CK25 running group of women was established. Other groups formed included the Leicester walking group, gardening, and golf.

Summer Scheme 2023

This year there was no Physical Summer Scheme because a lot of communities within Leicester covering all the local boroughs had a summer activity that addressed the youth aged 5 to 16. Instead, the charity liaised with online support groups, and they were able to sign post parents and volunteers of the summer scheme to activities that were being carried out in different areas of Leicester. Therefore, the charity was able to maintain the focus of bringing children from different ethnic and social backgrounds to learn basic life skills, play and work together thus promoting integration from an early stage, only this time services were across different local community centres. The main goal of the summer scheme was to foster a community spirit. Overall, the project managed to integrate the youth, women, and the elderly from different social and ethnic backgrounds together to promote a sense of common purpose. Through the Online activities promoted by the council and Community projects, the activities incorporated, were able to some extent address and improve the health and wellbeing of the community, increased community cohesion, developed online volunteering opportunities, improvement of skills and Knowledge of the youth indifferent areas of their lives. The online activities improved social and emotional isolation, and increased opportunities for self-development among the youth. The different projects helped bring young people together to know each other and build positive relationships. The youth also gained Knowledge in areas of community engagement, volunteering, and relationships between different generations. Overall, the online projects in addition to the physical community projects that we signposted members to were considered a success because we managed to cover all our goals with the main one being improvement on the development of children and young people in the community.

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The project’s success was measured by the number of children/youths attending online classes and sessions which in this case was around 70, a further drop from last year because of the uplifted Covid19 restrictions. The volunteer attendance was 55 members, a rise from last year due to the popularity of the social programmes. Second Chance’s ability to facilitate all planned activities and the positive impact on the young people after the project was reflected in the overall satisfaction of the children, parents, and volunteers. To measure the outcomes, online feedback forms were provided to the children/youth for each activity. Among other areas of feedback will be the quality of the facilitation, relevance of the content/activities, suitability and adequacy of the online materials/help provided.

Facilitators and volunteers were also expected to submit feedback on how effectively they carried out their activities and their suggestions for any areas for improvement. The online sessions were also monitored through a weekly meeting, where all the members and volunteers would discuss and evaluate any issues for improvement. We found that the online summer scheme sessions could address some of the community problems that were identified which included youth with challenging behaviour who could benefit a great deal from the activities. We also welcomed youth and volunteers with learning disabilities, and they were all welcomed and made to feel part of the community. The children were able to benefit in various areas thus showcasing the positive reinforcement they have received through their online attendance. We found that there was a great need from the community and identified that some of the youth with challenging behaviour benefited a great deal. This year’s online sessions were developed to occupy the youth in a meaningful and social enterprising atmosphere.

Some of the issues and challenges faced by the youth in the community are that they have very low self-esteem and confidence, face language and cultural barriers and lack of positive role models. We aim to empower the youth to feel they are a valued part of the community and want to guide them to take responsibility for the environment they live in. There were several online careers talks by professionals from different disciplines; Dentist, Doctor, Health worker, Community Activist and Social Scientist, all from different ethnic backgrounds to inspire the youth to pursue their dreams.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

We had a good 2023, three years after the recovery from the Covid pandemic and on a positive note, even though we had not yet secured the office, volunteers were able to continue operation support services online and through telephone consultation. Despite the challenges, our volunteers made a unique contribution to the activities of the charity by giving in their time, skills, and resources to advance the charitable causes even from their homes. They enabled the charity to offer more support to the people under difficult circumstances.

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

The Volunteers also gave the charity a new perspective on our services portfolio and delivery approach, reflecting the views and needs of the community. They brought energy and enthusiasms, new skills, and experience which we will build on to provide a wide range of activities to the community going forward. We will therefore continue to recruit and invest in the development of our volunteers. At board level, we will promote a positive volunteering culture and embed it in our governance processes.

The charity’s main goal is to create a self-sustainable community organisation with adequate resources to finance its projects. This will require sustainable sources in funds including returns from ethical investments. Currently the charity does not have enough reserves to invest. No policies related to investments are therefore in place. The attendance of youth volunteers (aged 14 to 16) at the online summer sessions also dropped further which was positive in the sense that many community organizations were now open and had planned activities for the youth. Through these activities, we saw a lot of youth show exceptional leadership qualities by taking their duties responsibly and spearheading various initiatives like some of the online sessions and activities. The Youth were able to plan, make sessions and deliver online classes which the children and parents thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated.

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Section D Achievements and performance

Overview

The charity carried out fewer activities than the previous years because of the problem of operating premises. The loss of the offices in 2017 created operational and administrative problems for the charity. This in addition to the COVID19 pandemic, saw the cancellation of a lot of physical activities which included the coffee mornings, counselling sessions, Community Iftar program and the Summer Scheme program. The charity was still unable to hold massage sessions, sewing clubs, pampering evenings, and science clubs as it has done in the previous years. Although some of the strict laws and regulations of the lockdown due to COVID19 had been uplifted the charity had found that the online improvisations for the activities were still popular and in demand.

The uplifted restrictions though enabled the planning of fundraisers to support causes within the community and abroad. One that was done before Ramadhan at the St. Matthews community centre raised funds for Sisters4islam, a charity that collaborates with Second Chance on a regular basis, to facilitate the provision of iftar (meal to break the fast) to many needy local Communities and abroad to Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Food parcels were made with the basics to be handed to needy families during the blessed holy month of Ramadhan.

Wednesday Coffee Mornings

The charity was able to continue with the online coffee mornings because some members felt more comfortable with them instead of leaving their homes to meet at a location. The volunteer facilitator was available on Thursdays and did these online forums at 10 am to 12 pm. Second chance continued with the liaison with other community organisations like Wesley Hall to facilitate online weekly coffee morning sessions to women of the public with the aim of alleviating social isolation and loneliness, to promote mental wellbeing, to break down cultural barriers and to raise awareness about other cultural, religious, and social practices. These online sessions enabled women to expand their social network and improve their knowledge and skills in different subject areas. A total of approximately 150 (less by 50 from last year) women were able to attend the coffee morning online sessions between January 2023 to December 2023. This was also positive in that many physical meetings were being arranged which the charity could signpost the women to. Other organizations that Second Chance partnered with to offer Coffee morning sessions were Al Khair, Women for Change and Leicester City.

Counselling Sessions

Counselling sessions are pre-booked by a qualified counsellor who conducts 6 free sessions. This year several women and men were given support. When we vacated 450 East Park Road in 2017, the Counsellor undertook private sessions at different venues for clients that Second Chance referred. For this year all cases referred to Shama Women’s centre and they were conducted by physical contact.

Community Iftar programme March/April 2023

This year the community meal (Iftar) event took place for 170 to 250 people at the weekends at the City Retreat at 70-74 Churchgate, Leicester, LE1 4AL. Additionally the charity, was able to facilitate meal deliveries to vulnerable community members daily. Food supplies facilitated by food banks were delivered to the vulnerable members. Iftar meals were also distributed by our volunteers to fasting families in homes and hostels. Throughout Ramadhan meals were provided to these families daily and an average of between 150 and 200 people from different parts of the community received meals.

Summer Scheme, 2023

This year’s summer scheme did not take place physically due to venue and staff issues. Instead, we were able to signpost members to other community organizations that were doing summer scheme programmes. Additionally, volunteers liaised with different organizations to provide online sessions to the different youth age groups. Online sessions of Languages, Art and Craft, Cookery, Sewing, and careers guidance were provided at specified times in the week, and these were free of charge for all registered members to log on to. The online programmes catered for around 50 children and youth

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Section D Achievements and erformance p

between the ages of 5 and 22 years, these were fewer than last year because of the post Covid restriction. The sessions were run by around 20 facilitators and 42 volunteers. Children who attended covered all wards in Leicester especially North Evington, Spinney Hill Ward, Castle, Aylestone, Westcotes and Beaumont Leys.

Trips and Excursions

The charity was not able to organise trips or excursions, instead we liaised with other community organizations who arranged trips to Rutland Waters, the Theme parks, Skegness, and other beaches. The trips were able to attract many asylum seeker settler families who had just moved into Leicester. Thus, again this year, although there was no planned trip or excursion which was a great disappointment to the children and parents, they were still able to join other community groups which had arranged them.

Community Event

The Community event was done on a bank holiday, Monday 8th May 2023, that combined children's activities and an Eid meal. Children aged 5 to 16 were engaged in Arts and Crafts, Embroidery and Knitting, Storytelling, Jewellery making, Henna application, boxing and Career guidance and advice. The children’s activities took place from 10.00 am to 13.30 pm. The rest of the afternoon included a meal, presentation and From the feedback received parents were happy to be engaged and part of the activities. The children enjoyed the day immensely as this was one of the rarest occasions when children and adults could spend the day out together. It was a session that connected not only families together but the Community at large. The occasion was graced by the attendance of a large group of people from the Ethnic minorities, asylum seekers and those with challenging health and mental conditions. Through this project, we increased community cohesion, developed volunteering opportunities, improved upon the skills and Knowledge of the youth indifferent areas of their lives. The function also addressed social and emotional isolation by allowing members to meet, greet and chat. The social meet also increased opportunities for self-development among the youth through the career guidance talks. It also addressed idleness and boredom amongst the youth by keeping them occupied for the bank holiday. It also provided parents an opportunity to engage in the skills and team building activities or a breathing space for those who dropped off their children. It was also an opportunity for their children to socialise and bond with other community children in a safe and secure space. The project helped bring the young people together to get to know each other and build positive relationships. The volunteer youth gained knowledge in areas of community engagement, advocacy, volunteering, and relationships between different generations.

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the
charity’s policy on reserves		 The charities reserves are set at 25% of the total operating expenditure to cover for
unforeseen day-to-day costs operational costs or a short fall in income which might
impact on on-going commitments.
2023 2022
(12 Months) (12 Months)
Income 372.70 2013.05
Reserves 369.70 1988.05
Ratio of reserves to expenditure 1% 1%
There was no significant income in 2023. The main project that would generate some
income, the Summer Scheme did not take place in 2023 due to lack of sufficient staff and
volunteers. Additionally, many Community organizations had organized summer schemes
within the local radius hence it made more sense to redirect our previous attendees and
volunteers to take part in these programmes. Notably most of the community centres that

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we undertook previous summer schemes in had also began their own similar programmes. Despite this, online support and administration continued without a physical office. Except for the iftar or Community meal in Ramadhan there were no physical activities or events planned and members were sign posted to community centres that run these events. There were no minimal costs throughout the year except for online DBS payments, pay pal account fee and administration costs.

The expenditure ratio was however high and used up most of the reserves due to the Charity Community event that replaced the summer scheme that covered most of the funds. The grant of £1,000 received in 2020 for the summer scheme was used for the Community Event in May 2023.This now shows an increased deficit due to used funds. Venue hire, feeding costs, and other miscellaneous expenses that were covered.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

2023 2022 (12 Months) (12 Months) Income 1988.05 2013.05 Expenditure 1618.35 25.00 Deficit 369.70 1988.05 Net operating deficit increased in 2023 to £369.7 from £1,988.05 in 2022. The increase is reflective of more expenditure due to the Community event that catered for over 200

Net operating deficit increased in 2023 to £369.7 from £1,988.05 in 2022. The increase is reflective of more expenditure due to the Community event that catered for over 200 attendees in May 2023.

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

Income

The charities principal source of financial income remained monthly donations from the public in addition to members of the community donating their time and skills to raise money for the benefit of the community. Over 50% of the income (£2,013.05) was raised from fundraising activities of which £1,000 was a grant from Leicester City Council to finance part of the Summer Scheme activities that did not take place in 2022 due to the reasons outlined above. A lot of the community centres that has hosted our previous summer schemes were holding their own programmes hence it was only logical to refer our previous participants and volunteers to these new programmes in the locality. In a spirit of collaboration, this worked out perfectly. The unused grant was finally used in May 2023 to host a community event.

Expenditure

The key objective for the year was to build on the successes of 2022 and to reach out to a much wider community. Operationally, we focused on achieving better participation for all planned activities including counselling sessions, housing, benefits and family support services, telephone enquiries, summer scheme, coffee mornings and trips and excursions. The total expenditure was £1,618 for the year. Most of the volunteers did not claim expenses as most continued to work from home. Funds were used for venue hire, feeding, equipment, stationary, and other miscellaneous expenses. There was less financing of physical operational activities of the charity, however, significant achievements were made using online facilitation to conduct some of the meetings and classes. The expenditure of 2023 was increased due to the main community event.

Investment

The charity does not anticipate making investments at the current levels of operation. Any such decision will necessitate putting in place investment policy for the charity to adopt.

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Section F Other optional information

Plans for 2024

The operational focus for 2024 is different from any other year mainly due to the opening of facilities of the country and world at large. With reduced restrictions, the Board of Trustees main aim for 2024 would be to rebuild the charity on several fronts. a) Increase that manpower at Board level where almost 50% of the positions are still vacant. One trustee joined the team. The focus will be on recruitment and assignment of responsibilities to make sure that all positions are filled and that there is proper governance and management structure again. We have identified several skills areas that we need to advance the work of the charity, and the new Trustees and Associates will be recruited to provide the skills we need.

b) Secure premises with much better space to operate from. Efforts are underway to secure premises and currently discussing with potential partners for sharing of offices and activity halls

c) Build strategic partnership with other local charities to increase community reach and influence. The focus will be on reestablishing our influence which has been lost following the loss of premises in 2017

d) Increase the number of charitable activities to raise money and promote the services that the charity offers. Several publicity initiatives would be carried out to create awareness of the services provided. An idea fronted by members was a Care agency and a Home for the elderly and vulnerable.

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

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Signature(s)

Full name(s) FATIHIYA M SAAD Position (eg Secretary, Chair, COMMUNITY OUTREACH etc) MANAGER

Date 20/09/2024

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