This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Annual Report of Allendale Youth Ambition 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] March 2023

OPENING STATEMENT BY CHAIR

As we progress through the present financial year of 2023-2024, we have been made aware of the loss of local authority support for a youth service – which will result in more pressure on the voluntary sector for years to come. Despite this, I am delighted to report another successful year for Allendale Youth Ambition. As I reflect on this reporting year of 2022-2023 – I am reminded that it is our first complete year since the limitations of Covid, back to a time when things could get back to normal, although safe practices do remain.

Although Covid is considered to be over, at least in terms of normal service resuming, we are aware that our young people continue to be vulnerable, after missing so much school and leisure time. They are more reluctant to leave the house, are anxious about doing tasks well, nervous of getting things wrong, lacking in confidence. Our staff are aware of this and offer support to those in need and responsive to developing issues. Thanks to the generosity of our funders – we have been able to extend our opening hours to senior members – who gain so much from more focused time with their trusted youth workers at this very important period in their lives.

I take the opportunity now – to thank all our funders, donors and supporters - who over the years have risen to the challenge of funding what was at one time, statutory youth work. Because of your investments and trust in us – we have been able to employ 6 local people.

Our young people have taken part in residential experiences, hosted the High Sheriff of Northumberland, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Map Reading, Cookery and Baking, Key Fund projects, Community Support (Litter Picks, Acts of Kindness, Poppies & Remembrance!) Forest Schools learning, Fusion Trampoline, Seaside trips; Coasteering and Paddle Boarding, Skills for Life, DJ Decks and Singing Tuition, Pantomime Trip, Pool Parties, Outdoor Adventure, Easter Fun and treasure hunts, Theme Parks, Drama Sessions, Key Change Music Project, planning Allendale Fair, making costumes, Community Cinema, Children’s Tea Party and Youth Stage, supporting the Northumberland Holiday Activity Scheme and developing our young leaders into members of our staff team.

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Whithaugh Park 2022 Residential

We will face the years ahead relying more and more on grants and donations and the Trustees extend their sincere thanks to those funders, donors and supporters who have taken the time to visit our project, to meet with staff, talk to the young people and decided to invest in our project. The Trustees are also very grateful to our staff who have built up the essential relationships of trust with young people and for all the behind the scenes work that goes into making the project secure and viable as we move forward another year.

PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT

The trustees are satisfied that the charity continues to be managed and delivered with due regard to public benefit and the wellbeing, support and development of Young People and is the sole reason for the existence of the charity and its work.

Signed: ________ Name: Margaret Stonehouse (Chair) Date: August 2023

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

A youth resource for young people living in the Allen valleys and surrounding areas where they can access support, informal education, advice and guidance and participate in programmes of physical, educational and other activities helping young people to develop their skills and self-confidence to enable them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals.

Leap of Faith!

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Way Up High!

STAFFING

Core funding is needed to maintain the whole team up to 35 hours a week as a whole for the staff team to manage and deliver the charity’s aims and objectives. Depending on grants received, additional paid hours of work for the post-holder(s) can be budgeted for as each funded project requires. Other professionals and specialist staff are commissioned as needed and provided funding is in place.

Julie Humes, BA (Hons) Community and Youth Work, oversees this work as the lead worker and to report back to the Board of Trustees on all matters. Responsible for safeguarding, supervision and development of other staff and volunteers, fundraising, policy and procedure, training, delivering quality, educational activities and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of young people accessing the provision. Julie is committed to developing and fund-raising for younger staff, in preparation for the future.

Charlotte Reid continues to support the project as deputy, and in addition to Forest School duties – has taken on the role of Duke of Edinburgh Leader.

In the reporting period, Amy Bailey continues to be employed directly by Northumberland Youth Service for 2 hours a week and we are grateful that Amy’s work is carried out with us. Amy receives direct supervision from Julie, and training/periodic supervision from the Youth Service.

Jessica Reed, Jamie Dover-Nattrass and Aaron Walter are now paid members of staff and are an excellent support at our regular sessions.

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

We are delighted to welcome local volunteers to Duke of Edinburgh Award – including Phil Swaile, Bel Smith and James Birchall – who will offer support to Expedition participants and assess the big day itself.

All of part-time staff and volunteers continue to offer additional time voluntarily during additional offsite visits and activities that often extend beyond contracted hours.

TRAINING

All staff and volunteers regularly undergo DBS checks and safeguarding training (accessed through our membership of North-East Regional Employers’ Organisation (NEREO). All safeguarding and first aid training is up to date.
Julie Humes is the Safeguarding Designated Person for the charity and oversees the training record of all staff and volunteers. JH is also the first point of contact for any safeguarding or child protection concerns.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

The charity has had a very successful year overall, with sufficient receipts from fundraising to secure existing, core staff hours, employ additional staff – still allowing us to build a small reserve for the future of our youth provision for a minimum of 6 months.

We have also increased our numbers worked with as we develop our Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and extend our opening hours to young people. During the period we had contact with 145 young people aged 8 to 18 accessing our different activities and projects during the year.

LIFE SKILLS LEARNING (ADVICE AND GUIDANCE)

Young people are continuously supported through the different issues that affect them – whenever they occur. Many are vulnerable to the current theme of Vaping - and drinking of alcohol, and so we hold regular sessions around these themes. This ensures young people are making fully informed choices about the threats presented to them from all directions.

POSITIVE ACTIVITIES

Activities in the outdoors continue to form a large part of our offer. In particular, adventurous activity pushes individual limits, is healthy and offers a complete digital detox as young people are far too busy to look at their phones constantly. A trusted outdoor centre for our residentials – is Whithaugh Park in the Scottish Borders. Not too far, yet still remote and no internet. Activities include climbing, high ropes, abseiling, canoeing, archery, swimming and zip wire.

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

THE KEY PROJECTS

For a small membership fee each year, we have the chance to support young people in planning, doing and reviewing an activity they want to do. Once they have the idea, each young person undertakes tasks, such as finding prices and other information, making a budget, and ranking themselves on a skills wheel. Then, as a group, the young people have to present their idea to an independent panel – made up of adults not known to them. It’s harder that it looks – but in 2022 we supported two groups thought the process and they were awarded the money! An enormous amount of learning for the young people goes into these projects – and we plan for more in 2023-2024.

The Sleepy Heads – a group of girls who wanted to have a sleep over at a local community hall. They planned the sleeping arrangements and all the food they would eat, and activities they wanted to do.
The Hexagons – a group of boys who wanted to go Christmas Ice Skating, hot chocolate and a meal out. They planned and costed the whole thing – and decided getting the train was the most cost-effective way of getting to Newcastle.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD

Our first cohort of candidates are working well through all the stages of the Bronze award and are expected to graduate in 2023. We expect that most of these young people will immediately progress to Silver. New cohorts are added each September as young people move into Year 9. A lot of help is received from the DofE itself to run the scheme - and this has helped us very much to support the young people. 6 volunteers are contributing many hours to the award.

FUN & FRIENDSHIP

Young people had fun simply being together every week at youth club (Somewhere to Go, Something to Do, Someone to Talk To) and benefit from an extended offer of residentials, outings and projects, where they can spend overnight experiences together, outings at pool parties, trampoline park, cinema trip, go-karting, theatre, afternoon tea and ice-skating trips to name but a few.

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

We are very proud of our older young people, who carry out a leadership role at youth club and out on activities. They have been able to use this as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. This has built confidence and self-esteem in these young leaders and prepares them well for adult-hood and the world of work. Three of our staff members came to us from being participants in youth club from the age of 9!

CREATIVE ARTS

Young people take part in many sessions related to arts and crafts, visits to the theatre, singing and music making. Allendale Youth is also a key delivery partner with the Youth Music funded project “Key Change” with Queens Hall Arts and other district youth projects.

JOB SUPPORT

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Young people are helped with decisions over education, training and the workplace. Not everyone has a clear vocation before them (6[th] form? Gap Year? College? Apprenticeship? Job?). Talking these things through with a friendly youth worker or developing a CV and interview skills helps a great deal with important life changing decisions.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Our young people delivered a successful Fancy Dress Tea Party for early years children as part of the Youth Club’s Community Fair offering in 2022. They organised all the food and games themselves and helped with all the clearing up. For Remembrance Day – the young people spent many weeks tying on knitted poppies onto a mesh – for display outside of the church.

Duke of Edinburgh Award - Presentation of Essential Expedition Kit!

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Making Bird Nesting Boxes for Allendale Wildlife Group

Making healthier pancakes!

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

The Sleepy Heads Sleep Over Nacho Table!

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Meeting the Northumberland High Sheriff! Prince & Princess for the Day!

Mountain Biking at Whithaugh Park!

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Don’t Look Down at Whithaugh Park!

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Hope Floats!

Finances/Fund-raising

We were very grateful to received support from several grant makers who continued to fund the charity for 2022-2023 in support of staffing and other core costs. We received the following grants in the period:

UK Youth Covid Resilience Fund
Ballinger Trust
Sir James Knott Trust
EC Forster Belford Trust
Community Foundation Cost of Living Fund
High Sheriff of Northumberland
Allendale Parish Council
Duke of Edinburgh Award Bursary and Training Schemes

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Building/Refurbishment

The small kitchen/toilet area is in a desperate condition of damp and rot, which has resulted in a seriously damaged floor and a smell of mould and damp in all the kitchen cupboards. There are signs there is no damp-proof course in that part of the youth centre. Grants will continue be applied for so that proper and in-depth investigations/ improvements can be carried out.

“Messing About on the River”

ONGOING/FUTURE PLANS

Maintain the sustainability of Allendale Youth Ambition as a whole.
Continue fundraising for security of staffing, project work and related activities
Continue fundraising for the ongoing refurbishment and improvement programme of the youth centre.
Increase use of The Key funded projects
Expanding roll out of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
Development of Forest Schools Learning
Continuous programme of Life Skills Learning project work and Job Support
Baby Sitting Workshops
Homework/Job Clubs
Cookery Programmes
Young people’s own fundraising activities
Community Volunteering (e.g. Allendale Fair and local charity groups)

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Continue our young people led steering group with an activity budget so they become the curators of activity for other young people.
School Holiday 2023 programme of activities.
Encourage participation in the creative arts, including dance, and the Key Change project (funded by Youth Music and a joint venture with Queens Hall Arts).

CHALLENGES/RISKS

We are pleased to see trends that suggest more grant makers are willing to fund core costs - as there is more recognition that the survival of charities comes before activities can happen. This is still a risk area, as local authorities have less to spend, more projects are growing in the voluntary sector – making fund-raising more competitive than ever before. Funding applications are time-consuming, even for relatively small amounts, but funders do try to keep them as simple as possible. Success rate is around one in six applications.

Maintaining the interest and commitment of some older participants is often a challenge – and this has been a gap made worse during the Covid years – especially at transition from juniors to seniors. This has been helped by the launch of our Duke of Edinburgh Programme and also active participation in The Key projects. We also find that having a junior youth club – welcoming younger children aged 9 and up – develops familiarisation, a strong bond with staff, and they are much more likely to transition to seniors. We also believe the solution is through the offer of enjoyable activities that the young people choose to be involved with and want to commit to. Seeking funding for challenging and innovative ideas will continue to put the young people at the forefront of activity programmes and we intend to give positive activity budgets to our senior young people to plan and commission the activities they want to do.

FINANCES

Finances are healthy in the reporting period and no risks to staffing or delivery of our work is identified going forward into the next financial year. We have a small reserve which would allow us to continue for up to 6 months.

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Learning DJ Decks

Our Trustees:

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Treasurer: Professor Stephanie Atkinson MBE Ph.D. Secretary: David Humes Trustee: Philip Walter Trustee: Zoe Bell

Staff in Period Julie Humes (BA Hons Youth & Community) Charlotte Reid (Qualified in Forest School Delivery) Amy Hood Jessica Reed Jamie Dover-Nattrass Aaron Walter

Income: £48180.00 Expenditure: £42185.00

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Whether you gave us money, delivered workshops, lent us space, baked a cake - we thank all our funders and supporters past and present (not forgetting parents, grandparents and young people!)

Ballinger Trust Police Commissioner – Kim McGuiness Police VRU/Home Office The Schofield Trust Sir James Knott Trust Northumberland Domestic Abuse Service NE Youth Debbi’s Doodles & Neil Cole Ute Johnson Belford Trust Co-operative Foundation Allendale Co-op Hadrian Trust The Key Queens Hall Arts Tynedale Youth Forum Arts Council/Youth Music Lisa Drama Sherburn House Charity The Joicey Trust Allendale Fair Committee Community Foundation Northumberland Communities Together/Big Lottery Helen Allinson Trust Northumberland Youth Service Northumberland High Sheriff UK Youth CAF Covid Response Covid Resilience Fund Rotary Club Allendale Parish Council Allendale Village Hall Allendale Primary School Allendale Forge Arts

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

Into the Brink!

Chair: Margaret Stonehouse Allendale Youth Ambition CIO Registered Charity No. 1172492

•pww'ptyou ujnwus 'YJ4 ? 'Pè4)eaJ aq oi siuno))e èui io ?uipueisJèpun Jadojd E èiqeua o) )aodaJ si41 Ul Umejp aq pinous uoiiuauE yJ14M oi uolleuiwex• aw uoipèuuo) Ul 5Jauew J•4w ou $soJJe awo) •he4 1 'uoiIttsiwEx• iuèpuadapu! UE JO ytd se pajapisuo) Jauew E Jou S14J14M A1 Alej pue nji, t slun0e ayi it41 wawajinbw Aue ue41 J•¥iO 80)i suoiiein8a¥ Isyod•¥ pue swno)3yl s•1¥.je •41 ui wo siuno))E io iu•iuo) pue uJJo4 8uiuJ•)uo) 4u•WaJInb aiqe)Iidde a41 YIIM Ndwo) pip siuno))E a41 Jo '.spJoJaJ lIn0?) a4J 4iIV4 pJoJJe wu pip siuno))e aui JO'.PV SalJlJW 44110 OEl'$ 4IIM aJupPJoe ui W•¥ wu ajam spJo)aJ luiiuno))e a41 pads•J ieijaiew Aue ui it41 aAalPq 01 nE? aw saN8 uoiiuaul Aw oi aUj e{U ou 'uoiieuiwexa Aw UOIIJèUUO) UI Ivaw•w4s iuoplladapui 'M•IA Hiei pu ènji. e lua$d swno>)t ayi jla4 oi se uaAISsi uoiuido ou Ai)uanb•suoJ pu? 'iipnp ue ui p•Jinb•J aq pinom ieyi •41 lie ap0jd iou op UeapUn s•)npad 'sJaiiEw y)ns Aur 8uiuJè)uo) s••w) #41 wo4 suolieutidxa 114•5 pue'siunoJ3g •41 Ul saJnsoi)sip Jo swaii IEnsnun AUE JO )li¢JaP1SOj 5apni)ui osie )1 'spJo)aJ aso41 4. paiua$4Jd slun0? ¥4lJQ uosyedwo) e pue Aiyey) a41 Aq ida4 spJoJ•J 1Wn0))e ayi io hWIAaJ e s•pni)ui uoiituiwexa uv 'UOISSIWW03 Awe4) ayl Aq uahiy suoll ieJèu•8 Uilm ueP ui ino PaWE) Sem uoiieuiwÈxè A sHauiuTrxa iuapyadapuiio $ise 'UOIIU•UE Aw oi awo) aAry SJ•IIEW Jtin)iyed Ja4la4M aiEI5 01 '.PUP'IJV 5iJye4) è4iJo IqllSlSfrT uoipas Japunl uoissiwwo) MiJ243 •4114 swyajia IEJaual ayi ui umop piei 5aJnpèJd a41 MOIIOI 01 '.yrf s•iwe4) a4iw stri uqpas Japun slun0e auiwexa oi Iiiqisuodsaj si li si lieU1ra iuapuadapui ue ie41 pue (WV sa!we43 ayi.) iioz pv s•wJe4) a4140 UO!Pè5 Japun poyad $141 Joi pajinbaj wu si iipne ue ie41 Japisuo) sa?nI1 5u¢4) au'siuno))p a4140 u0iwedd •4iJoJ aiqisuodsaj •JE saa¥nJi SlJe4? ayl JaupuExa iuapuadapmi puv $•aW •y Jo sauiiiqisuodsgu OAllJads•

JFAOJ( •iea i JO ieLPq uo pue Joa '•qllllqWl JO IU•U4•u1'ty J•410 OU WP £L6tr1 LSL06 ZZ5't AwnLUWOg 6,£0.¢ 01 OZ'EO'I¢ 01 •d •pury •pury oo£trs SSLg tL6tr1 ooetrs £SI06 161pI poy•d io pu• iw •puni pyJ8d Jo yws w spury Ugowty sjojsueji L'6t Isi, I ÉL90 OS69L £66 96L iu•tuAw 101 69 oi 501 £zL thJpJ Z9 9091 L££ 8t¥ 9tr 09 9£ OD 910.£ Sgk 81KIJ q8M aWRJnÈui •WW8pwnMI gt g6 901 0££ ozso ssz 8£Z 5619 wMu&)18AOP UWW)A 3QJI59IIINI 08S'8 $0901 9kE'k L9£¢£ go£0 epLLtr 61.9 pioi 8•OJbxD ¥ueg fAJIUIWJi BI PUB 8qns IIAIIgV 118IW PUP 81UVJg OP9, 090, L oos¥ £86 00$ 1109 00£ ooi soko 99. LZ 0880 .9 di p)y• •pury pJry 018k'>Q'kO 0161'fr0'kO QI OZ'lpO'IO 01 kl'PO'kO £zoz oi zzoi Ivdy i$& WOJJ POyOd Oui Joi SiuaWeis IEitsueui4 6tvlLTT: ON LI¥VH) NoIiIgNv HinoA 37vaN377V

X7J7JWX7JXI?>3 O) 4vxiJ<z4G)[[Z c *? Jo000000

2023-03-31-accounts

Annual Report of Allendale Youth Ambition 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] March 2023

OPENING STATEMENT BY CHAIR

PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

STAFFING

TRAINING

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

LIFE SKILLS LEARNING (ADVICE AND GUIDANCE)

POSITIVE ACTIVITIES

THE KEY PROJECTS

DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD

FUN & FRIENDSHIP

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

CREATIVE ARTS

JOB SUPPORT

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Finances/Fund-raising

Building/Refurbishment

“Messing About on the River”

ONGOING/FUTURE PLANS

CHALLENGES/RISKS

FINANCES

Learning DJ Decks

Our Trustees:

Whether you gave us money, delivered workshops, lent us space, baked a cake - we thank all our funders and supporters past and present (not forgetting parents, grandparents and young people!)