ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 academic and financial year
SolidariTee is a UK Registered Charity 1182195 www.solidaritee.org.uk
“Youth is not a phase; it's a revolution waiting to happen.”
SolidariTee is a UK-registered charity led entirely by volunteers who are students, young people, and those who support youth activism.
We play a crucial role in enabling our grassroots NGO partners in Greece to sustain and improve the provision of legal and mental health support to the tens of thousands of refugees and other people seeking safety from persecution because of who they are or what they believe.
The achievements and stories of positive change you will read about on the following pages all come from SolidariTee partners, whose programmes our funding plays a vital role in supporting. However, because NGOs typically receive funding from more than one source, and because we encourage flexible funding approaches , it is not possible to say that certain clients were specifically supported with SolidariTee funds. Nonetheless, we can be sure that SolidariTee funds have enabled our partners to support people including many of featured in this report, and . many more, to access their right to live in peace and safety
S t u d e n t ' s N a m e 2023-24: our year in numbers
230 24 1 volunteers universities movement
£115,000 £185,000 2022-23 grant 2024-25 grant cycle completed cycle commenced
40 NGO professionals trained in therapeutic legal assistance
3200
people supported with trauma-informed legal aid
Note: figures which demonstrate how many people are supported with legal assistance relate to aggregated data across partners who received SolidariTee funding during the financial year, and reflect the total number of clients supported. Please note that SolidairTee partners use multiple sources of funding, including SolidariTee support, to reach their clients.
Dear reader,
Thank you for taking the time to read this annual report. If this year has taught us anything, it is that issues of migration and asylum in Europe and the UK are intrinsically connected to global humanitarian crises and conflicts globally, and to the actions and inactions of our own political leaders.
At the time of writing this in November 2024, almost the entire population of Gaza is displaced, often times multiple times over, with families fleeing bombardment being able to bring only the clothes they can carry, or nothing at all, with the UN declaring ‘reasonable grounds’ that Israel is committing genocide, a declaration that is often only confirmed years or decades after the fact. In Afghanistan , women are banned from being heard in public. In Sudan , over 8 million people are displaced inside the country, with a further 3 million people displaced across borders since the start of April 2023, making it the world’s largest displacement crisis. In Lebanon , more than 1.2 million people are displaced, hundreds of thousands of whom have fled to Syria , which itself faces decimated infrastructure and persecution of many groups following 13 years of conflict.
In Greece, our partners support people who have been forced to flee impossible situations in all of these countries and many more. Refugees seeking safety in Europe today continue to face life-threatening journeys and an enormous risk of border violence before even reaching Greece, after which time tens of thousands of people are forced to live in refugee camps across extremes of temperatures, often lacking provisions by the Greek state for even basic necessities such as blankets or places to wash their clothes.
All of this means that the role of NGOs and civil society in Greece is more important now than ever. In 2023, more than 41,000 people reached Greece in search of safety. By November 2024, more than 50,000 people had made these same deadly journeys. Almost every single one of these people will be forced to undergo the complex legal process of seeking asylum, and they will receive no legal information or mental health support from the Greek state. For this reason, we continue to focus our work here.
At the same time, funding and attention for issues related to migration and displacement has taken a drastic downturn. Donor support for refugee assistance in Greece, the UK, and Europe has drastically reduced, and month after month, organisations that have until now provided a lifeline for refugee communities across Greece are forced to close due to a lack of funding.
What this means is that each of the partners SolidariTee exists to support is facing an enormously constrained funding environment, at the same time as the needs amongst people who have fled torture, exploitation, and other forms of persecution are increasing. Where SolidariTee’s funding might have previously been a small proportion of what enables the organisations we support to carry out their work, for many, we are becoming a more and more crucial piece of the complex puzzle for grassroots organisations.
This comes at a time where we ourselves are having to work harder and harder to combat anti-refugee noise and misinformation, as the racist riots of the summer across the UK, fuelled by misinformation about refugees, have demonstrated.
Our own student volunteer community is also enormously fatigued, horrified by what they are witnessing in Gaza and the surrounding region, drained by continual dismissal and penalisation by university leadership for those speaking out, and afraid for the future for migrants and refugees in the UK and Europe.
The student and youth community globally has shown enormous integrity and bravery over the past year in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, and calling for an immediate divestment from arms sales. If history - from Civil Rights to the Vietnam War - has taught us anything, it’s that when students speak out, political leaders would do well to listen.
For all these reasons, the work of SolidariTee essential in 2024, 2025 and beyond. We urgently need to support our partners to sustain and scale up their work , and to demonstrate, by uniting the student community, that dignified, compassionate solutions to support refugees and other migrants are not only possible, but demanded from our governments as a priority.
We also need to continue demonstrating to each successive community of new students, and to society as a whole, that there is an antidote to feelings of powerlessness and injustice - collective action and grassroots community-led initiatives.
We hope you will find this report an uplifting, informative, and tangible presentation of what we can, and will continue to do, to move towards a world in which all those who have no choice but to begin all over again have access to the legal, mental health, and other fundamental services they need to rebuild their lives and realise their aspirations.
Yours,
Alexa Netty (volunteer CEO) & the SolidariTee Board of Trustees and Volunteer Community
S t u d e n t ' s N a m e Legal aid: client impact stories
Mariama* was 17 years old when she first came to into contact with our partners Velos Youth.
At the time, Mariama was pregnant, having survived gender-based violence and an incredibly difficult journey to reach Greece. Velos were able to react quickly to refer her urgently to a shelter for minors, but as is often the case, once Mariama turned 18, she returned to Velos as one of the very few organisations that could continue to offer her support.
Following extensive legal counselling and support, including the registration of her new baby as an addition to her asylum claim and guidance on how to navigate finding employment in Greece, we are delighted that Mariama has started a new job and is raising her baby in safety, expressing optimism about her future.
Ibrahim* is a young queer man from Sierra Leone, and a survivor of child prostitution, who was in urgent need of medication and healthcare.
Our partners Equal Legal Aid secured a legal victory at the European Court of Human Rights after Ibrahim's first appeal was rejected, leaving him without housing, food and healthcare.
Though the legal team had filed a request for this decision to be annulled (cancelled), the decision is still pending to this day.
Recognising Ibrahim’s urgent need for both medical and legal assistance, ELA lodged a request to the ECHR. After many exchanges between the European Court and the Athens Administrative Court, Ibrahim finally received his asylum card back, meaning he has another chance to access his rights under the legal procedure, as well as cash, housing and health assistance.
S t u d e n t ' s N a m e Legal aid: client impact stories
Abdul*, a queer man received a rejection on his asylum application, despite having faced torture and extreme violence based on his marginalised sexual orientation. Our partners at Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid supported him in preparing for his asylum interview. Abdul initially received a rejection - his story was deemed ‘not credible’ by the asylum authorities on the basis that he 'explained his story too clearly and with too little emotion'. The Fenix team recognised that Abdul was neurodivergent , and his way of expressing his emotions in a logical way is very common among people with autism. They arranged for him to have an attestation from a psychologist and provided a legal submission highlighting the injustice of this subjective ‘credibility’ assessment. As a result, Abdul has now received international protection.
"Everything would be difficult without Fenix guidance. It will be like a person who is standing in front of a crossroad and doesn't know which way to go"
Above: quote from an anonymous client of Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid.
Left: image of the state-run refugee camp on the island of Lesvos. People may stay in these containers for weeks, months or longer, with almost no protection from Greece’s extremes of temperatures
OUR VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY
Image description: Liverpool Team, Autumn term 2023, all wearing SolidariTee t-shirts. Our shirts are designed by artists who themselves have lived experience of displacement, and are a key vehicle through which we raise funds, as well as demonstrating a visual stand of solidarity with refugees, and helping to spark authentic conversations.
Q&A with Adam, 23-24 Team Lead
Of the events you ran during the year, which was your favourite and why?
We saved the best until last: one of our classic Pub Quizzes, but hosted by the one and only, Sandi Toksvig!
She was electric, interacting with the crowd, casually dropping nuggets of wisdom and delivering, sharp, witty remarks. Sandi’s performance undeniably put my previous attempts at quiz hosting to shame.
Moreover, she passionately supported SolidariTee, delivering an inspiring talk on the significance of student movements and, more specifically, raising awareness about the refugee crisis – putting into perspective the importance of what we’ve achieved throughout the year.
What difference has being part of SolidariTee made to your uni experience?
SolidariTee offered me more than just a break from work, but one that was purposeful, raising awareness and funds for an incredibly important cause. The work that we accomplished throughout the year has allowed me to reflect on my time at university as something meaningful and worthwhile. Furthermore, along the way I met some amazing and inspiring people with a shared vision, some of which I hope to remain friends with for life.
What difference has being part of SolidariTee made to your uni experience?
One event that will stick in my mind is SolidariTee Sumo! It had just the right amount of chaos and we succeeded in raising awareness among a new group of students, which is always a perk. With a broken wrist at the time —lucky or not—I was excused from participating, but observing was enjoyable enough for me.
Image descriptions: Cambridge SolidariTee team at events they organised during the year. Adam Moogan (wearing a white tee in both photos), Team Lead, is pictured in white SolidariTee tees.
Our Team
In the 23-24 academic year, SolidariTee had more than 230 student volunteers based at 24 universities.
Our student team is divided into regional teams , typically based within a given university, and a central team which coordinates between all regional teams, organises our annual conference, and produces infographics and news posts for our main social media accounts.
A typical student starting university in September 2023 would have been just 10 years old when the ‘refugee crisis’ of 2015 made the headlines in UK and European news. That’s why, whereas previously many of our volunteers would join the team reactively, having read or heard about the appalling conditions with refugee camps, the way we connect with volunteers today needs to be much more proactive and intentional. With every passing year, our focus has shifted progressively towards raising awareness amongst young people about what it really means to be a refugee, why people reach Greece specifically, and what can be done to support those seeking safety.
We also focus on providing information that helps form connections between the drivers of conflict and displacement, and subsequent international treatment of refugees, with other intersecting forms of oppression such as racism, homophobia, misogyny, religious discrimination, legacies of colonialism, and the climate crisis.
In turn, all of our student teams strike a balance between fundraising, which can often be more lighthearted, such as with quizzes or cake sales, to support refugee assistance , whilst also focusing on events and campaigns to educate those around them .
Image descriptions: events held in the 23-24 academic year. L-R: pottery-making event, cake & tee stall, student-run art gallery featuring artists with lived experience of migration
Regional Team Events
take a look at some of the brilliant events organised by our student teams.....
Our Edinburgh team organised a thrift ‘sale’, with donations supporting our partners’ work
SolidariTee Manchester organised a ‘philanthro-beats’ club night, raising £800!
SolidariTee Oxford’s events included a jewellery-making workshop, a panel talk bringing together local refugee support groups, a quiz night, and an art gallery
We remain incredibly grateful to the countless societies who have collaborated with us, artists and performers who have shared their talents with us, and to each and every person who has supported us by coming along to one of these events. It is you who help us to connect with new audiences, support one another, and truly achieve our aims.
Annual Conference 2024
The theme of our annual conference 2024 was ‘broadening the inclusion of displaced people’. The aim was to focus on understanding the factors that combine to exclude certain groups of people from being part of conversations around what the future of migration policies and support systems should be, and how we can dismantle these exclusionary factors to support real change. The event brought together more than 50 people , including those leading UK charities supporting refugees, SolidariTee volunteers current and past, academics. Importantly, the sessions placed a focus on learning from and with speakers and participants who had lived experience of migration and seeking asylum.
It was a pleasure to participate at your conference and see the passion of young people about the refugee cause. It truly makes my heart happy. I did have a great time connecting with likeminded individuals and learning about the incredible work they are doing.
It was so energising to be part of the discussion and in a room full of people who share a collective vision for change. Well done convening the conference!
Quotes from 2024 conference speakers - we are enormously grateful to all those who joined us at this and other events as speakers, and deeply appreciate you sharing your expertise and wisdom with us.
Other awareness-raising events and initiatives
In November 2023, we hosted a ‘fireside chat’ with two of our partner organisations: Nantina Tsekeri, the director of DCI-Greece, who was in London for an advocacy event, and Lucy Walton, working at the time with AMERA International.
Having the opportunity for our volunteer community to connect with our NGO partners in person was enormously well received.
In December, this was followed up with an online ‘partner spotlight’ event , building on the success and interest in hearing about the work we support from those closest to it. We were joined by Sadhbh O’Malley from Mobile Info Team, and Maaike Vledder, Country Manager at Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid.
In February 2024, we also hosted a half-day conference inperson in Edinburgh , focusing on understanding, and overcoming, some of the prejudices and heirarchies that on the move are people frequently categorised into.
Social media & digital outreach
We continued to focus on sharing engaging, accessible content that unpacks media headlines and news events connected to refugees and forcible displacement. We shared this content with more than 16,500 follower accounts across Instagram and Facebook.
The purpose of our infographics and mythbusters is to provide those who engage with our content with information that supports them to share up to date information that counters myths and harmful stereotypes , whilst also communicating the difference that their support continues to make. To that end, our content is generally more in-depth and long-form than some other accounts may be, as we work to avoid ‘shouting into the echo chamber’ by repeating statements that our supporters already agree with. This has been particularly important around the election period, and in relation to the UK’s Rwanda plan - which has fortunately since been scrapped.
Compared to the previous year, our content interactions on Instagram have doubled, which is a good proxy indicator of sharing relevant content that resonates with our supporters. Below are some of the posts we shared:
OUR NGO PARTNERS
image: photo taken in 2024 inside Mavrovouni camp, the government-run refugee camp on Lesvos, Greece. Up to 8 people may live in one ‘Isobox’ container, during both winter and summer. Several of our partners work inside and nearby to this camp.
Our partnership & funding strategy
- we Within this financial year, SolidariTee had two active grant cycles completed a £115,000 2022-23 funding programme, and launched a new £185,000 2024-25 programme. Across these two cycles, the total amount of funding we transferred in the year in 23-24 (£70,000) was slightly higher than in the previous financial year (£65,000 transferred in 22-23). We open new grant cycles at the end of the previous funding period, with each cycle spanning more than 12 months to provide greater predictability.
We have also made an intentional shift away from solely focusing on grantgiving, and moving much more towards a partnership approach that sees SolidariTee contributing to the delivery of a legal aid and mental health support programme across Greece.
This means that we have worked hard to play a greater role in supporting coordination efforts and capacity strengthening , in addition to providing the vital funding that enables programmes to run. This includes the professional development opportunities that SolidariTee has hosted (see subsequent pages), as well as ad-hoc training and coordination meetings organised where necessary. Increasingly, we find ourselves called upon to provide 1:1 support with safeguarding, policy-writing, monitoring & evaluation, and guidance on fundraising and communications strategies, where this is valuable to a given partner organisation.
Many funders supporting legal and mental health programmes in Greece are more traditional ‘donors’ or foundations run by people who are not necessarily experts in migration and asylum, or in humanitarian response. By contrast, larger funders, and major institutional donors, don’t always have the capacity or focus on providing tailored support to small NGOs. This is where SolidariTee stands out. Leveraging our leadership teams’ experience working in the humanitarian and third sector, and combining this with our grassroots ethos , has meant that we are able to fill this vital accountability gap and contribute to a meaningful support structures that harness the power of grassroots action.
Our partnership & funding strategy (ctd)
In order to facilitate meaningful partnership, and to provide the predictability needed for very small and medium-sized NGOs to be able to plan and carry out their work, we realised that it was also very important to move towards multi-year agreements with partners. For this reason, our current funding agreements almost exclusively span two full years, whereas this previously used to be 12-18 calendar months.
This is in contrast to many other funders within the space, some of whom require re-applications for funding renewals every six months, or even every three months. This can be incredibly stressful for staff at organisations, who do not know how long their position will be funded for, and can contribute to an enormous burden within organisations, who are constantly pausing and restarting operations. Given that SolidariTee is a very small funder, and frequently only contributing a relatively small (though targeted and impactful) portion of an organisations’ annual budget, it is particularly important that we are mindful of the application burden on smaller organisations without dedicated staff.
Our aspiration is to be able to support our partners with increasing amounts of funding that cover a greater proportion of their annual budgets, and which enable them to scale up their work to meet increasing demand . At the same time, all of our partners are aware that their funding comes from a group of volunteer students and young people, and recognise that our partnership is one that lasts, rather than a one-time cash injection. As such, though we sign agreements that have indicative payment timelines with each partner, all the NGOs we work with understand that funding may arrive on a slightly fluctuating timeline according to student fundraising. We discuss cashflow and fundraising progress regularly with all partners, and step in with prioritised instalments if necessary to support organisational resilience.
CAPACITY BRIDGING
Our work in collaboration with AMERA International to provide in-depth training to legal aid professionals is centred around a bespoke-developed framework called the Therapeutic Legal Assistance Model.
Image : refugee camp on Lesvos island, Greece. Living in such conditions, combined with the trauma and horrifying experiences that almost everyone fleeing persecution has experienced, means that legal teams being adept at supporting clients with complex mental health challenges is paramount, both for legal outcomes and client protection.
What is the Therapeutic Legal Assistance Model, and what difference does it make?
At SolidariTee, a key part of our strategy and vision for change lies in bridging the gap between legal assistance and mental health support for refugees and asylum seekers.
In addition to providing funding to organisations pursuing this approach, one of the most important things we can do is to contribute to the knowledge, evidence, and standards of support our clients need and deserve by facilitating professional development. The TLAM provides a framework through which both theory and practice come together, fostering opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing amongst legal professionals, whilst also offering expert external perspectives and resources.
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Professional Development & Capacity Strengthening Therapeutic Legal Assistance Model
I found the discussion around reflective practice in the context of the legal profession very valuable and something I would like to apply more to my work. Additionally, I found the input concerning the relation between mental health workers and legal practitioners empowering in particular with regards to the way a lawyer can integrate psychosocial research and reports in their legal work, but also regarding the dynamics between colleagues.
-June 2024 participant (image: legal aid NGO professionals attending TLAM programme in June 2024)
Building on the successes of the Therapeutic Legal Assistance Model pilot programme in 2023, SolidariTee has shifted our strategy in 2024 to include a greater focus on strengthening the capacity of organisations providing legal aid to refugees. In doing so, we are stepping up to fill the gap in access to high-quality professional development opportunities for those working in grassroots organisations providing refugee assistance.
We are equipping legal teams with the knowledge and confidence to better support clients who have experienced trauma, as well as to strengthen their legal strategies and improve outcomes by including in-depth, evidence-based information about mental health considerations within legal submissions themselves.
Additionally, we are strengthening the resilience of teams working in enormously challenging contexts, by supporting them to talk about, and address, the impacts of second-hand trauma, and of witnessing injustices so continually.
Between 2022 and 2024, SolidariTee funded AMERA International , led by Sabine Larribeau, to develop and pilot the Therapeutic Legal Assistance Model. This first cohort took the form of a 9-month online programme , with a final one-day workshop in December 2023 that was enormously well received.
In 2024, AMERA International ceased independent operations, handing over its three to other programmes organisations. SolidariTee now manages the resources connected to the TLAM programme, and in June 2024, worked with Sabine Larribeau to deliver a 3-day intensive version of the . programme in Athens, Greece
So far, more than 40 refugee legal aid professionals have been trained on this model, and we intend to expand its use to reach wider audiences in 2025. We are also supporting the handover and management of another of AMERA’s programmes, a legal database called the Rights in Exile platform, which is hosted by Swiss-based organisation . AsyLex
TLAM capacity-bridging - key achievements
The team of facilitators was really strong and lovely. It has been a pleasure learning from all of you. You are a great combination of qualities and knowledge, which made the training an incredible valuable experience. All of you ensured making a safe learning environment. Keep up the good work! Thanks a lot! Hope our paths will cross another time in the future. -June 2024 participant
The group of facilitators for both the 2023 and 2024 cohorts intentionally brought together legal and mental health practitioners with experience working in Greece and in other refugee contexts globally. With lead facilitation by Sabine Larribeau, guest facilitators for the 2024 programme included Erofili Dagkalidou , a psychologist working in Greece with experience supporting both humanitarian workers and refugee clients, Ibrahim Abou Senna , a lawyer with experience managing interdisciplinary legal teams supporting refugees in Egypt, and Nikos Giannakis , psychologist and academic working at Babel, one of Greece’s leading mental health support services for refugees and migrants.
Feedback following the June in-person programme showed that the majority of participants reported:
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feeling more able to understand and use reflective practice in their work
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a greater understanding of different mental health conditions and their effects
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increased ability to reflect on the impact of the work they do on themselves, clients, and the outcomes of legal cases , and understand how these are connected
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being better able to reflect on the broader cultural and systemic context of the work they do
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feeling less alone in the challenges , experiences or feelings that they experience about the work they do
OUR CONTINUING PARTNERSHIPS Supported from 2022 (or before!) to 2025
Image: flamingos in flight above Lesvos, an island with a centuries-long history of migration
Defence for Children International - Greece
DCI-Greece focus on supporting parents , particularly mothers, who themselves have often survived extreme forms of gender-based violence and abuse, and children and young people , both accompanied by family members and those who have arrived in Greece alone.
Women who are refugees, particularly those who experience rejections on their asylum applications due to a lack of legal information and guidance, find themselves at highly increased risk of exploitation and abuse. DCI-Greece’s work focuses on going at each clients’ own pace, and focusing on the best interests of the child in legal claims. This aspect - the safety of a child were they and their parents to be removed to a country where they could face persecution - is often not considered thoroughly in asylum claims without expert legal representation.
Shockingly, over 90% of the children who’ve visited the center over the past 18 months have had no access to formal education before DCI-Greece’s interventions , highlighting the importance of a child rights-based approach to migration and asylum policies.
A pressing issue across the country is the high number of rejected asylum claims, which is often a result of insufficient legal support and weak identification mechanisms for victims of exploitation or violence. Many individuals, including mothers and children, find themselves in precarious situations— lacking even basic necessities like milk, clothing, and shelter. - DCI-Greece leadership team
From Jan - Oct 2024, DCI-Greece supported:
231
people through legal and holistic case management, including
72
single mothers (often themselves very young), with their children
109
people through targeted legal information sessions
12
early career professionals trained through the DCI-Greece summer school ‘Refugee Law in Theory and Practice’
47
mothers and children participated in mental wellbeing sessions
Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid
“I’m really relieved I spoke to you, otherwise my head would have exploded from thinking!”
Client from Syria who attended a legal empowerment session in 2024
From Jan - July 2024, Fenix reached:
1187
people through legal empowerment sessions
46 people with bespoke, in-depth legal representation
335 people working with other NGOs with Fenix-led training on issues relevant to supporting refugee clients
Fenix were one of SolidariTee’s first ever partners . They provide legal representation of a diverse range of clients in Athens. Additionally, in response to growing needs amongst people seeking international protection in Greece, in 2023 Fenix launched their legal empowerment programme on the island of Lesvos, enabling them to reach a far larger number of people than they would otherwise.
This programme involves operating directly inside the refugee camp in Lesvos , providing a powerful opportunity to connect with the most marginalised people who might not otherwise be able to access a legal office. It also enables those who were unaware that there was such a thing as NGO-provided legal aid, or those who have just arrived to the camp and have legal procedures starting immediately to access rapid, personalised information and support.
Fenix continue to specialise in supporting clients who are seeking international protection due to persecution as a result of their sexual or gender identity, as well as people who have survived torture, gender-based violence, and those who have complex mental health and medical challenges.
Image description: a Fenix legal officer uses a visual graphic to explain the procedures that asylum seekers who have passed through Turkey will have to undertake in order for their claim to be considered
Irida Women’s Center
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you! The Lawyer helped me very much. She is an excellent professional with a keen eye on detail. She treated me with kindness and respect and this is something I will never forget”.
A. is a 38 year-old community member from Syria, who is a recognised refugee. She was supported by Irida to undertake the legal custody of her minor son and issue their travel documents.
As their name suggests, the Irida Women’s Center focus on supporting self-identifying women of all nationalities who are experiencing poverty, crisis, or abuse. With initial support by SolidariTee to diversify their programming, Irida are one of the rare, and incredibly valuable legal organisations who also have in-house mental health professionals. This enables clients initially seeking legal counselling to also access structured psychological support should they so wish, and vice versa. From January - June 2024, the team delivered:
445 136 14 1:1 psychosocial group wellbeing legal counselling sessions across support sessions, sessions, 82 cases supporting 33 reaching 61 women women
“Participating in open psychosocial group sessions is incredibly comforting for me; it releases my stress and helps me better cope with my emotions.”
K. is a 70-year old community member from Morocco, and one of the Centre’s oldest community members. She has been supported by Irida since 2018 during her enormous difficulties navigating the asylum system in Greece. She has applied 4 times in total, receiving rejections, even upon appeal, each time. She has been living in Greece for almost a decade without documents. At the same time, she suffers from multiple health issues while she is getting older.
Image descriptions: gardening session, and workshop focused on education, both held at Irida
Mobile Info Team
From Jan - June 2024, MIT reached: 4900
queries answered
across message hotlines in 6 languages
45
group information sessions held, including in hard-toreach refugee camp settings, supporting
257
people with in-person legal information
50
people with legal representation across 28 complex cases
500,000 post reach across social media info posts
Mobile Info Team are also one of SolidariTee’s longeststanding partners. In addition to their highly impressive reach, supporting people all across Greece and beyond through the provision of tailored information and responses to questions shared via WhatsApp and message hotlines, MIT are widely recognised for their crucial position within the advocacy landscape in Greece.
MIT regularly collaborate with a range of other NGOs, research groups, and other legal organisations, publishing regular reports and joint statements.
Recent topics covered have included a statement on the mental health of people detained under the hostile immigration environment, a joint submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council on provisions for supporting survivors of torture, and a report on conditions in mainland camps.
Above: front cover of the ‘Voices from the Camps’ report co-authored by Mobile Info Team and Refugee Legal Support, which sheds light on some of the shocking lack of service provision and appalling facilities within many of the 30+ and detention camps centres used to house refugees in Northern Greece.
Shockingly, over 70% of respondents reported that they did not have their basic health care needs met by medical teams operating inside camps, highlighting the importance of research such as this in order to document violations and catalyse advocacy efforts.
Velos Youth
At Velos, our commitment to supporting young refugees extends beyond a one-time consultation or service. We recognize that the legal needs of our beneficiaries are multifaceted and ongoing. Each individual who comes to us receives comprehensive support that spans various stages of the asylum process and beyond. From initial interview preparation to assistance with legal documentation after a decision is issued, our services are designed to provide continuous support.
Velos Youth provide vital support services to young people who are refugees or otherwise new to Greece. In the first six months of 2024, 25% of the people seeking international protection in Greece were minors. Another 55% of people were young people between the ages of 18 - 30, thousands of whom are teenagers and young adults who have been forced to seek safety in Greece alone, or who have already become parents themselves.
By providing a safe space within the centre where young people can eat together, take language classes, receive legal advice and access training and information related to employability, relationships and mental health, Velos work to equip young people to take agency over their lives, and avoid the risks of exploitation and poverty that too many young refugees face.
In Greek, Velos means ‘arrow’, and this really reflects what the organisation is all about - supporting young people to claim their OWN goals, hopes, and aspirations, in their own way.
From Jan - June 2024, Velos reached:
62 young people with in-depth legal advice, information, and representation across
151
1:1 sessions, often hosting several consultations with the same young person to ensure that they are fully informed and able to participate in decision-making and claim their rights
100%
of young people supported to receive or renew their ID card successfully completed the process, essential in avoiding arrest and detention, an accessing work and housing
OUR NEW & RENEWED PARTNERSHIPS Supported in 2024 and 2025
Within our application cycles for new partners launched at the end of 2023, we were delighted to be able to continue to support the five partners featured on the previous pages, who had also received support from us in the prior grant cycle. In addition, we were pleased to reconnect with two other organisations, Equal Legal Aid and Legal Centre Lesvos, who we had supported in prior years, and to work for the first time with Equal Rights Beyond Borders.
Image description: painting of mountains that formed the basis of our ‘Dream’ tee design
Equal Legal Aid
Equal Legal Aid (ELA) are a relatively younger organisation, having been formed in 2020, with an impressive reach in legal aid provision across Northern Greece, a highly underserved region with many camps located in extremely remote locations. We supported ELA earlier in their journey, and are delighted to be working together again in 2024 and 2025.
In addition to legal representation and information provision, ELA also focus strongly on creating compelling, accessible awareness-raising and advocacy outputs. In 2024, they co-produced a series of 11 video interviews with real clients called ‘Lost in a Legal Maze’, which is available on YouTube and across social media channels. These interviews showcase the bureaucracy, absurdity and downright cruelty of so many administrative decisions affecting refugees; people shot by authorities at the GreekTurkish borders and still not provided with support, siblings who have the same story but receive different decisions, and young people unable to attend school or college for years on end due to being caught in a legal catch 22.
From Jan - July 2024, ELA supported:
584
people with legal assistance across a range of procedures
they also conducted:
40
legal clinics in hard-toreach camps in Northern Greece with almost no other legal aid provision, conducting
571
legal consultations, including vital information provision, interview preparation and guidance on ‘admissibility’ procedures
11
joint letters joint denouncing violations of the rights of people on the move co-signed
Above: screenshot from the YouTube playlist ‘Lost in a Legal Maze’
Equal Rights Beyond Borders
From Jan - July 2024, ERBB reached:
800
people (estimated) through legal support across 580 cases
including
80
detention cases, where the client was released in 95% of cases
We are very pleased to be collaborating with Equal Rights Beyond Borders for the first time. ERBB provide legal assistance and representation in Athens, as well as the islands of Chios and Kos. People arriving to both of these islands have extremely limited options , not only in terms of receiving legal assistance, but also in terms of other fundamental support services such as medical and mental healthcare, and access to safe living conditions.
ERBB also focus on supporting clients in detention , and represent clients who are held in pre-removal detention facilities. This is an important part of legal aid in asylum and migration settings that is often not considered - sometimes applying for asylum is not the only hurdle that people on the move will face in Greece, and many find themselves detained for administrative reasons that are no fault of their own.
50
sexual and genderbased violence cases
293
asylum cases, where more than 70% have received a positive outcome so far
Additionally, Equal Rights Beyond Borders continue to grow their support and expertise in working with clients, often women, who are survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. In many cases, people who have experienced this type of abuse also have complex physical and mental health needs, which can be almost impossible to access without support from a laywer.
The final pillar of ERBB’s work focuses on strategic litigation, in particular in regard to suitable living conditions. During the reporting period, they brought eight cases in front of the European Court of Human Rights, and continue to produce reports regarding conditions in Kos and elsewhere.
Legal Centre Lesvos
Having supported Legal Centre Lesvos prior to 2023, we are very pleased to again be partnering with them. In addition to supporting people through the asylum procedure itself, LCL also support migrants who have been wrongly criminalised through political scapegoating.
In particular, they also advocate and litigate against illegal collective expulsions or ‘pushbacks’ committed in the Aegean Sea by the Greek authorities.
Case study: Pylos 9 - a landmark case for survivors or border violence
In June 2023, one of the most deadly shipwrecks in the Mediterranean over the past decade took place near the Greek town of Pylos, killing more than 600 people. Evidence rapidly emerged of the Greek coastguard’s own actions and inactions causing this, including dangerously towing the boat and failing to react quickly to earlier calls for rescue.
Following the shipwreck, from which there were only 104 survivors, the Greek authorities immediately arrested 9 of the survivors of the shipwreck. They were accused of:
unauthorised entry to Greece facilitating illegal entry (smuggling) of foreigners into Greece
- membership of a criminal organisation causing a shipwreck
It was quickly found by legal defence teams that there was no legal basis for the charges, and no credible evidence for them. This highlights the arbitrary nature of criminal charges against migrants as a scapegoat for Greek and EU failures to protect lives.
‘I do not know why I am here. I went from the sea to prison’ - Pylos 9 member
After almost a year in pre-trial detention with numerous delays within the Greek court system, in May 2024 the 9 defendants were finally acquitted by the Greek State of smuggling and illegal entry. The Greek state also declared itself incompetent to adjudicate the accusations of membership of a criminal organisation and causing the Pylos shipwreck.
This result is thanks to the tireless efforts of legal aid defense teams, including lawyers at Legal Centre Lesvos . However, the story doesn’t end here - deemed a ‘flight risk’ due to a lack of documentation, all 9 were immediately returned to administrative detention, despite having claimed asylum whilst in prison. After further efforts of legal aid agencies, all 9 people have now been released.
From Jan - June 2024, LCL reached:
people with legal asssistance, including
281
individual legal consultations
147
newly arrived asylum seekers to access the 554 asylum procedure, ensuring illegal pushbacks are avoided
SolidariTee Funding Overview
During the 23-24 academic year, we completed our previous £115,000 grant cycle by transferring all remaining funding, and then launched a new, two-year grant cycle of £185,000. Because different partners have different agreed timelines for funds to be transferred, and because this varies slightly according to SolidriTee’s own income-generation timeline, some partners did not begin to receive funds until after the end of this year.
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Received funding in
Organisation Name Partners in 2024-25 financial year?
2023-24 financial year?
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| Organisation Name | Received funding in 2023-24 financial year? |
Partners in 2024-25 financial year? |
|---|---|---|
| AMERA International | YES | AMERA have ceased independent operations, but SolidariTee hosts and manages resources associated with the SolidariTee-funded programme: Therapeutic Legal Assistance Model |
| Defence for Children International - Greece |
YES | YES |
| Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid | YES | YES |
| Equal Legal Aid | No - but have been supported in previous years |
YES |
| Equal Rights Beyond Borders | No - new partner | YES |
| Irida Women’s Center | YES | YES |
| Legal Centre Lesvos | No - but have been supported in previous years |
YES |
| Mobile Information Team | YES | YES |
| Velos Youth | YES | YES |
Other Collaborations
In July, Defence for Children International - Greece hosted a summer school covering the topic ‘ Refugee Law in Theory and Practice ’. This 5-day intensive course was aimed at young professionals and students focused on a career in humanitarian response, legal aid, or working in policy and advocacy connected to migration and displacement. We were very pleased that almost half of programme participants were either current SolidariTee volunteers or had heard about the programme via SolidariTee. To us, this demonstrated our role in providing routes for those exploring future career avenues to access meaningful opportunties for learning and development, and fostering knowledge exchange between grassroots NGO leaders and emerging professionals.
The sessions brought together expert speakers including representatives from UNHCR, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), and those working within the community centre Parea Lesvos , one of the only places within walking distance from Lesvos’ refugee camp where people living in the camp can access services such as laundry, hot meals, and legal information. The DCI-Greece team also provided in-depth technical training around the legal process of seeking asylum, and around the structural barriers that people, especially children and parents, face within it. Alexa (volunteer CEO) was also invited to speak about how to incorporate accountability to affected people, and to understand more about how subjective assessments of credibility by asylum authorities impact our clients.
In June, Alexa was invited to Switzerland to speak at the Leysin American School’s Summer Programme known as ICE (Innovation, Creativity & Entrepeneurship). Bringing together students from across the globe aged 9-16, the programme focuses on building skills needed for careers that make a positive difference. The SolidariTee-focused sessions focused on understanding what accountability to affected people means in practice, and on exploring the ethical dilemmas that certain models of fundraising can bring.
Image descriptions (top to bottom): Summer Academy students walking to a seminar in Parea Lesvos, a community centre where people living in Lesvos’ refugee camp can access basic services, with the camp visible in the distance (1), photos from Summer Academy Sessions (2&3), view of the village of Leysin, Switzerland (4)
Looking Ahead Reflections on our future strategy & team
In the 2024-25 academic year, we launched our new 2024-26 strategy . It focuses on supporting our NGO partners , and the wider sector as a whole, through a variety of means in parallel to our funding streams, including training opportunities and support with coordination.
We also seek to be bold in our approach to raising awareness of issues affecting refugees , and in highlighting the link between global humanitarian crises and people seeking safety in Greece, the UK and elsewhere.
Given the increasing need for our work, a key pillar of our strategy also relates to organisational resilience , in particular given the nature of our volunteer community leading to a high turnover at the end of each academic year.
To that end, in addition to our volunteer CEO Alexa, we are delighted that fellow board trustee and former SolidariTee student volunteer Izzy Ponsonby has also taken on the role of volunteer operations manager. This new role will support the setup and coordination of regional and central teams in the 2024-25 academic year, and work with the CEO to support and provide leadership coaching and guidance to our student presidents and university team leads.
Alexa has been leading SolidariTee for the past five years, since she was a fulltime student. She currently works in humanitarian & programme quality accountability, and is for a studying part-time Masters in Global Health.
Izzy started volunteering with SolidariTee in 2021 as an Events Coordinator for the Newcastle team, and then was Director of Outreach from 2022 to 2023. She was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2023 and currently works as a judicial clerk in the Court of Appeal.
SolidariTee currently has a board of 11 trustees, consisting of 5 people who volunteered with SolidariTee as students, and six ‘independent’ trustees bringing experience working at refugee support NGOs, and in other charitable organisations. Our board includes those with lived and family experience of forced migration, and meets at least quarterly, though frequently more often.
Student Presidents 24-25
Tenley Fuentes Lema and Hannah Rand
Tenley Fuentes Lema
Tenley volunteered with SolidariTee in the 23-24 academic year on the SolidariTee York team, and subsequently joined the Central Team to be part of the organising committee for our 2024 annual conference.
What did you enjoy most about organising and participating in the annual conference, and why do you think SolidariTee's conferences are important?
Helping out in the organisation of the annual conference was the highlight of the last year I've had with SolidariTee. It exemplified one of the best SolidariTee values - community. As students, it may at times feel as though we are part of many communities with few overlapping. SolidariTee, for me, has been one which is there regardless of other factors, and by participating in the conference I felt welcomed and supported. Being empowered to take on responsibility in organising the conference improved my personal confidence and public speaking skills, for which I am very grateful. The sense of community which is highlighted by the conference and opportunity for personal development which then contributes back to further activism is why I believe SolidariTee's annual conference is so vital.
What is your favourite tee design, and why?
My favourite tee design is the ‘Dream’ collection. As with all our tees, every aspect of the design has meaning behind it and with the Dream tee specifically I love the symbolism of the mountains and how they are a reminder that dreams can also be a form of defiance and resistance. A further reason I love this particular tee, outside of the design, is the fact that it was the first tee I bought. Throughout my first year at SolidariTee my friends and flatmates bought this tee so that we all had matching ones! This also symbolises to me the impact of the tees as I witnessed them spread across campus.
What are you most looking forward to doing in your president role?
I am most looking forward to building and developing a sense of community within SolidariTee. I would love to continue to build cross-regional team connections which I truly believe lead to more effective activism. In an increasingly hostile environment it can be difficult to feel as though our actions are having a tangible impact. I hope that by fostering SolidariTee's community each volunteer is aware that we are there to support them and that their actions have a positive impact.
Student Presidents 24-25 Tenley Fuentes Lema and Hannah Rand
Hannah Rand
Hannah was the team lead for SolidariTee Liverpool in the 23-24 academic year, bringing experience leading the organisation of creative fundraisers and developing engaging social media content to raise the profile of our work.
What skills or positive experiences did you gain from being a team lead with SolidariTee?
In terms of skills I learnt, I think organising other people was the biggest one. It's fairly easy to organise yourself but coordinating multiple people with different schedules can be quite challenging. Learning how to motivate myself and others was another. I think my most positive experience was doing the team photoshoots. It was really nice to get to know people at different stages in their uni life and all have a good laugh while taking photos in the cold weather.
What was your favourite event or initiative that you were part of with the Liverpool team, and why?
My favourite event was the bake stall because it was so successful. It also started conversations on campus within other societies and the wider community. I think the best initiative was creating an on-campus presence for Soli when there wasn't one initially amongst newer students. Starting the conversation on refugee rights was as rewarding as any event was, if not more so.
What are you excited to do as president this year?
What I'm excited to do as president is support other teams in achieving their goals and also create a campus platform for people with lived experiences, whether that be students or just members of the public. I also want to allow teams to be creative and have fun with fundraising on the regional level but also carry that sense of community throughout solidaritee, on the central team.
Risk Analysis & Mitigation
An insight into how we review the risks associated with our work
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Risk Type Description of Impact Mitigation Measures
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| Risk Type | Description of Impact | Mitigation Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Operational | SolidariTee lacks the organisational capacity to deliver on our mission |
Robust volunteer development plan in place, expertise amongst trustees and leadership team provides continuity, strategy and workplan for 2024-26 developed and implemented, organisational knowledge documented and retained |
| Financial | Inability to provide adequate funding to NGO partners |
Clarity through signed agreements with partners about expected funding, clear communication regarding payment timelines, diversified fundraising efforts through t-shirts, events, donations and partnerships |
| Governance | Failure to implement key governance protocols results in harm to the charity |
Review of risk register following any key developments, quarterly review of policies and procedures, proactive and timely reporting submissions to ensure all charity compliance requirements met |
| Reputational | Adverse event affecting SolidariTee or partners harms trust in our work |
Robust due diligence prior to signing agreements with partners, regular reporting from partners with required disclosures regarding serious incidents, ongoing proactive support to partners regarding safeguarding, ethical social media training offered to all volunteers, mechanisms for secure and transparent income channels for student donations |
| External | SolidariTee’s mission is no longer relevant or supported amongst the public and student community OR Dramatic change in operating environment means partners struggle to deliver programmes |
To a certain extent, a lack of awareness and political will around supporting displaced people in the Mediterranean and UK is exactly why we exist. We are expert in raising awareness and in uniting young people in support of fundamental rights for all, and continue to adapt our communications and volunteer engagement strategies to ensure that we remain relevant and engaging. We also maintain ongoing communication with partners and ongoing monitoring of the context in Greece, supporting them to adapt their programmes should access constraints change. We are able to remain agile should programme needs and opportunities change |
Accounts & Reserves
Because our grant timelines don’t correspond to our financial years, ‘mapping’ our grant� cycles onto our annual accounts doesn’t always show the complete picture of our partnership� approach, and our financial achievements and obligations. As such, the information on page� 32, and on this page, should be reviewed in conjunction with our annual accounts set out on� pages 40-44 to provide a more detailed overview. As a board, we track our financial and� grant-giving progress carefully, as well as reviewing reporting on our partners’ achievements� which is submitted twice yearly at a minimum.
We have successfully completed all previous grant cycles since SolidariTee was set up as a� charity, and are confident that we will also successfully transfer all funding within this grant� cycle. At the time of publishing this report (December 2024), we have transferred over £35,000 in funding under our active grant agreements.
Account Preparation
Unlike in previous years, this year we are presenting our accounts as receipts and payments accounts, using cash accounting as opposed to accruals accounting. What this means is that income received during the year, and grant payments made during the year are reflected, but money owed to SolidariTee, and funds awarded at the end of the year are not shown directly in the accounts. Details of grants awarded and paid are shown in a note on page xx. The previous year’s figures have been adjusted to reflect this basis of accounting and are therefore different from those in last year’s annual report. All organisations featured in pages 22-30 will continue to receive funds from SolidariTee in the subsequent financial year.
SolidariTee has a subsidiary trading company, which trades in our custom-made SolidariTee t-shirts, and donates profits to the charity. These monies ‘owed’ to the charity are also not reflected in the accounts.
With extremely low overheads, relatively predictable timing for student fundraisingdriven income (even if amounts themselves are not predictable), and partnership agreements that allow for fluctuation in precise timings of grant payments if necessary, our priority is to transfer as much funding as possible to NGOs, especially given the deteriorating context for the people they support.
Accounts & Reserves
Reserves Policy
Previously, our policy was to hold at all times either £30,000, or 3 months worth of future grant instalments as free reserves. In practice, we found that this ran contra to our principles, and to the needs of our partners, given that our non-negotiable operating costs are really limited to essentials such as insurance, web hosting, and accountancy fees, totalling just a few hundred each year.
As such, our reserves policy is now to hold at least three months of core costs (i.e. excluding grants or event costs) , totalling approximately £500. At the end of the 23-24 financial year, our reserves were £600, though we received more than £6000 in income during of the first month of the subsequent financial year. Our trading company account held more than £5000, the majority of which could be transferred immediately if required.
As such, though our longer-term strategy will focus on increasing our reserves in order to be able to react more quickly with our funding to changes in needs and context, we have chosen to base our reserves policy around our current core costs. Instead, the trustees review available cash, and cashflow forecasts at least quarterly against grant payment timelines, with our priority being to deliver on the overall programme portfolio, making timely adjustments if needed.
Image description: SolidariTee ‘team day’ to welcome new volunteers for the 2024-25 academic year
SolidariTee
Trustees' report for the year ended 31 July 2024
The narrative report on pages xx to xx along with the formal details below form the trustees' annual report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2024.
Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: Name Alexa Netty Sarah Davidson Rebecca Young Isabella Ponsonby Louisa Cowell Robert Durgut Maya Kerbellec Mulumbeni Phiri Sara Poursafar Nausikaa Reimers Dara Snead Charity number 1182195 Registered in England and Wales
Registered and principal address Bankers 16 Lache Lane The Co-Operative Bank Plc Chester PO Box 250 CH4 7LR Skelmerdale WN8 6WT
Independent examiner
Rachel Cooper FCA Welbeck 29 Welbeck Avenue Southampton SO17 1ST
Structure, governance and management
SolidariTee is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, charity number 1182195, its members are its trustees. Its governing document is a constitution registered 25th February 2019, and amended 1 Aug 2021.
Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees
Trustees are appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.
In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the existing trustees have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
Public benefit statement
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular the advancement of education and human rights, and relief of poverty. This is achieved through our awareness raising activities here in the UK, as well as our work to enable refugees and asylum seekers to access legal aid. In doing so, our work ensures that refugees are able to access their rights and are prevented from falling into destitution and poverty after receiving unjust rejections on their asylum claims or receiving inadequate mental health support following the persecution and trauma that a great many asylum seekers have faced. It also ensures that the public are informed about refugee issues in the UK and worldwide.
Financial review
Reserves policy
Our reserves policy is set out in more detail on page 38 of this report. Our spending this year was £80,470 and our income was £62,447. This is accounted for by differences in grant payment schedules that do not align to the financial year, and to a relatively large amount of cash funds at the start of the financial year (£18,000). Our reserve level at the end of the year (£600), covers our essential core costs for three months if required, and we received more than £6000 in income in the first month of the subsequent financial year.
Going Concern
The trustees have deemed SolidariTee to be a going concern for the financial year 2024/25. With no paid staff or office space, with comparatively very low reserves compared to larger charities, we are able to sustain core operations for several months, and at the time of publishing this report (December 2024), we have successfully commenced a new academic year of fundraising and provided over £35,000 to date within our current grant cycle.
Statement of trustees' responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the constitution. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by the board of trustees on
Signed: ………………..…………. (Trustee)
Name: …Dr Alexa Netty VetMB………….
SolidariTee
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of SolidariTee
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2024, which are set out on pages 40 to 44.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1 the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 2 the accounts do not accord with those records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: …………………………………… Name: Rachel Cooper FCA
30/12/24 Date: …………………….
Welbeck
29 Welbeck Avenue Southampton SO17 1ST
SolidariTee Registered Charity No:1182195
Receipts and payments accounts
for the year ended 31 July 2024
Receipts and payments
| Receipts and payments | |
|---|---|
| Events & donations income Donations from subsidiary Grant income Payments Asset and investment purchases Transfers between funds Cash funds last year end Receipts Asset and investment sales Sub total Sub total Total receipts Sub total Sub total Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) Cash funds this year end Grants paid to NGOs Other charitable activities expenditure - Therapeutic Legal Assistance Model Event Costs Other Fundraising costs Independent Examiner's Fee Administrative Expenses Insurance |
Unrestricted Restricted funds Total funds Last year 38,047 24,400 - - - - - - - 38,047 68,331 24,400 17,025 - 1,000 - - - - - - - |
| 62,447 - 62,447 86,356 - - - - - - - |
|
| - - - - |
|
| 62,447 - 62,447 86,356 |
|
| 69,763 4,314 2,951 1,008 450 1,804 180 - - - - 69,763 64,752 4,314 203 2,951 2,793 1,008 1,001 450 900 1,804 2,496 180 180 - - - - |
|
| 80,470 - 80,470 72,325 |
|
| - - - |
|
| 80,470 - 80,470 72,325 |
|
| - 18,023 - - 18,023 14,031 |
|
| - - - - 18,656 - 18,656 3,725 |
|
| 633 - 633 17,756 |
Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
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Unrestricted Restricted funds
£ £
Cash funds -
Cash at bank and in hand 633 -
- -
Total cash funds 633 -
Unrestricted Restricted funds
funds
£ £
Amounts owing to the charity and other monetary -
assets -
-
- -
- -
- -
Fund to which Amount due When due
Details liability relates
Liabilities
Grants awarded, payable when funds available 165,000 £95,000 within 1
and on satisfactory performance of grantees - year
see grants note - £75,000 after more
than 1 year
-
165,000
Signed on behalf of all the trustees Signature Print Name Date of approval
ALEXA NETTY 27/12/2024
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SolidariTee
Notes to the accounts continued
for the year ended 31 July 2024
1 Grant making
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Total funding pledged under active grant agreements | ||
| Defence for Children International - Greece | 25,000 | 15,000 |
| Equal Legal Aid | 25,000 | - |
| Equal Rights Beyond Borders | 10,000 | - |
| Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid | 25,000 | 20,000 |
| Irida Centre | 25,000 | 15,000 |
| Legal Centre Lesvos | 25,000 | - |
| Mobile Info Team | 25,000 | 15,000 |
| Velos Youth | 25,000 | 15,000 |
| AMERA International | - | 15,000 |
| Congolese Community of Greece | - | 10,000 |
| Asylum Seekers Information Services Team | - | 10,000 |
| Total | 185,000 | 115,000 |
| Grants payable in the year | 20,000 | 64,752 |
| Provisions at 31 July 2023 | 50,000 | - |
| Grants paid during the year | (69,763) | (64,752) |
| Exchange differences | (237) | (248) |
| Provisions at 31 July 2024 | 165,000 | 50,000 |
| Expected to be paid | ||
| Within one year | 95,000 | 50,000 |
| After more than one year | 75,000 | - |
Provisions for grants at 31 July 2024 are expected to be paid on achievement of satisfactory performance by grantees, and raising of funds by Solidaritee. A break clause is written into all grants in the event that monies are not available at the time of expected donation.
2 Related party transactions
Trustee expenses
Trustees received reimbursement of expenses of £400 (2023:£nil)
Trustee remuneration and benefits
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
LllDA llTEE All those forced to flee their homes across borders i are treated with dignity, respect and compassion. Refugees seeking safety in Europe have access to holistic, trauma-informed support services including access to legal assistance. Young people across the UK display solidarity with refugees and continually advocate against the hostile environment in the UK and Europe, contributing to public pressure and policy change in favour of a more compassionate, welcoming society towards refugees. 'Long-term vision Refugees in Greece have greater availability of, and access to, trauma-informed legal- aid and mental health support services, which is of an increasingly high quality. Students and young people are empowered with accurate information about refugees, and with improved opportunities to develop skills relevant to activism, charity & humanitarian work that supports refugees and migrants. There are greater connections and increased opportunities for idea-sharing and capacity-building across the refugee support and legal aid space in the UK, Greece and beyond. Tangible Changes Humanitarian actors in Greece are better equipped and supported to respond to shocks, continually improve their services, and maintain safe, quality programming Partnership with NGOS providing legal aid and mental health support to refugees by: channelling highquality, Flexible funding to grassroots NGOS Student fundraising Volunteer training & capacity building Activities Conferences, outreach & social media providing capacity-strengthening, coordination & governance support events
Strategy 2024 - 2026
| Pillar 1: Trauma-informed |
Pillar 2: Outreach, Education & Convening |
| We will continue to legal aid |
We will providehigh-quality information and education about lasting, |
| increase and improve | compassionate solutions to support people |
| the provision oflegal aid, with mental health support, for refugees, |
forced to flee their homes. Specifically, we will: counter myths and harmful stereotypes |
| asylum seekers, and other migrants in vulnerable situations in Greece. We will support legal aid actors in Greece, the UK and beyond to strengthen their capacity to adopt trauma-informed |
about refugees and migrants raise awareness of what the‘hostile environment’is, and the importance of ending it raise awareness of the importance of increasing the availability ofsafe routes and holistic supportfor refugees where appropriate, convene other actors in support of these efforts, and contribute to other collaborative |
| approaches. | advocacy efforts |
Pillar 3: Platforming Young Activists
Pillar 4: Resilient & organisationally sustainable ways of working
We will empower young people with skills and We will enhance positive experiences of and maintain ways volunteering and charity of working that work , and equip them ensure that we can with the tools to continue continue to deliver to advocate for refugee impact throughout rights. We will continue the strategic to create a vehicle period and through SolidariTee beyond, remaining through which young stable amongst a people can contribute to changing context tangible, lasting change and regular for refugees and volunteer turnover. migrants in vulnerable situations.
Pillar 1: trauma-informed legal aid
We will continue to increase and improve the provision of legal aid, with mental health support, for refugees, asylum seekers, and other migrants in vulnerable situations in Greece. We will support legal aid actors in Greece, the UK and beyond to strengthen their capacity to adopt trauma-informed approaches.
We will do this by.....
Providing flexible, high-quality grant funding that supports best practices across legal aid and mental health and psychosocial (MHPSS) programming, and contributes to organisational resilience
Providing training, capacity building and advocacy to improve and facilitate the adoption of trauma-informed approaches to refugee support
Using our position as a funder to contribute to positive change by continuing to advocate for coordinated, complementary support services, respond to safeguarding concerns quickly and appropriately, and support interagency collaboration
Pillar 2: outreach, education & convening
We will provide high-quality information and education about lasting, compassionate solutions to support people forced to flee their homes. Specifically, we will:
counter myths and harmful stereotypes about refugees and migrants
- raise awareness of what the ‘hostile environment’ is, and the importance of ending it , and the importance of ending it raise awareness of the importance of increasing the availability of safe routes and holistic support for refugees where appropriate, convene other actors in support of these efforts, and contribute to other collaborative advocacy efforts
We will do this by.....
Ensuring volunteers are provided with ongoing, relevant, and engaging information about refugees and forced displacement that they can share within and across the student body and the communities that they are a part of
Hosting high quality conferences and other events aimed at sparking conversations and sharing information about the challenges experienced by refugees and asylum seekers, and the work being done to change this, bringing together a diverse array of groups and individuals working on, and with lived experience of, support services for refugees
Developing and building our online brand and following to reach a wider audience with high quality, digestible information about the diversity of refugee experiences, and practical ways to contribute to a world in which refugees are treated with dignity
Pillar 3: platforming young activists
We will empower young people with skills and positive experiences of volunteering and charity work, and equip them with the tools to continue to advocate for refugee rights. We will continue to create a vehicle through SolidariTee through which young people can contribute to tangible, lasting change for refugees and migrants in vulnerable situations. We will do this by.....
Ensuring volunteers are supported and encouraged to take ownership of their own goals within fundraising and advocacy spaces, through values-led leadership structures equipped with adequate capacity
Remaining relevant and impactful within the student community by speaking out boldly in the face of antirefugee rhetoric in line with our guiding principles, and demonstrating considered, collaborative leadership and ethics across communications & programmes relating to refugees and displaced people
Communicate the success and impact of our work clearly, ensuring clear brand and mission understanding, and proactively communicating the interconnected nature of our programming in Greece and advocacy in the UK within the wider political and global humanitarian landscape
Pillar 4: resilient and organisationally sustainable ways of working
Pillar 4: We will develop and maintain sustainable ways of working to ensure that we can continue to deliver impact throughout the strategic period and beyond. We will do this by.....
Developing innovative approaches to retaining knowledge and building on successes year-on-year amidst academic year and volunteer turnover
Delivering on ambitious targets whilst managing risk and wellbeing, ensuring a Diversifying the ways in which memorable and enjoyable we raise funds and connect volunteer experience alongside with supporters enabling each volunteer to contribute to tangible, meaningful change
image: young person at SolidariTee partner Velos Youth
Thank You
We remain incredibly grateful to all our current and past supporters, as well as to all of those organisations and groups collaborating with us in the coming academic year. Mostly, we extend our enormous admiration and gratitude to each and every student volunteer who has made the choice to stand up for what they believe in, even when this is at odds with the rhetoric that many have grown up hearing all their lives.
If you would like to learn more about our work, please don’t hesitate to email alexa@solidaritee.org.uk, or visit our website to learn more.
www.solidaritee.org.uk
@teesofsolidarity
SolidariTee SolidariTeeUK