2024-06-30-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01/07/2023 Period start date To 30/06/2024 Period end date

Charity name: REFEO (Refugee Education For Equal Employment Opportunities)

Charity registration number: 1182800

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	REFEO aims to improve refugees’ and asylum seekers’ integration within British society and support their financial independence. To achieve this change, REFEO: • Give access to online accredited courses and mentoring to Refugees and Asylum seekers • Contribute to university costs of refugees and asylum seekers • Give used laptops, tablets and smartphones that are in good working condition to refugees and asylum seekers to help them with their educational and employment needs.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Tech for Good:Closing the digital divide is at the heart of our work. We provide used laptops in good working conditions to UK Refugees and Asylum seekers (R/A) to ensure the lack of access to a laptop does not prevent them from benefitting from the online accredited courses and mentoring services we provide. Providing a laptop has increased inclusivity, however, when we realised that the lack of access to internet meant that accessing online courses was still a challenge for some R/A we launched our project “All Connected”. Education and mentoring:We match service users (clients) with courses which are relevant to any experience they have had in their home country, or to courses that support their current professionalplans,to helpthem transfer or

		update qualifications for their chosen employability choices. Our online accredited courses are accessible 24/7, with mentor supporting mentees weekly through the courses to maximise their chances of receiving accreditation and a certificate to support their CV readiness and journey towards employment. Each client is given a target at their initial assessment to work towards when they jointly develop their work plan with their mentors. Mentors are kept in regular contact to ensure the clients remain on track, ensuring we achieve our success rate of 90% of those completing an accredited course. We also contribute to university fees of those who cannot afford to pay them. This vital activity which advances education of R/A is bringing them one step closer to employment and therefore empowering them to break the cycle of poverty. Accessing services through peer-to-peer support:The online forum on our website facilitates R/A access to local services and peer to peer support. Some services include access to higher education, vocational training, professional training, and work placement. Peer to peer support is a central element of the forum as members share opportunities and information on how to access local services on the platform.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The trustees confirm that they have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

SORP reference N/A Para 1.38 Policy on grant making N/A Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment

Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	We have 8 volunteers who are involved in all the areas of our work: Casework, Fundraising, partnership, IT, communications, mentoring, Human resources. Their input is huge and means that we have increased capacity to service our client group.
Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	REFEO contributed to closing the digital gap for refugees and asylum seekers by donating laptops to 97 refugees and asylum seekers (R/A) nationwide who used them to study online, obtained their diploma which brought them one step closer to employment. They also used the laptops to prepare their CV, cover letters and applied for jobs. By supporting 12 R/A to get access to online accredited courses and our mentoring programme, they gain a certificate/diploma recognised in the UK which brought them one step closer to employment.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41

Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	£13,521
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	Holding reserves enables REFEO to continue operating when funding is scarce.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	Trustees are in the process of deciding the amount of reserves that should be held in the reserves.
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	REFEO recognises the importance of holding reserves. As such we will set a specific amount based on the size of our charity.
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	None
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	We have no concerns and have a strong fundraising plan to continue to grow the charity and scale up our services.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	Fundraising from Trusts and Foundations
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	REFEO’s governing document is a Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation whose only voting members are its charity trustees-Foundation
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	REFEO has been constituted as a CIO.
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Selection method for the new trustee was conducted in line with the governing document, indicating that any new individual appointment will be according to their skills, knowledge and experience and how they fit with what is needed for an effective administration of the CIO.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	REFEO (Refugee Education For Equal Employment Opportunities)
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1182800
Charity’s principal address	83 St Paul's Way E34AJ, London

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole **year **	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Mariam Diakite
	Natalia Equihua
	Mohamed Fagiri

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity	N/A
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects	N/A
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets	N/A

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

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

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
	Mariam Diakite	Natalia Equihua
	Chair	Co-chair
	20.04.2025
	20.04.2025

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