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2024-03-31-accounts

Annual Report 2023-24

Unit 2 Trafford Buildings | East Street | Leyland PR25 3NJ Registered Charity 1184663

Welcome to the 2023/24 Annual Report for SLEAP

I want to start this year’s report with thanks. First and foremost, we give thanks to God for continued provision for SLEAP and resources during good times and bad. We are extremely blessed with the skills, knowledge, commitment and experience of the staff team. Without their passion for the work they do, SLEAP would not be the organisation it is. We said goodbye to Julie during the year and wish her all the best. Since then, the remaining staff have stepped up and taken on even more work. So, as Chair, on behalf of all the beneficiaries, volunteers, host families and Trustees, I want to say a huge thankyou to Stela, Rebecca and Maggie.

The thanks cannot stop there, though. Without our host families who share their homes and lives, we would be unable to support the young adults dealing with homelessness. Volunteers and Trustees support that work, each in their own area of expertise and with the same levels of commitment and energy. Thank you all.

Our thanks also go to all those people in the community who support us, whether as individuals, groups or businesses, through awareness raising, fundraising, donations of money and in kind, being sponsored to do crazy things! We are so very grateful.

Once again Trustees and staff met for an awayday to review and renew the strategic priorities for SLEAP. The voices of volunteers and host families are equally important, and a series of Forums have been held to gather feedback on the service. Part of these forums has been the immensely valuable social support network they create, and the sharing of experiences, knowledge and ‘top tips’ between volunteers and host families. Our values include respecting the unique worth of everyone, and this applies not just to the young adults, but to all those involved in supporting them and SLEAP. Being part of SLEAP, as a young adult, staff member, host family or volunteer, is not always easy. There are sometimes challenges to be faced and dealt with. The awayday, forums and other celebrations are founded on our value of sharing hope. They are practical ways to support each other and help to empower all involved to develop a positive attitude to not giving up on anyone.

As we go forward into another year facing new and continuing challenges; increasing demand for support; a need for more host families; the need for more diverse funding streams; the impact of the continuing cost of living issues; we really need to lean heavily on God and on the values which underpin our service. When things are hard, it is these that will get us safely through to another season.

Let’s keep on being compassionate, sharing hope, valuing everyone as an individual, encouraging potential, and seeking to do the best we can in whatever role we play as part of SLEAP.

Liz Hamilton

Chair of Trustees

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Lights shining in the storm, pointing the way home

Looking back at 23-24 it felt like we were living through a storm that gradually kept building up.

We started 2023 still amid a cost of living crisis, with the challenges for individuals and the community continuing to escalate. We have seen this in practice with the increasing number of referrals and requests for help from people facing complex issues.

Internally, we faced endless staffing challenges which impacted hard on individuals and the overall capacity of the service. However, through these challenges shone the resilience, determination and striving for quality that has long been integral to the character of SLEAP - shining in adversity.

The best evidence of our impact are the young people who have achieved so much this year, successfully journeying from that initial place of crisis to thriving. We have celebrated academic successes, new jobs, promotions, restored relationships, improved wellbeing, new accommodation, new dreams and plans. They tell us about ‘finding a home’, finally belonging, feeling like family, feeling safe, having the confidence to move on knowing they are not alone – lights shining bright in the storm, giving us the satisfaction of a job well done.

In the background, the ever-increasing demand along with rising operational costs and the looming end of long standing funding. Nevertheless, in our strategy day, trustees and staff bravely reaffirmed our determination to not just chase easy funding, but to be there for those who are falling through the gap. The growing number of young people who find themselves with nowhere to go because they do not meet the criteria for statutory funding. SLEAP stands in the gap.

When people have a home, they can belong. When people belong, they can thrive. When people thrive, the community can flourish.

As we stand at the end of one year and the beginning of another, looking at the dark storm clouds ahead, we pause to appreciate all the little lights shinning brighter in the darkness. We are ever so aware, ever so dependent and ever so grateful of God’s protection, provision and guidance. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

Stela Stansfield

Chief Executive Officer

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What we do - our services and activities

SLEAP works with 16 to 25 years old in South Ribble, Chorley and Preston. We provide S upport, L odgings, E mergency A ccommodation and P revention. We fight homelessness, promote safe accommodation, and build social resilience.

SLEAP works alongside young people from crisis through to thriving. We are not about ‘quick fixes’ and buzz words. SLEAP’s practice, although evolving through the years, has always been based on the value of relational support and the need for a holistic approach, that does not rush but empowers to overcome the barriers faced through trauma and circumstance.

When staying in supported lodgings young people have their own bedroom within a family home. This means that although they’re independent, there is always someone around to talk to. It is so much more than just renting a room though. It is about

belonging. Host families support with learning practical skills like cooking, doing laundry, planning the weekly shopping and more. But they also encourage, cheer on, listen, challenge and celebrate, supporting the young person’s physical and mental wellbeing.

SLEAP Supported Lodgings not only reduces the need and risk of sofa surfing or street homelessness, but it provides the necessary time, safety and comfort to pause, grow and gain the confidence to move to the next chapter in a young person’s life.

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Moving 4ward is part of our non-residential services and it aims to help prevent homelessness or its recurrence. It is about providing information and the practical support young people need to build up their skills, knowledge and confidence so that they can succeed in addressing the challenges they face. This could include signposting to other services, making referrals and supporting with initial access, advocacy or practical direct work.

What we

do may look quite different depending on the individual and their priorities, as we work alongside the young person to enable them to identify and address the issues affecting them. Unsurprisingly, help to find accommodation, advice about homelessness and referrals to different providers are some of the main requests we work with.

Setting up bills, filing in forms, applying for benefits, help accessing items of furniture or equipment, getting help with debts, setting up or attending meetings referring to health or other statutory services are

just other aspects of this work. Most of all, it is about truly listening and empowering the young person as they try to address the issues and challenges they face.

Thrive , our wellbeing service, offers a range of different sessions for 16-25 year olds with experience of homelessness/risk of homelessness, supported or temporary accommodation. Young people often reported that besides very long waiting lists for counselling, sometimes, their experience had been that they felt misunderstood or disappointed due to a lack of understanding of their circumstances and the impact homelessness or unsecure accommodation has on their capacity to access services.

Due to the growing complexity of the multiple issues the young people face, it is not surprising that, safeguarding has become a huge part of this work. This may mean that alongside face to face support sessions, SLEAP may be, with the young person, involved in making safeguarding referrals and participating in statutory meetings. Due to the nature of the age group we support, there can be challenges arising from different safeguarding approaches, as young people transition from a children to an adult social care framework. Nonetheless, this year, the persistence and trust gained through

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Thrive has been recognised and praised as pivotal in securing the right services and support for a young woman facing particularly complex difficulties and circumstances.

SLEAP Buzz is about bringing our young people together to have fun, get involved in the community, learn new skills, grow, make new friends and feel good about life. We want young people to be buzzing with life and excited about their future however, when dealing with so many issues life can feel far from exciting. These activities and the relationships formed are key in combating isolation and improving physical and mental health & wellbeing.

One example from this year

was the King’s Coronation Big Lunch. A meal out followed by a walk in the park helped mark an historic day and make it memorable. The young people commented on how this might have been just another day for them, as they had not thought on how it was about them too. They talked about how they enjoyed the afternoon and were able to make memories of the Kings Coronation. It meant something to them now. This was also a great opportunity to meet others and start new friendships.

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Crisis is about responding to that immediate need with practical help that can make such a difference when things get tough. We have a bank of food, toiletries, blankets and some clothing items for when people are going through a period of crisis.

Although we are not a food bank, we are often approached by people who are struggling to make ends meet. It only takes an unexpected expense, a change or delay in benefits coming through, an illness if you are working as a labourer or only paid as and when you work. This year we have supported people with around 65 food and toiletry parcels and supermarket/shop vouchers.

An 18 year old approached us for help as he was sharing a 1 bedroom flat with 3 other adult males. He was sleeping on the floor with no mattress and the

flat had no heating. It was January and the temperatures were low. Besides advocating for him to be moved into appropriate accommodation, we provided him a sleeping bag, blankets, pillows and a voucher to get other additional items he needed immediately. The young man was extremely grateful and excited with the thought that he would be warm that night. He made sure to let us know as soon as he was moved to new accommodation, and wanted to say thank you.

“One day I want to help people like you do. You listened and didn’t send me away saying there’s nothing we can do.”

Cycling 4 Fun provides the opportunity to borrow a bike, helmet and equipment. Young people have continued to use these bikes as a way for travelling to college, to work or just for their wellbeing. As sadly some bikes have been lost through theft or damage, it has been encouraging to continue to receive offers of more bikes from members of the community, which means the opportunities for the young people have not been impacted.

One young woman that had been allowed to take ‘her’ bike with her as she was suddenly moved to a different county, showed us, with great pride how she had carefully kept hold of it and now kept using the bike in her new area.

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Emergency accommodation is provided for 18 to 25 year olds who have nowhere to stay that night and are referred by an agency (no self-referrals). Young people have a bedroom for the night, they are offered an evening meal and breakfast, as well as an opportunity to shower and do laundry. Accommodation is agreed one night at a time.

Emergency accommodation is part of SLEAP’s DNA, as that is what SLEAP was first set up to deliver and it continued to do so for many years. However, it had been over 10 years since SLEAP had officially delivered emergency accommodation as a specific service. This year we have ran a pilot over a period of 5 months, between October 2023 and February 2024. During this period 69 bed nights were provided. However, unlike in previous occasions, we were not dealing with large numbers of young people staying a few nights at a time. On the contrary, we worked with very few young people, each staying several weeks at a time. One of the main challenges we found was the lack of willingness from other agencies to assess the referral appropriately and provide adequate levels of information that would enable us to assess and match the young person to the accommodation available. However, once accepted onto the service, it was clear from the start that the referring agencies were struggling to access move on accommodation and the stay would be longer than what a ‘typical’ emergency placement should be.

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The difference we have made

SLEAP has directly supported 54 young people between the ages of 16 and 25 years old between April 2023 and March 2024. 39 of those were new referrals.

Of the young people we supported, 32 were male, a similar figure to the previous year.

Those who were already open to SLEAP support, had been opened for between 2 months and 4 years, which illustrates the variance in levels of support need and also the nature of the services they are involved with. Besides, some individuals move from one service to another, as their personal circumstances change.

9 young people lived with us throughout the year on Supported Lodgings. 4 young people moved out, all moves were planned and positive steps for the young people. 3 new young people moved in and have settled into their homes with their host families.

In addition, there were another 22 individuals and families supported by SLEAP that fall outside our age group. We signpost to appropriate agencies and organisations when asked for information or help. However, in some cases, we become involved in providing immediate practical help, information and referrals to the services they are struggling to access or engage with.

“ She (my friend) wouldn’t stop talking about how nice you were and how much you helped.” (Young woman)

“…you don’t know how much of a blessing you are. Thank you so very much for your guidance. It is good to be able to talk about these things without judgment or criticism. ‘…’ is so grateful and so are we.” (Text from a young man’s parent)

It is the feedback, and the stories and people’s opinions that speak loudly and demonstrate the difference this approach makes and the impact it has on people’s lives and consequently, on the wider community.

Jake

At 18 years old Jake found himself homeless and estranged from his family. He had been sofa surfing for some time before he got a place on supported lodgings with SLEAP. Jake had tried to continue to attend college while homeless but it was a struggle. His goal was to one day join the Army, to join a Regiment where he can learn a trade. While at home and when sofa surfing, he tried to do his college work using the computers in the library as he had nothing else to work on. Through a partnership, SLEAP was able to provide Jake with a tablet. Feeling settled and safe in his new placement Jake was finally able to start preparing properly for his exams. He completed his A levels, got a full-time job in retail and started training to join the Army. Jake felt able to work on his diet so that he could become fitter and he started saving money for his dream motorbike. He said he could do this now because he didn’t have to worry about where he would stay each night or the problems he’d faced back at home. Later in the year, Jake got a good promotion at work and decided to move in with a friend to reduce his commute. Jake told us he knew things were better when he felt ‘normal’, like his mates rather than a ‘homeless guy’.

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“I loved it there. I got to see what a family should be like and it gave me hope for the future like my future can be different, it doesn’t have to be like what I used to have and what I went through. It was the first time I felt part of a family.” (Jake)

Below are some of the recorded outcomes for those supported throughout the year:

----- Start of picture text -----
89% Increased 91% Better 69% Have
87% Reduced
the risk of support network knowledge of plans and
and reduced where and how ambitions
homelessness
isolation to get help for life
67% Better
65% Better
75% Improved 71% Better
motivation
feelings of problem solving independent
and sense of
wellbeing and coping skills living skills
responsibility
----- End of picture text -----

These figures include young people supported over very different periods of time and through different services. In some cases, their involvement with SLEAP is very issuespecific, not allowing for a further exploration of other areas of support or growth. However, when focused specifically on those living on supported lodgings, the figures rise much higher, varying between 97% and 100%.

“If I wasn’t on supported lodgings and supported by SLEAP and the host family then I would have never got into university and had the opportunities I do now.”

(Young person living in Supported Lodgings)

“Actually I can’t find the words to thank you. During the time we were here, we felt like we had a family. We are very grateful for all your support. We will be in touch with you and we hope to welcome you to our new home, we are very sad to leave but we are sure we will be back.”

(Young couple supported through Crisis and Moving 4ward))

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Rhys

Mum and dad’s house was overcrowded and as the older child, Rhys was made to leave. He moved with relatives but experienced violence there and so he left again. Rhys sofa surfed for some time, and even spent the odd night wondering through the streets all night as he had nowhere to go. Rhys was 18 when he came to SLEAP. He soon settled and began an apprenticeship through college. However, Rhys was struggling with his mental health, missing his family and friends. As Rhys progressed through the different apprenticeship levels he began to rebuild his family relationships and he felt ready to start planning for his next steps. However, family bereavements had a big impact on his mental health. SLEAP supported Rhys with accessing the right support for him, even walking with him to the sessions so that gradually he could start making it on his own. The next step was to move in with a new host family where the setting, encouraged him to further develop his independent living skills. There Rhys blossomed and grew in confidence and dreams for his life. Despite several setbacks, Rhys was able to bounce back faster and continue to plan for his future. This year, after 4 years living in supported lodgings, Rhys moved in with his girlfriend. He has a job he loves and he hopes to start his own business soon.

This is what Rhys had to say when he was reflecting on his time with SLEAP:

“SLEAP was a really good scheme that helped me progress in life and helped me find balance again, they also helped me gain personal goals to be back on track with life and find happiness within myself and helped me to aspire further with my goals with what I wanted to do in life. I would definitely recommend SLEAP to a friend as they are always so caring and helpful to others. I would like to thank everyone at SLEAP for everything you have done for me over the years, I’m so grateful you were all able to help me get through the bad times and how I’ve progressed in life” (Rhys)

In order to support our young people, we often work alongside other professionals and agencies, sometimes for long periods, with a multi-agency approach to address the complex issues and barriers they face. Working in partnership with others is an essential aspect that will contribute towards positive outcomes and impact

“I want to particularly say thank you to the staff at SLEAP for all of the support they have given (young person) over the past few years. I have really appreciated everything you have done to help (young person)” (Leaving Care PA)

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The wider team

Alongside the staff team and eight trustees, there are volunteers and host families who play a key role in the life and work of SLEAP. Both volunteers and host families, when recruited, are subject to all the checks, as per the Safer Recruitment Approach and induction. They supplement the team adding to the capacity and the quality of the work and support provided by SLEAP.

Volunteers – This year 7 volunteers have provided amazing support to SLEAP. Our volunteers help us in a number of different ways such as helping engage with the public at networking events, helping in the office, at our weekly drop-in and providing admin support for the Trustees Board. We are extremely grateful for all our volunteers do. For this year’s Volunteer Week, everyone got a little reminder of what a ‘sweet’ thing they do for SLEAP. Some of our volunteers, began volunteering when they were still 15 and 16 year olds.

They are our ‘young volunteers’ and over the last 2 years they have helped us with different tasks and projects. They even created a little video to share with our funders, showing how excited they were about SLEAP’s new office and all that SLEAP now could do to support young people.

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Host Families - 10 host families are registered on our supported lodgings scheme. Some provide long term placements, while others are available for shorter periods, enabling respite to take place when needed and shorter stays, usually at much shorter notice. All host families participate in ongoing training throughout the year. In October the Host Family Forum helped participants explore relevant practical topics like ways to welcome a new young person into your home and neighbourhood, practical ideas of how best to support a young person with skills and tasks, and a discussion on what ‘maintaining boundaries’ looks like when including young people in household activities. Our host families have also had the opportunity to attend First Aid Training, complete a course about ACE’s and trauma awareness training.

“ Good things about it are that you can give someone a home and somewhere to feel safe, even when there’s challenges, you know it’s worth it” (Host Family)

Each year we host social events that bring together the SLEAP family - staff, volunteers, trustees, host families and young people. These events are a great way to get to know each other and have some fun together. This summer we enjoyed a very special picnic and had fun doing the limbo.

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Partnerships in the community

As a local community charity, SLEAP continues to promote partnerships both new and existing, formal and informal. We have maintained our active presence in professional partnerships like Preston Wellfest, Preston Community Network, South Ribble Together, All Connected for Good and BB4B. We have also benefitted from new partnerships that have enriched our offer and help strengthen SLEAP as an organisation.

With most forms, applications, appointments and information found online, these days, it is easy to become digitally excluded if you do not have the skills or the right tools. We often work with people trying to sort out bills, benefits or applications on a small phone with a broken screen and no data. This is why SLEAP was very happy to become Digital Freedom Distribution Partners this year. Selnet and Lancashire’s Digital Skills Partnership secured funding through Lancashire County Council to support vulnerable residents who are digitally excluded by gifting a digital device, internet connection and skills support. Through this partnership we were able to provide devices for 11 people.

In recognition of SLEAP’s good practice concerning added social value as a business in the community, South Ribble Borough Council added to their website a case study of SLEAP as an example of a small organisation actively working to add value to the community.

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In February this year Buckshaw Village Church announced that they had chosen SLEAP as their local mission partner. SLEAP was nominated by the young people because “they think the work they (SLEAP) do is brilliant.” This partnership will be developed further as together we explore different ways we can support each other. In the meantime, it is exciting to know that it was the young people who chose to nominate us as they value the work that we do. Churches were instrumental in setting SLEAP up and supporting our work through the years, so this kind of partnership is very meaningful and precious to us. It is something we value and wish to promote more.

In order to engage with the community, raise awareness and support partner organisations, SLEAP attended various community events throughout the year. Examples were the Farington Park Family Fun Day, the Cultural and Community event at the Methodist Church in Leyland, PCN Network days, Runshaw College Employment events and Wellbeing Community Fairs.

From small presentations at team meetings, to being guest speakers at WI meetings, Rotary, Lyons, or other such community groups, speaking about SLEAP, raising awareness of homelessness and the challenges faced by young people is an integral part of our work. This year we had the opportunity to run a session for the Explorer Set of the Adlington Scouts. They had chosen SLEAP as a charity they would like to fundraise for and so we were able to help them explore and reflect on homelessness and different aspects they had not considered yet. The group is hoping to join our next sleep out so they too can help raise awareness and funding.

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A huge part of the community involvement with SLEAP’s work, and a significant aspect of our fundraising, are the donations both in cash and kind that we receive from so many other groups, organisations and individuals. One example are the wonderful ladies of Crafts for Everyone who every year make crafts to sell, so they can support the work of SLEAP, while also raising awareness of homelessness and where to get help from.

Over the last year we received donations from local schools, Waitrose, The Prison Service, NFU Mutual, Barratt Housing, Specsavers, Women’s Institute and many more. At Christmas, Beaverbrook’s generously donated jewellery as gifts for our young people.

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The Christmas campaign that we run every year has become a fantastic opportunity for community involvement and awareness raising. So many organisations and individuals get involved each year and once again, despite the current crisis, we were overwhelmed by the generosity of so many who donated items of food, toiletries and cash. Thanks to these donations, we were able to take presents and large food parcels to all the young people we support and to others we knew were struggling too.

This year we decided to ask for cash donations so we could buy fresh food items for our young people over the Christmas period and throughout the year. We decided to launch the campaign with a short, fun video clip, a first for us. We had much fun doing the video with trustees, staff and volunteers singing and dancing along to the music with carrots, parsnips and juggling sprouts. Although our future might not be in the music industry, the result of the campaign exceeded our expectation, and we were able to add plenty of fresh food to the Christmas and Winter food parcels.

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A few more highlights from the year

Continuing on the theme of ‘firsts’ and as another example of the impact of being supported into somewhere you can call a home, and where you can belong, this was a Christmas of many firsts that will be fondly remembered.

A lot of our young people struggle financially and when it comes to Christmas, they don’t always have the money to buy presents for family and friends, so last Christmas we decided to run a pop-up shop with different donations we had been given. Young people were given vouchers and were able to exchange them for gifts. One young

person had never had the opportunity to give presents to family or friends, so this was a first for them and we were able to teach them how to wrap presents, which was a first too.

Another young person told us about the joy of decorating a Christmas tree for the first time. Their first Christmas tree, as they had never had one at home growing up. Finally, thanks to a kind donation of cinema vouchers, two young people were able to watch a movie at the cinema for the very first time.

Last summer, some of our young people successfully completed an AQA in Introduction to Bill Payments. AQA stands for Assessment and Qualifications Alliance and these accredited units constitute a great way to evidence training and preparation. Young people can gain qualifications which will enhance their CV, giving them greater chances of gaining employment. They also provide evidence of their preparation to become better tenants, which is essential when applying for moving on accommodation through the council. The AQA's can be completed in groups or on a 1:1 and there are many different subjects young people can choose from. This is something that we would like to develop further so that most of the work young people undertake with SLEAP as part of their tenancy preparation, can be accredited.

We have also signed up this year to the 136k campaign (originally called 129k), calling on the government to commit to a strategy to end youth homelessness. SLEAP was one of the original 100 charities joining the collective and undersigning the campaign. A policy briefing was pulled together and shared, explaining the challenges faced by this age group and making recommendations to help implement change.

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One final highlight illustrates the commitment that we at SLEAP have to continuous learning and improvement, in particular around safeguarding and safe practice. During this year all members of staff undertook accredited Mental Health First Aid Training, which means SLEAP is able to display the orange button, a widely recognised sign of suicide prevention support.

This year everyone at SLEAP – staff, trustees, host families and volunteers - have completed ACES training, building on the training on trauma informed practice delivered last year. The team

has continued to reflect on the concept of resilience and what that looks like in our practice and for those we support.

The end of another year and the end of 3 years core funding – challenges and opportunities

This year our core funding through a 3 years grant from Reaching Communities North West Region comes to an end. As we reflect on lessons learnt, there are four main points that we briefly highlight here. Points which are relevant as we move on into a new financial year.

  1. Originally the contract for the grant stipulated that we would work with 40 young people per year. Acknowledging the long-term nature of the work and that some young people would transfer from one year to the next, it was agreed that at the end of the three years, SLEAP would have supported 80 separate individuals. In fact, SLEAP supported on average 53 young people per year, and a total of 115 different individuals. In addition, another 50 individuals/families were also supported , but they fall outside the age funded through the grant, and therefore ‘do not count’ for the figures.

  2. Considering the different HR challenges that we faced throughout, and in particular in the last year, it is worth noting that not only the service continued without interruption or negatively impacting on the young people, but we actually supported a greater number of individuals than originally planned.

  3. These last three years have been marked by a common thread of economic crisis, cost of living crisis, increase in difficulties and challenges facing people, reduction in resources and services. A thoroughly challenging context to operate in. Over the last year we have seen people's circumstances worsening overall. As they continue to be impacted by the cost of living crisis, an increasing lack of hope is rising from a sense of 'no way out'. A greater number of young people have told us about their lack of food at home or about increasing debts, because their income is not enough for all they need to pay for.

Sharing ‘Hope’ is one of our values and it must become a greater focus of our future work, recognising the increasing in ‘Hope’ (a mixture of confidence, persistence and

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resilience - a confident expectation of positive outcomes) as an outcome in itself, and one that should be monitored.

  1. When presenting as homeless, young people have been faced with a significant decrease in available emergency and temporary or supported accommodation. One of the many reasons for this was the end of the 'All In' national initiative introduced during lockdown to ensure that nobody was sleeping on the streets. This ended in 2023 in our area, and it has resulted in a visible increase in people sleeping on the streets, even in boroughs where homelessness tended to be more hidden previously.

  2. SLEAP has at times provided small tents and sleeping bags to young people or other adults that approach us in desperation. As the thresholds to be classed as a 'priority' have narrowed tightly, more people are contacting us saying that they went to the Council and were told there was nothing they could do to help.

  3. The emergency accommodation scheme was funded through our own fundraising because most local authorities do not recognise the supported lodgings model as exempt accommodation for Housing Benefit purposes.

This lack of move on accommodation options is becoming worse year on year. Priced out of buying or renting privately, our young people struggle as professional or university students are prioritised for private renting, even in shared rooms. In the meantime, with the increased pressure on Local Authorities to provide adequate transition and supported accommodation for those leaving Care, an increasing number of services will only accept referrals from the council as that is whom they have the contracts with. Funding through contracts is only available for supported accommodation services working with those with a care experience. Those becoming homeless at 18 and upwards or even 16 and 17 but with no care experience, and whom social care assess as not homeless, do not qualify for any funding. Therefore, they are just told there is nothing for them. Local social housing has a two-year waiting list and that is for some families with young children. For single young people, the wait is even longer.

  1. Linked with the above, as there are less services available to all, we are seeing an increasing number of young people completely estranged from family and with no support network. SLEAP often becomes their main source of support in a life stage when transitional support is key to build a stronger future outlook. 95% of all who accessed our support this year were homeless, at risk of homelessness or in unsecure accommodation.

As we move forward, securing funding for the continuation of our work beyond the new financial year is our biggest challenge and priority. However, we must be ready to innovate and try different models and approaches so that we can grow and vary the accommodation offer, in response to the growing need.

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Funding

The breakdown of this year’s funding and spending is presented in the Annual Accounts Report.

Once again, we are extremely grateful to all our donors.

We acknowledge with much thanks the faithful group of individuals who regularly donate to SLEAP and have done so for years. You are a very important part of our team.

Similarly, we want to thank all those, individuals, companies, schools and churches who donated so generously this year both in monies and in kind. We could not support so many young people and families without your support for SLEAP.

Despite the crisis, we continue to receive support from New Day Homes and Hope Charity Shop through their regular donations, for which we are so grateful.

Likewise, the donations in kind received throughout the year are a key part of enabling our work. From food and toiletries to the use of rooms for meetings or events, equipment and furniture. We are very grateful to all those organisations and individuals that have so generously contributed to our work.

The wonderful Marketing Team at Beaverbrooks The Jewellers continue to play a hugely significant role in the life of SLEAP through the many different ways in which they support our work. Thank you!

Despite these wonderful donations, our main source of income continued to be the grant from The National Lottery Community Fund – Reaching Communities Northwest Region without which we could not reach and support so many young people and make a difference in their lives and in our community. We are extremely grateful for the uplift we received this year for this grant, allowing us to cover additional costs and also for the two month extension from April to May 2024.

Sadly this funding has now come to an end and due to all contextual changes, surrounding us, we enter the new financial year with a bleak financial forecast.

Nevertheless, a significant success for us from this year was to secure a grant from Lloyds Bank Foundation of £25k per year for 3 years. This funding comes with additional development support, which will be key as we seek to diversify our funding sources and expand our services.

On behalf of all those who have benefited from the work of SLEAP, we thank you with deep joy for making it possible. Your investment in SLEAP will have a long-lasting impact on young people’s lives and in our community.

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SIIARE HOPB We promole confidence. perslstence ond resillence. Hope provides optimism and o confident expeclallon of positive oulcomes. 11 not oboul simply willing omelhbno lo hopDen. bul Il Is aboul a posll Ive allil ude lo not givinq up on anyone. WB ENCOURAGE PEOPLB TO FULFIL THEIR POTEiifiAL We believe Ihol everyone hos different strengl hs, ialenls, Inlefest5 ond skllls. We encouroge people lo recognise their polenl ial, lo explore oplions, l o Ihink lof themselves ond lo strive lo become the besl vers10ns ol who +heu be. RE8PEcf UNIQUE WORTH OP EVZRYON We believe Ihol everyone Is dillerenl. bul everyone hos Ihe same valve and worth. Everyone Is Iherefore deserving Ol the same respecl. 1115 too easy l o wrile people If rolher thon seeing them ftsr who Ihey are. WX SHOW COhTrA88ION Wo SBe Ihe ne8d ond 5ullering ol It￿se oround Us and teel molivoled lo ocl 40 thol we con olleviale ond Prttvenl il. WÉY boliev• In going oul ol our Wo¥ lo h•lp. wilh 5ghsllivlty. per50Weronce and w(Jrml STRIVE TO DO THE WE CAN DO We ore occovnlable lor ovr work ond resources ond so we always seek to Improve whol we do. We keep high slondoTds, on open mind lo leorr,Ing or,d on eo?ernesS lo orow_ 8LBAP 22

SLEAP is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and it is controlled by its constitution adopted in July 2019.

The organisation’s only voting members are its charity trustees who constitute the Trustee Board and are responsible for the administration of the charity.

Where there is a requirement for new trustees, they are identified by the existing trustees with due regard to the skills and experience needed and appointed at the AGM or a trustee meeting. The Chair and other officers are elected by the Trustee Board and come up for reelection in every year of their holding office.

The trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Purpose and mission:

SLEAP’s purpose as set out in the objects contained in its Constitution:

Mission:

Trustees for 2023/24

Liz Hamilton – Chair Anthony Matthews Barbara Coulton Chinyere Ajayi Daniel Williams Emma Foxall Mike Neill Tim Grose

Independent Examiner

Emily Miller

23

SLEAP

Financial Report and Accounts April 2023 – March 2024

Unit 2 Trafford Buildings

East Street Leyland PR25 3NJ

Registered Charity Number 1184663

1

Notes Applicable to the accounts

1. Financial Management

SLEAP is Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) managed by the Trustees, and its management accounts are maintained in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting (FRS 102).

2. Reserves Policy

The Trustees of SLEAP have considered the following points in developing the Reserves Policy:

Definitions

Unrestricted or free reserves

These are funds which have been received without any conditions attached and are therefore able to be spent as SLEAP sees fit to meet the mission and needs of the organisation and the beneficiaries

Restricted funds

Funds which have been received with specific conditions attached. The money can only be spent for the stated purposes.

Designated funds

Funds which have been set aside by SLEAP for a specific purpose. This may include long-term saving to acquire or replace a capital item of high value, or the development of a new service or pilot project

Aims

2

employment.

In order to meet the aims set out above the Trustees of SLEAP have resolved:

3. Reporting Method

The accounts presented in this report have been prepared using the Receipts and Payments method, which is permitted for Charities with an annual turn-over that does not exceed £250,000. This means that:

4. Principle Sources of Income

SLEAP is primarily funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and Lloyds Bank Foundation.

5. Use of Leyland Premises

SLEAP now rents offices at Trafford Buildings, unit 2. However when moving, the Trustees chose not to forfeit the pre-paid rent for the premises at Leyland Baptist church, choosing to retain them for the pre-paid period as agreed.

In 2013-14 Former SLEAP (1050738) made a contribution to the costs of renovating the church building, in the form of an advance payment of rent for a 15-year period. This is shown as an asset on the balance sheet, which is depleted by a monthly charge for rent which is shown as an expense. The rent charges shown in the financial reports account for the use of office accommodation, and reducing nominal value of the asset recorded on the balance sheet, but involve no cash payments.

3

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (Cash Basis)

ASSETS
Advance Rent Paid
Other Assets
Petty Cash
Current Account
Savings Account
Retail Vouchers
Cash at bank and in hand
Total Assets
LIABILITIES
Payroll Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Total Liabilities
NET ASSETS
CAPITAL AND RESERVES
Retained Surplus / (deficit)
Surplus/ (Deficit) for the year
Total Capital and Reserves		 31 Mar 24
5,778
5,778
30
113,095
37,696
3,246
154,067
159,845
(2,578)
(2,578)
(2,578)
157,267
109,429
47,838
157,267		 31 Mar 23
7,111
7,111
25
67,204
32,303
4,958
104,490
111,601
(2,172)
(2,172)
(2,172)
109,429
103,556
5,873
109,429

4

Statement of Receipts and Payments (Cash Basis) - For the Period from 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024

Restricted Restricted Restricted Restricted Restricted Restricted Designated Designated Designated Un- Total Advance Total Balance
National Employment Supported Household Beaverbrooks Groundwork Emergency Redundancy Operating Restricted Rent Sheet
Lottery Support Accommodation Support Fund Office Refit Accommodation Costs (Includes (non cash
vouchers) mov’t)
Receipts
Accommodation Income 21,724 21,724
Grants 140,285 0 25,000 165,285
Donations (inc Gift Aid) 480 300 19,655 20,435
Fundraising 407 407
Bank Interest 386 386
Total Receipts 140,285 480 21,724 0 0 300 45,448 208,237
Expenses
Compliance Costs 7,694 7,694
General Running Expenses 21,316 185 21.501 1,333
Salaries 101,178 101,178
Accountancy 1,332 1,332
Promotion 1,133 1,133
Service Delivery 910 47 957
Training 758 758
Accommodation Outgoings 4,376 15,843 20,219
Household Support 405 1,712 2,117
Groundworks 82 82
Travel 1,355 1,355
Young People 739 739
Total Expenses 136,415 4,376 15,843 405 185 82 0 0 1,759 159,065 1,333
Surplus/(Loss) for the year 3,870 (3,896) 5,881 (405) (185) (82) 300 0 0 43,689 49,172 (1,333)
Transfer of funds 2,486 0 0 (6,844) (376) (170) (21,571) 4,000 96,145 (73,670) 0
Brought forward from prior 4,500 3,625 (1,121) 7,249 561 252 21,271 16,000 49,981 102,318 7,111
109,429
years
Surplus to carry forward 10,856 (271) 4,760 0 0 0 0 20,000 96,145 20,000 151,490 5,778
157,267*
Notes

  1. Restated previous year’s brought forward figures for National Lottery, £4500 was transferred from unrestricted but missed being reflected in the accounts last year.

  2. 2024/2025 will be a year of financial transition for SLEAP, as the core grant ended in 23/34 and there are not other secured grants or contracts yet. Therefore, surplus amounts have been moved to a new fund called Core Operating Costs to enable work to continue before securing further funding.

  3. The advance rent release has previously been shown in unrestricted. For clarity this should have been separated out, accounts above now reflect this

  4. rounding of £1

5

Consolidated Receipts and Payments

Receipts
Housing Benefit - Other
Grants
Donations (inc Gift Aid)
Fundraising
Bank Interest
Total Receipts
Expenses
Compliance Costs
General Running Expenses
Salaries
Accountancy
Promotion
Service Delivery
Training
Accommodation Outgoings
Household Support
Groundworks
Travel
Young People
Total Expenses
Surplus/ (Loss) for the year		 Apr 23 to Mar 24
21,724
165,285
20,435
407
386
208,237
7,694
22,834
101,178
1,332
1,133
957
758
20,219
2,117
82
1,355
739
160,398
47,839		 Apr 22 to Mar 23
11,698
132,916
24,159
160
52
168,985
4,983
27,087
96,746
1,341
536
782
961
12,838
15,503
248
1,465
622
163,112
5,873

6

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of SLEAP, Leyland

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of SLEAP (Registered Charity 1184663) for the year to 31[st] March 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Charities Act”) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I 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.

Emily Miller (CGMA, ACMA)

My Clear Accounts Limited 39 Fieldside Avenue Euxton Chorley PR7 6JF

28[th] August 2024