2023-10-31-accounts

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THE Glyr Chdd ,"

Legal and Administrative

TRUSTEES: David Schreiber Feige Krausz Solomon Berkowitz

ADMINISTRATION ADDRESS: 29 Knightland Road London E5 9HR

CHARITY NO: 1186598

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER: Venitt and Greaves Chartered Accountants 115 Craven Park Road N15 6BL

BANKER: Barclays Bank Plc 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP

his year, we created the best version of Just Kidding to effectively meet the needs of children and their families. Where we lacked resources or scope, we collaborated with other organizations to share resources, refer children, and, importantly, keep learning. T

Our theme this year is that every child is a gift. Just as gifts come in different wrappings, so do children, each bringing unique qualities and potential. Our mission is to unwrap these layers and reveal the wonderful gifts inside. Through robust planning and preparation, we aim to equip children to brave challenges and reach further.

The formative years of childhood significantly influence who we become as adults. Early experiences shape our preferences, views, and even brain development. Growing up without basic needs or a secure and happy home can have debilitating and long-lasting effects. However, one caring adult can make all the difference for a child who has experienced adverse childhood experiences or trauma. Our mentors are doing incredible work, offering guidance, support, and encouragement when it is needed most.

Mentoring is an invaluable resource, providing children with positive role models who help shape their lives and ensure they reach their full potential. Our mentors are lifelines, offering the kind of support that can turn challenges into opportunities.

Message of the Chair

To our donors, thank you. You are inundated with worthy requests, yet you placed your trust in us and chose to invest in an organization that cares deeply about young people. Your wise investment has made a significant difference. Some children may face every “dis” or “dys” challenge now, like disadvantaged, dysregulated, or distressed, but with the right support, they can surmount these challenges and transition into adulthood as confident winners.

Your tremendous support has meant that worries about whether our full range of services would survive were curtailed. Despite financial difficulties, we managed to gradually replenish our reserves and sustain our existing offerings. Thank you for standing with us and for believing in the potential of every child. Together, we continue to unwrap the unique gifts each child brings to the world, celebrating their individuality and fostering their growth.

At Just Kidding, while we value the sentiment that “it’s the thought that counts,” we also need tangible support to make a difference. Your monetary gifts empower us to provide essential services to children in need. Thank you for considering how you can turn your thoughts into impactful action.

Rose Berkowitz

Why We Exist

Have you ever chuckled at a hilariously off-target Google Translate moment?

It can be amusing as a one-time occurrence, irritating when occuring more frequently, but imagine if every attempt at communication felt like relying on that unpredictable tool. Now, picture a child with ESOL in a classroom; or a child familiar with the language but grappling with non-verbal cues and relative language or expressions due to autism. For them, the frustration and isolation go far beyond mere annoyance. Every misunderstood word or missed expression becomes a barrier to connection and understanding. At Just Kidding, we recognize these challenges and strive to provide tailored support, helping children overcome communication barriers and thrive in social settings. Together, we can create inclusive environments where every child feels valued, understood, and empowered to express themselves authentically.

Every child is gifted; we say it very often. How often do we believe it? Finding a child’s strengths can sometimes be the most difficult and frustrating part of our job. You see, for some children, their outward selves can mask their inner beauty through such things as learning or behavioral challenges, language barriers. Just Kidding advocates for children with communication barriers such as ESOL, autism, hearing loss and helps parents, schools, and other children untie the knots and tape and unwrapping the gift in every child. included, valued, and heard.

Every day should be joyful, growthJust Kidding takes childhood very orientated, and emotionally safe for very seriously. We help children all children and young people. communicate so that they are included, valued, and heard. V M

Good Governance

Our governance structure ensures responsible, sustainable operations, fostering an inclusive, equitable environment and maintaining ethical standards while managing risks. At the core is a Board of Trustees consisting of the Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary, all with lived experience relevant to our mission. The Chair oversees board activities and governance, the Treasurer manages financial oversight and budgeting, and the Secretary maintains records and compliance.

participatory approach ensures our governance is inclusive and responsive to community needs.

Each project is led by a Project Lead supported by volunteers accountable to a Project Manager. The Project Manager oversees projects and reports to the Administrator, who is accountable to the Trustees, ensuring clear responsibility and oversight.

The Board is supported by an Advisory Panel comprising an Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Pathologist, and Business Advisor. They provide expert insights on educational strategies, communication development, and business sustainability.

We commit to fostering an inclusive workplace, promoting safety and well-being, and supporting skills development and career advancement. By measuring and reporting our progress, we ensure accountability, helping our stakeholders evaluate our impact and demonstrating our commitment to delivering sustainable, long-term value.

We also have a Steering Committee called the Stakeholders Session, where service users, carers, parents, and teachers can join trustee meetings and run focus groups. This

Social Station ~~“~~ Social Station is our afterschool program tailored for 45 Children enrolled in Social Station often grapple with WHEN I TALK MY SENTENCES children (ages 3-11) with ASD, including those not yet communication difficulties, making it challenging for them to diagnosed but displaying indicators and awaiting assessment, identify and name emotions. This limitation extends beyond come out awkward, I mix up along with cases featuring distinct but inconclusive linguistic barriers, affecting their ability to convey feelings, words, I get tongue tied, I say the assessments. These encompass children exhibiting some, but needs, and experiences to others effectively. The frustration not sufficient, autism features, falling just short of a definitive stemming from an inability to communicate emotions can opposite of what I mean, and I diagnosis threshold, Co morbid difficulties include sensory contribute to heightened levels of anxiety among these challenges, anxiety, or communication difficulties. Guided children. Difficulties in forming connections and participating have trouble thinking of what I by a Speech and Language therapist, Play therapist and in group activities can lead to a sense of exclusion, impacting want to say. Is there something I supported by student volunteers, our approach emphasizes their overall social and emotional well-being. Beyond could do?”

Social Station is our afterschool program tailored for 45 children (ages 3-11) with ASD, including those not yet diagnosed but displaying indicators and awaiting assessment, along with cases featuring distinct but inconclusive assessments. These encompass children exhibiting some, but not sufficient, autism features, falling just short of a definitive diagnosis threshold, Co morbid difficulties include sensory challenges, anxiety, or communication difficulties. Guided by a Speech and Language therapist, Play therapist and supported by student volunteers, our approach emphasizes mixed-age groups to foster leadership and confidence in each child.

Children enrolled in Social Station often grapple with communication difficulties, making it challenging for them to identify and name emotions. This limitation extends beyond linguistic barriers, affecting their ability to convey feelings, needs, and experiences to others effectively. The frustration stemming from an inability to communicate emotions can contribute to heightened levels of anxiety among these children. Difficulties in forming connections and participating in group activities can lead to a sense of exclusion, impacting their overall social and emotional well-being. Beyond traditional speech and communication activities, our sessions incorporate targeted exercises to improve impulse control, executive functioning, and social-emotional skills. Certified facilitators and dedicated volunteers ensure a supportive environment.

Gella, 11

The overlap between communication challenges and mental health is especially significant for children attending Social Station, as the nature of the program caters to those aged 3-11 exhibiting signs of autism, sensory challenges, anxiety, or communication difficulties.

We actively collaborate with local schools and caseworkers and health visitors to identify and support children facing economic hardships, promoting inclusivity and accessibility. Social Skills Group is held Monday to Thursdays from 4-6 pm and includes a light afterschool snack.

Just Kidding is well-placed to meet the needs of the community due to our community-driven approach. Through extensive engagement and feedback mechanisms, we’ve developed a deep understanding of the challenges local families face. Given our profound understanding of these children, coupled with the trust they place in us, our keen awareness of their concerns becomes instrumental. This is critical in identifying subtle signs of distress promptly, and the established trust facilitates effective support when they require assistance. Our existing programs have already demonstrated success in providing mentorship and support, leading to improved confidence and academic performance among participating children.

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“
MUSIC SOCIAL ROCKS.
It’s the highlight of my week.”
Debbie, 8
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Chance to Advance

We support teens and school leavers who will not pursue further education as they have struggled extensively in school with literacy and communication due to disabilities, family backgrounds, immigration, etc.

We will also engage 14-18-year-olds in between schools due to truancy, absenteeism, suspension, or immigration status. These young people could be classed as NEET and endure multiple challenges. The Chance to Advance program was created to demonstrate that young people can learn and move towards independence and successful inclusion in the community. Target skills are designed to provide each individual with the opportunity to acquire and advance skills in the areas of:

FUNCTIONAL LITERACY SKILLS

BYTESIZE DIGITAL LITERACY

In addition to basic literacy training, we will offer a range of IT Literacy courses that are prerequisites for any job and day-to-day living. This course is modified for learners with disabilities and language barriers and groups are kept to a maximum of 5 students per trainer. Starting and Shutdown computers, creating a new user, Installing new software introduction to the Internet, Browsing and searching websites, Sending and receiving email, Introduction to MS Word, creating a document, writing a formal letter Saving as PDF, Introduction to MS Excel.

Course and 1-1, for immigrants who are out of school-14-19 and for children who are in between schools (suspended, or long-term school refusal) as well as for school leavers who have not attained a passing grade in their English GCSE`S and young people with disabilities.

SOCIAL COMMUNICATION LITERACY

Social communication literacy: Social etiquette, work ethic, and communication skills for the workplace workshop.

GETTING AROUND SKILLS

Getting Around Skills: Learning to navigate public transportation, basic directional skills, etc.

CityFarm Kids

Our mission is clear: to provide 80 portions of nutritious, fresh, and wholesome food each week to children who need it the most. Yet, we aspire to go beyond the conventional approach of distributing traditional food parcels which is lifesaving yet can develop dependency for some and for others hurt their dignity. Our vision is transformative, seeking to empower these children not just with sustenance but with a profound connection to the food they consume.

Imagine these children, so cut off from nature, most live in tall, crowded council estates or social housing, actively participating in the process of procuring their meals. Picture them at a local farm, their hands in the soil, learning about the journey from seed to table. This initiative transcends the conventional charity model; it’s about instilling a sense of pride and ownership in these children. When they enjoy their meals, we want them to feel a sense of accomplishment, knowing they played a role in bringing that food to their table. Through this initiative, we also hope to nurture a sense of responsibility and appreciation for the journey their potatoes or vegetables took to reach their tables.

Red Apple Project

Project Red Apple wants every child to feast on the tart sweetness and crunch into a juicy apple and other fruits and vegetables daily. It is a program that aims to address the issue of food insecurity and lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables for children and teens whose families receive food from food banks but rarely enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables. The program is designed especially for families facing acute financial constraints made worse by the cost of living crises.

Project Red Apple delivers fruit and veggie goody bags to children in need. These goody bags are filled with fresh fruits and vegetables and are designed to provide a healthy and nutritious snack or meal option for children and teens. The goody bags are distributed at our afterschool activities and available at selected local groceries free of charge for families in need.

Project Red Apple is the idea and fruits of Toby, a young person attending our Learn to live program. Together with other young people they worked hard to make it happen. And have reaped fruitful results.

They delivered over 700 fruit and veggie goody bags to children in need. Overall, Project Red Apple is an important initiative that helps to ensure that children and teens from families in need have access to the healthy and nutritious food options essential for their physical and cognitive development.

Impact

We know our service is needed because we can see its real-life benefits for the children we work with. The following case study, written by one of our past volunteers, illustrates how our service directly impacts the children we support: We started working with Becky* in December 2018. When we first met Becky, it was clear she was struggling with emotional regulation and getting on with other children. Becky really struggled to communicate and make eye contact. She was unable to focus and often lashed out physically when she got frustrated or upset. She would never participate in group games and often seemed completely dissociated from her surroundings. It was incredibly rare to see her smile and when she did it appeared to be more of a grimace. Over three months of working with Becky we witnessed a gradual but noticeable change in his behaviour. She slowly began to engage with our volunteers and participate in one on one games. After some time, she started to take part in circle games and activities with other children. She found activities that she really enjoyed doing, especially playdough, Connect 4 (with hers own set of rules) and playing running games. Towards the end of our time with becky, she had begun to speak to us. Her transformation is one of the most notable we have seen. She is the perfect example of how the opportunity to play in a safe environment is what children need to process their experiences and build resilience against ongoing challenges.

OUTCOMES:

Interacting with peers helps children build social, reciprocal and communicative skills. Through playful activities they learned actively listening, interpreting body language, asking questions, taking turns and other skills that will help them feel comfortable in social and unknown situations.

OUR THEORY OF CHANGE:

In early 2021 we produced our theory of Change, an evaluation framework that outlines our key objectives for children, and the indicators we can use to track progress against these desired outcomes.

We devised this by looking at what is happening in our area in terms of living conditions and social pressures, climate-then the covid-19 related challenges, what young people need in terms of skills and opportunities, and what young people want and enjoy doing out of school. We then looked at our capabilities and what we want to achieve as an organization.

SUSTAINING FRIENDSHIPS

85% of participants reported improve friendship skills
30 children shared that they

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made a new friendship at our club
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IMPROVING SELF-ESTEEM

94% of participants reported improved self-esteem throught he Rosenberg Self Esteem Test Model and our Feedback form

OTHER AREAS OF PREDICTED OUTCOMES REPORTED AND EVALUATED INCLUDE:

Being more responsible and empathetic - Being able to express difficult feelings
Navigating social situations successfully

Children are referred to us by their teachers, school sencos, mentors, therapists and social workers.

A breakdown of our users:

12 children have dyslexia or other significant literacy difficulty. 8 children are on the ASD spectrum
11 children have ADHD
3 children have dyspraxia
7 immigrant children

Case Study

Mazel was born in the UK to an immigrant family. She was a wonder child, walking and talking at ten months, sleeping and eating like clockwork, and grasping numbers and ABCs at age three. She even taught her parents to read English. By eight years old, Mazel was overwhelmed with adult responsibilities like filling out school forms, paperwork, and translating for her family. This overwhelming experience forced her to grow up too quickly, creating additional pressure to perform well and meet her family’s expectations, leading to stress and anxiety.

12, have other Sen needs (mild to moderate)
18 struggle with social anxiety
12 with other emotional/mental health challenge

18 come from complex backgrounds and families

Mazel’s teacher noticed her struggles and referred her to the Social Station, Her parents were thrilled about this opportunity as it provided Mazel with a constructive activity after school, allowed them to take on extra shifts twice a week, and ensured Mazel had a warm dinner during the sessions.

At the Social Station, Mazel learned to interact more effectively with her peers, developing better listening skills and understanding the importance of taking turns in conversations. She learned strategies to manage her emotions, reducing her stress and anxiety levels. Mazel also began to interpret nonverbal cues, improving her empathy and ability to relate to others.

Mazel became more approachable and less domineering with her peers. Her stress and anxiety levels decreased, contributing to her overall well-being. She built stronger, more meaningful friendships and improved relationships with both peers and adults. Her improved social skills positively impacted her academic performance, and she became more independent, managing her responsibilities more effectively.

To further support Mazel, a family mentor was introduced to assist her parents with various tasks, allowing Mazel to focus on just being a child.

Mazel: I used to check myself many times before going to school, I even scrubbed my skin until it bled thinking that if I get it one shade lighter, the kids will want to be my friend. I now see that my friends are respectful of the colour of my skin, and they don`t really care what I wear or where I come from. Our school teaches respect a lot. But they dont appreciate when i help them without being asked. They thought I was the dictator of the class- all i really wanted was to help; like i did at home and my parents appreciated me so much. I learned some amazing social skills and things are so much better for me socially.

TRUSTEES REPORT

The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 October 2023.

The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

of income to meet the ongoing calls made on the charity including the possibility of providing capital assets for the needs of charitable institutions.

Going concern

The Trustees plan to continue to make distributions in accordance with their grant making policy and to ensure that an appropriate level of reserves is maintained.

FUTURE PLANS

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The principal objectives of the charity are: - provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life, and - to advance education and training in subjects which develop the capacity and skills of the participants in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet their needs and to participate more fully in society.

Public benefit

The Trustees have taken due heed of their obligations relating to Public Benefit Duty affecting charities, as well as to their obligations under the Equalities Act 2010. The Trustees are satisfied that they meet their obligations.

The charity intends to carry on its policy of making grants in pursuant of its objects, and continue its activities, as outlined above, for the foreseeable future.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a declaration of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity. Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

It is not currently the intention of the trustees of the charity to appoint new trustees. Should this situation change in the future, the trustees will apply suitable recruitment and training procedures.

Risk management

The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

The charity is dependent on income from voluntary donations and grants. The charity’s incoming resources during the year were £115,072 (2022 £93,230) and charitable activies expenditure amounted to £121,168 (2022: £89,526).

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Reserves policy

The reserves policy is to ensure that there is a sufficient stream

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 28 June 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

S Berkowitz

Trustee

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF JUST KIDDING

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Just Kidding (the Trust) for the year ended 31 October 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 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.

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under Section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all 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:

M A Venitt, A.C.A

Venitt and Greaves Chartered Accountants 115 Craven Park Road South Tottenham London N15 6BL

28 June 2024

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by Section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2023

BALANCE SHEET 31 OCTOBER 2023

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