International Community Organisation Of Sunderland Financial Ststements For the Period 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025 Charity No.. 1186618 Certt7x Accounting (Sunderland) Ltd 14 Foyle street Sunderland SRI ILE
Internatlonal Communlty Organlsatlon Of Sunderland Contonts Trustees Report Independent Exwmlner's Report Statement of FlnancSo1 Actlvltles BèlaThce Sheet Not•$ to the Accounts
International Communlty Organlsation Of Sunderland Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31st March 2025 N•m•: International Community Organlsation of Sunderland Address: 14 Foyle Street Sunderland SRI IIE Ch•Tity No: 1186618 Trnst•ès (who s•rv•d durlng th• y••rl Rafal Marzec Iga Bofsut Anna Heyman Agnleszka Serafin Nyashadza5he Tafaune (Chairl (Treasurer) Ind•p•nd•nt Examln•r Certax Accounting Isvnderlandl Ltd 14 Foyle Street Sunderland SRI ILE
Registered charity number.. 1186818 Introductlon.. As chalrperJon of ICOS, I would Ilke to flrst and ft>remo$t thank our funders for supportlng us throughout what was a challenglng, yet fruitfvl year for the organizatlon. I would also Ilke to thank our funders, donors and sponsors- wlthout your generou8 fundlng even the worthlest cause and the mosteffectlve organlzatlon could notsurvlve. We exist to help ourclients to Integrnte, access seThlces and thrive, and we arn grateful to them also, as they have glv•n back 80 much, especlally (wr volunteers and tho80 ellents who have pmvldedadvlce to us on how we can become even more eff•rtlvo and Involvlng. Rafal Marzec Chal of ICOS ABOUT ICOS: Connect people to opportunities Defend people's rights Bring people from different cultural backgrounds together In order to futfil our mission, we provide the following activities.. Information. Advice, Guidance and Advocacy work {individual casework) in a wide range of diverse areas, from employability to welfare righls Volunteering opportunities Cultural activities Our values are.. Justice Equality Involv8ment Connectednes$ Commitmenl AntiRcism Inclusion Commitment to partnership working..
Registered chority number.. 1186818 We see partnership work as key to our past and future success. We work closely with a variety of partners, including the Sunderland Black and Minority Ethnic Nerk, local councils (notsbly, Sundertand City Council). health authorities, emergency servIs, community organisations and local businesses. Our motto is: "Advocating for rights, creating Opportun'es.. Executive Summary: Over the past year, the Intemational Community Organisation of Sunderland (ICOSI has continued to stand alongside migrant and minorty communities. offenng prath'cal support, friendship, and opportunities to thrive. Desprte financial pressures, the cost-of-living ¢risis, and the painfiJl impact of the 2024 racist riots. our rAJmmunity has shown strength, solidarity, and silience. Our Impact In totsl, ICOS supported 781 people, induding 558 who received one-trpone advi on housing, welfare, employability, and immigrats'on. Many lives have been positively changed.. over half of those we VK*rked vlith reported imFxoved wellbeing, 40Yo saw their financial situation improve, and 39 people moved into paid yrk. Others progressed into education or training, secured housing, or felt safer and more o)nfident in their daily lives. Beyond ajvice, vft provided material support such as formj vouchers. SIM cards. clothing. and energy grants lo more than 2CK) people. wellbeing and cultural activrties brought people together across backgrounds-310 people met new fn'ends from different cultures. while eo activities like coastal walks, sports, and family trips helped redu loneliness and build community spirit. Volunteering remairEd at the heart of r vrk. with 125 people giving their b'me, energy, and skills. Environmental activities also grew. with over 3CMJ people taking part in dean-ups and awareness events, and 70% of partiapants going on to take further environmentsl action. Projects That Make a Difference Our multi-y8ar projects have been espeoally powerful. Back in Control 2 supported survivors of modem slavery and explortation. helping them find safety. stability, and independen. Shared Sunderland, run with SBIC and New Horizon, empowered people through advice, leadership training, and community campaigns-16 partscipants even stepped into fomial leadership roles. Strength in People and Partnerships at makes ICOS unique is our people. Our dedicated stsff and growing volunteer team go the extra mile every day. Together wth partners-from local CL)un¢ils to schools and community groups-we are breaking down barriers and amplifying the voices of those too often unheard. Looking FoThvard As we lebrated ICOS'S 15th anniversary, we also looked ahead. Our new 2025-2030 strategy will focus on building sustainable ints)me (including a community café), stngthening
Registered chority number.. 1186818 client involvement, and expanding pjpular projects such as ICOS Vlomen, sports, véellbeing, and environmental work. At its heart, ICOS is about people-supporting one another, creating oppjrtunities, and building a fairer, more conneded Sundedand. Highlights: Improved wellb8ing'. 108 out of 207 (52.17%) Reduced social isolation.. 61 out of 203 (30.05%) Improved confidence.. 47 out of 109 (41.28%) Improved housin9 Situation.. 30 out of 84135.71 %) Improved financial situation.. 66 out of 164 (40.24%) Feeling safer. 19 out of 57 (30.33%) 39 people have progressed into paid employment {the projects directly supportir¥J employability work at ICOS were only worth £25 000 in total during that period 60 people have achieved at qualffic2ti¢)n or prcoressed into education or training 24 people have received support their immigrdtion status. Many more have been referred to extemal organisab'ons due to requinng support at a hoher level than our regulation enables us to. 60 people have reported 1vij a benefft awardlentitlement (V#e believe this to be undercounted, e.g., due to some dients not recognizing a council tsx discount as an award). These included Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment 310 people who have attended wellbeing activities have reported meeting new people from a dlffefjt culture. 125 people across different projects have volunteered. induding SO regular volunteers, not counting envIrmental volunteers. Over 300 people, including children have taken wt in environmental activities such as dean ups and awareness raising activits'es. 12 people have ceiVed grants made t¢)Kards energy costs. Awards have ranged from £98 to £900, and the awards have been made by a range of funders. indL*Jing National Energy Action, Unity in Community, the Household Support Fund We have provided an estimated 2(M) clients with material support, induding sim cards, fo¢xI vouchers, food back referrals. dothing and toy rtems. or refijnded travel costs. We have delivered at totsl of 60 Nlellbeing athvities, including a Coastsl Walk, Tennis, Bowling, Seal Sands Walk, lte Lea- Fami walk, Bowling, Ster kn'ghlhouse, Sports, Santa
Registered chority number.. 1186818 Day, sn¢)%Oard1ng, Ceramics, Go Karting, Coastal Walk, Creating Bird Feeders, KayakirvJ. Water Sports, Spilmans Fann Trip. Rowng. Diggerfand. Coastenng arml many more. Environmental. We have delivered a totsl of 70 environmental activity days through the East Rangers project alone, engaging a total of totsl of total of 3CQ people. 70% of those we were able to ask asked Ik environmental action as a result of the projèct. Major project spanning over several years: Back in Control 2 (August 2022 - November 2025) The project has providgj vital and valuable support to migrant people affected by Modem Day Slavery arKI Workplachq Exploitation in Sundedand and the surrounding area. This has especially focused several aspects of their lives.. • Benefits Housing Support immigratn issues • Material support • Removing barriers in a flexible way General support and life and the UK. civic dUtS Employability • Supporting asylum seekers Involvement and indusion
Registered charity number.. 1186818 At the time of writing drdft result$ were available. which indicated the following: Overall number of clients: Agreed: 1(M) Achieved: 92 Some data for: 67 Outcome Indlcator IrrteNention Is) Achieved: Outcome Improved wellbeing 68% -Counselling and other health and wellbeing intelV8ntions 59.7% -Effect of general support and advice, induding support wTrth ents'tiements -The work delivered by our partner- Impacl North East CIC will be crucial to achieving this outcome. Improved financial situation Improved stability for individuals and family units 55% -Holistic advice arKI advocacy on accéssing benefits and entitlements 52.31% 82% -Holistic advice and advocacy on accassing benefits and entitlements 86.97% -Immigration advice (partners suth as North East Law Centre and Childn,$ Society will have a ucial role) -Health and W•ellbein interventions -ICOS will discover potential cases of exploitation and prevent, or stop it from happening. We bMII utilise community contacts and community intelligence and refer clients to GLAAnhe FY)lice if ro nate. -ICOS will identify and support volunleers. who will support several aspects of project delivery. induding the PSG, peer-tO-pr support and awareness raising. Pr8venlion, discovery and rescue 20Qh 53.28¥0 Involvement through volunteerin 20% (20 clients) 20.41% Addltlonally: 71.43% have reported that their issues had been resolved 53% said that their involvement in the prwramme had pvented further exploitation 50% reported feeling more independent 46.77% have reported an improved housing situation 43.75% have reported feeling safer 43% have reported improved En91ish language skills
Registered charity number.. 1186818 40.3% reported fe81ing mor8 Optimistic about their future 'th8se figur8s are based on of those who have responded l hav8 been abl8 to 8XIt Wewere not able to getfvll data forof29.35% ofthe clients- due a numberofissues, including moving abroad, changing contact details, or, most often, not being available to take part in an exil discussion at the time when they were contacted. We attempted at least three contacts on at different times on different days. Shared Sunderland: Project Updates The Shared Sundedand Project {2022-20251, which was led Intemational Community Organisation of Sundedand {ICOS}, Sundertand Bangladesh Intemational cent (SBIC), and New Honzon INHI, was designed to empower migrant communities in Sunderland. Through vanous initiatives, it provided direGt support, influenced public policy, and fostered leadership within these communities. l. One-to-one Advice and Advocacy Provided guidance on housing, benefits, immigration (Level 1 regulated), and access to services to 366 individuals. IndICtlY benefited many others, including household members. The project focused on marginalized groups, such as asylum seekers, refugees, and SUNiVOfS of domestic abuse. 78 wer8 in need of immigration advice and support, including passport applications. 80 needed support with housing (including registrations with housing associations, presenting to the council as homeless and general advice on housing, such as disrepair. 100 needed support with benefits, including applying for benefits and understanding decisions, as well as reviews and app8als 17 needed support with accessing the health seNice, e.g., GP gistrations. 54 needed support with managing thelr universal credit account due to language barriers and l or lack of aCsS to devices or low IT skills. 58 were faang other problems, such as domestic abuse, school registration. This service, while resource-intensive, made a significant difference in people's lives.. -640/0 (228 individuals) have reported improved wellbeing -50%1182 individuals) hav8 reported improved housing srtuation
Registered chority number.. 1186818 -54% (197 individuals) have reported improved finanaal siiuab'on % (191 have ported that their immigration issue has been resolved. 1. Engagement with Public and Non-Profit Organisations Worked to make institutions more indusive and mtgrant-friendly. Addressed issues like housing access. cost of living, arKI antiracism in schools. Partnered vth Tyne and Wear Citizens ffwc) and Citizens UK for national and local campaigns. Richard Avenue Pnmary School and Thomhill School y8 engaged in adoptsng the Nats'onal Education Union's Ants'raasm Charter. Delivered awareness sessions on Asian, Black African, and Eastem European migrant communities, influenang VCSE and public sector organisations. 1. Building Sustainable Change & Community Representstion Formed a Project Steering Group (PSG) with 8 migrant leaders from diverse backgrounds. Established a Sunderland Hub of TWC. all0vng migrant voices to reach public sector bodies. Contritted to the mayoral pledge to increase affordable and social housing. Succ8$sfu15y infiuenced regional education policies. including the Racial Justice in Education Campaign, Nlthich barne a priority campaign for TWC. 1. Leadership and Cc¥nmunty Engagement Engaged 64 individuals in leadership activities such as enterprise training, voter gistratiOn. environmental activism, and local govemance. Encourag&1 c¢ynmunity members to pursue roles as school govemors, councillors, arKI electi candidates. Helped increase confKlence and partiow'on in fomial and infwial leadership roles. A total of 64 dients have taken part in leadership ath'vities (many but not all of them have also benefited from advice) Out of this number 39 people hav8
Registered chority number.. 1186818 reported accomplishing goals and achtevements in leadership. A total of 18 individuals took part in the leadership progressed into fonnal leadership positions as dI¢t result of parttcipation. Additionally, 45 people of them have indicated that they felt morE confident pursuing their leadership interests following taking part in the programme. 1. Microgrants for Local Initiatives Provided five projects (three organisations) with fundirvJ to enhance community leadership and service delivery. The grant-making process Was developed wth PSG rnembers, further fostering leadership skills. 1. Expansion of Immigrats'on Advice Services ICOS became OISCIIAA-registered in April 2023, enabling Level 1 immigration advice. As of January 2025, one staff member arKI one volunteer are providing immoration supporL with trwo addttional staff members training for certific41ion by late summer 2025. SBIC and NH are working tovrards OISCIIAA registrati, ytr NH staff aiming for certification in spring 2025. Partnered with (xganisations like Migrant Help and the North East Law Centreto meet the danand for immigration support. particularfy for EU Settlement Scheme {EUSS) applicats'ons and E-visas. 1. Strengthening Partnerships Collaborated with TIN*C. North East Law Centre, Migrant Help, Together for Children, Sunderfand Cty Council, The Phoenix INay, and the North East Antiracism Coalilion (fomed after the 2024 raast riots). Th8 Shared Sundedand project has been instrumental in supporring mKJrant communits'es by providing advice, advoc2¢y, leadership development, and policy irrfluence. Despite challenges, it has built sustainable structures that continue beyond its lunding period, creat'ng lasting impact on indusion. local policy. and morant empcwennent in Sunderland. We are grateful to our funder- Paul Hamlyn Fwndation for their support.
Registered charity number.. 1186818 Case studies: htt s'.Ilwww. outube.comlwatchfv-RZNL6-ZB70A Iseveral case studies on leadership) htt s:Ilicos.or -contenUu loads120241061Shared-Sunde and-Leadershi -case- stud -Chom df htt s:Ilicos.o .ukJw contenuu loads120231021Shared-Sunde and<ase4tud Amez. htt s:Ilicos.o .uklw ontenuu loads120231101Alina- hared- underland£ase- htt s:Ilicos.or .uklw <ontentlu loads120231021Shared-Sunderland4ase4tud emira. htt s:Ificos.o <ontentlu loads12023111YMacie -Case-Stud -shared- underland. d Strengths, achlevements and opportunltles: We have a very motivated, focused. and skilled vKJrkforce. Our staff are also committed to our organization's mission. and often willing to go an extra mile for the di8nts they support, and for the sake of the proje¢Xs they deliver. Our staff members are also interested in upskilling themselves, and in their uJnts'nu<)us professional developnent. We have also got an increasing number of volunteers suppcb'ng our delivery, including many dedicated regular volunteers. Many of them are current students or recent graduat8s, but some come from otherwalks of life, including unemployed oreconomically inactive people, as W811 as the over 50s. This increasing volunteer base has enabled us to increase our capacrty, notsbly in areas such as running events and some CommunitionS functions. such as social media and the newsletter. This is a vital resource to ICOS. and it helps us to deliver more services, and better seNices for the people. The main areas our volunteers have been involved in include vKllbeing activities, environmental activrties, women's activities, and sports, as well as office volunteerirvJ (e.g., administration and communication). ICOS has been able to develop new patherships with several organisations from the VCSE sector, as V11 as the private MpanIeS. These partnerships are enabling us to tsp into mor8 potential and increase our capacty to deliver our projects, induding through accessing extra funds, accessing ojrporate volunteers, and applying for funding togèther. Organisations we have recently stsrted working dosely indude Neb¥case Building Soaety. Durham Wldlife Trust, or British Gas. Wellbeing and environmental ath'vities featured prOrnately in our lhork, as we took care of the local area {fo(xJsing on Backhouse Park in St Michael's INard), viere we deliver regular
Registered charity number.. 1186818 actinides at least twice a week, and we have just started creating a composting heap. Regular sports and wellbeing session have brought joy to nay, and enabled people to get together. In July 2024, ICOS lebrated its 15th birthday- the prO$S culminated in our official celebration in October 2024. We utilized th opportunity to engage with stakeholders, especially our clients, through focus group discussions and a random survey. As a result, we have created, and are now implements'ng our 2025-2030 strategy, which includes plans to generate unrestricted income through creating a communty café, enabling even more clients to shape our services through creating an organEats"on-wide Project Steering Group, and recruiting trustees with the experience of the asylum system, amongst other development areas. ICOS'S has been able to amplify the voices of our dients and communities to influence processes affeciirKJ them. For example, we have effectively worked wth the Tyne and Wear Citizens (TWICI to influence structures and systems affecting our dients, suth as housing, immigration law or antiraast education. We have created and contributed to research. including through co - production and involvement approaches, which has been published.. htt s'.IlvMv.sunderfand.ac.uklmorelnewsluniversi sundedand-researchl -news1202511an ua e-barriers-universi ht s.'Iibristoluniversi ressdi rtal.com/viewl oumalsl bv1> arti e-10.1332- 23986808Y2024DWCQOOC601arbde-10.1332-23986808Y2024D(KfiCQ0060.xml htt s'./licos.o com ressed. contenvu loads12Lf24/11 ether-Thro h-Cnsis-Re ort-Final-edit- The ICOS Women project is growng in size and impact. and the women benefit not just from one to one support and social meet ups, but also co-prTrdu the project through the Project Steering Group. which decides the direction of the work. It has rentlY grown from 8 to 12. The group now also influences extemal bcNJies thrOh research, including research projects focusing on the impact of povety on Eastem European families. Women have also been able to find a space within this group to develop their own projects and initiatives. including the Mum's Club {1th VRS originally developed by a volunteer who had young childfenl. This project has now been expanded to Newcastle upon Tyne l North Tyneside through our cooperation with the Polish Saturday Schwl. We are pleased that the Back in Control 2 projecvs Project Steering Group has ntInued to contnbute to effective delivery of the project through enabling co-prcyjuction with the clients. The group currently involves 6 members. or all have the experience of either m¢>Jem day slavery, workplace exploitstion, and in some cases- both. Through working with the PSG, we are implementing changes to the project in areas such as more effecb've wellbeing support, and or employabilty support. Stsff morale and wellbeing remain high, as sh(ywn in our wellbeing SUeys, as illustrated by anonymous comments about being confident and happy. This has been consistent during the year, starting from earty spring I late winter pericrfj. We PK)pe to maintain high levels of morale, as well as wellbeing. Challenges and issues: Our clients eno)unter complex. ovedapping challenges vthen trying to access entillements, benefits, housing, essential services, and seojre immigralion status. Migrants are among the most affected by the tK)using and cost of living crises, often lacking the safety nets or family io
Registered charity number.. 1186818 nerkS that others rely on. Restrictive. infiexible, and at times hostile immigration lieS create further obstades. Added financial pressures, suth as the NHS surcharge, make their situations 8v8n more precarious. Our charity is also under growng financial strain. The loss of EU fvnding, combined with the smaller and more restrictive UK Shared Prosperity Fund IUKSPF), has reduced Ihe resources available to us. Many fvnders have paused grant-giving, ts'ghtened their crtteria, or shifted to invitation-only fvnding This is particularly drffiIt for ICOS, as we serve migrants broadly rather than focusing on specific subgroups. Inflabon has further diminished the value of grants-fijnding that once covered a staff role now barely makes a dent The recently announced rise in employer national insurance contribulions will also push our overheads higher. Since stsffing is our Lqrgest expense, and many fijnders are unwilling to cover it, the pressure is mntIrj. As a result, ICOS has very limited capacity in essential areas such as communications, data management, and administration. with finance also under strain. Short-term and restrictive funding prevents us from building sustainable capaaty. vthile staff are often unable to increase hours due to caring responsibilities, studies, or immigration restrictions. Staff tumover-linked to personal circumstances, immigrats'on issues, and the impact of the raast nots-has further disnjpted our capaaty. These pressures have fOrd us to extend project delivery timescales, both intemally and wth subcontractors. Client engagement also poses challenges.. around 10-15% of dients dis8ngage from projects. This is unsurprising given Ihe transient nature of the communits'es we support-refugees often move after securing status, seeking family connections, work opportunities, or safety from discrimination. lIe natural, this mobility requires signtficanttime and resour5 to safeguard their wellbeing during their engagement wrth us. Alihough use a strong data management system, these movements also affect data consistency. The cost of living crisis has left many dients vr$e off than when they first registered us. Even so, client feedback consistently shows that our support makes a vital differ8nce-without it, their situations would be far mofe severe. The racist riots of 2024 have had a particularty damaging impact on u)mmunty cohesion in Sundedand. one of the wotst-affected northem ctties. Although the immediate violence has subsided, Ihe aftereffects remain. Many of our clients. slaff, and volunteers live in the affected areas and still fear renewed attacks. Our office had to close eady several times for safety reasons, and we paid for taxis to ensure staff arKI volunteers could get home safely. Sadly. some volunteers have Sin stepped back, and one stsff member relocated to a more diverse city where they felt safer. The riots have left ¢)ur community shaken, and we are deeply concemed about the long-tenn impact-whether they will embolden racist attitudes or fuel further violen. Another area in need of improvement is extemal communicab'on. Feedback from clients, staff, volunteers, and partner organisations highlights this as a gap Limited resources have held back progress, but we recognise strengthening communication as a priority. Encouragingly, we have seen growth in engagement on Linkedln. Finally, it is a feature of ourwork that the issues faced by staff often mirror those of our clients. Limited immigration status can restrict staff members. ability to work. hampering recruithent, ret8ntion, and progression. Client needs and support: li
Registered charity number.. 1186818 We supporting 15-30 people each week, 2-4 of them new. We continue to provide advi with benefits. housing and access to basic seiceS such as healthcare and schools. Many clients have come searching for support with finding work. It appears that the labour market downtum has been having an effect on the local area and less jobs are available- which means that our support is even more needed. The employability worl( covers not only support wtth jobsearching or creating and updating Cvs, bul also identifying and accessing training- this is often tricky due to issues such as fvnding rules and language barrsers. The housing situation in the local area is difficult, and this greatly affects our Clients, ability to find a home for themselves and their family. This is especially the case for those who have to mov8 suddenly, e.9., people who have r8cently been granted asylum in the UK, or thos8 affected by domestic abuse or family beakdown. Providing material support, including food vouchers (for eligible clients on certain projects>, sim tArds and rèferrals for dothing and sometimes- is also something we often {all too often) do to support our clients. Digital support has become more prominent within ICOS'S wid8r advice work, as we have recently finished the digital proj8Ct du8 to the factthat more and more services are becoming online by default. This is something many of our clients struggle with, as they face extra barriers to a¢ssIng digital services, such as lack of familiarity with UK systems (digital Of not), language barrier, limited access to connectivity (devices. internet Gonnection), as well as frequently changing cnntsct details le.g., due to asylum seekers getting new sim Gards in order to get more data). Case studies illustraling recent support have been included. Cllent volce and the annual survey: The survey annual survey is instrumentsl in setting out the futura priorilies of our work, and deliv8ring on our commitment to cli8nt involvement and co production, as set out in our 2025- 2030 strategic p18n, and il inclLSdes input on client feedback and their experiences of our support, issues our clients are facing, their aspirations, and future prioritl8s. W8 8sk8d our ¢lients the following questions.. What issues has ICOS helped you wth in the pas Could you rate the support you have received from ICOS on a rising 1 10 scale? (1 is "pooff,) If anything, al could we have done bette Vvhat current issues do you need help with? How can ICOS best help you with these issues? What additional services would you lik8 ICOS lo provide? Is there anything ICOS should do mor8 offP (including services, events and activities) Is there anything you think ICOS should stop doing or do differently? at is the most Valuablelimpactful lype of support you have received from ICOS? al are your hopes and goals for the next 12 months? at are your fears and worries about the next 12 months? Is there anything ICOS Can do to support you with those? Have you got any furth8r suggestions? Would you be prepar8d to take part in a Gase study? ile staff members had more time to deliver this work over Ihe summer than if we run it at a different time of the year, many clients were not available to talk. Some (few) declined. We were therefore able to contsct a total of 33 clients, less than the planned sample of 60. The leaming from this might indicate that we need to implement a good plan B vthen we 12
Registered chority number.. 1186818 do the survey next year- e.g., make sure that if one person is not available, V•e go to the next person on the list. Preliminary findings frcKn the suThey indicate." The top areas of concern are employmentitraining and housinglhomelessness, each raised by mults'ple respondents. Financial and legalldocumentation issues were mentioned but less frequently. A few respondents noted health or llbeing-related support needs. Some responses suggest ongoing uncertalnty The survey re$utts suggest that: Housing and employment remain the most pressing thallenges for partiapants. Financial struggles and legalldocumentation barriers are also notsble but secondary concems. There is was also a demand for Integratlon, language, and community activitles that help with social conneth'on. The strongest theme.. people arn very $atisfd overall - many simply want ICOS to keep doing what it already does. About 30Yo V•t)uld like us to ch8nge nothing Additionally, 79% of those taking part rated us at 10 out of 10 on a rising Likert scale, vthere 10 was "excellent.. ', I Practical help (supplies, letters, translats'on, vCherS. problem-golving) was core area to maintain. Community and Social actlvltles (events, trips, volunteering) are also important many want rn0 of them. and activities for children. as well as family 1vities- mentions suggest some demand for children's activities. There was also some demarKJ for cUUral trips. Employablllty activities- there was a considerable demand for employment support, including training and job applicalions, perhaps indicating a grownng trend. None of the clients felt that there vrds anylhirwJ specffic ICOS should stop doirKJ completely. Practical support (housing, food, documents, translation) is the most frequently cited area. Community activits'es and emotional support are almost equally valued, highlighting ihe role ICOS plays in reducing isolation and improving ellbeing. Several partiopants mentioned "everything" or general positive support, vthith suggests strong overall satisfaction. When asked about the most valuable support they had received from ICOS, the clients highlightsd the following: Practical l Material Support Baby supplies Food vouchers Housing applicat*?n, acc>)mmodation help 13
Registered chority number.. 1186818 Debt repayment help Travellpassport documents Translation l interpreting l GP support Employment, Tralnlng & Skllls Employment support CSCS training access Information about cours8s & training Support with access to training & new skills Emotlonal I Social Support Avoiding lon81in8ss & isolab'on Being listened to Support with complainls I trauma Dedication. advi, encouragement Feeling of safety Community I Social Activities Wellbeing walks Trips18.g., Beamish) Meetings for families from different backgrounds Sports, activities, workshops Events participation Opportunity & time together Genaral l Hollstlc Support "Many things" /"Everything" I"All kinds of supporf, "No" I"Nothing" 2. Frequency of Themes Themo Practical l Material Support Employment, Training & Skills 4 Emotional I Social Support Community I Social Activities 7 General l Holistic Count We have also asked about the hopes and fears our clients had. Perhaps indicating the general lack of stability affecting our clients, we have had less responses to these questions than to the other questions. lIe we are less certain with regards to these SpOnSe$, that to the other sponse$, however, it is important that people's hopes and often fears both Gentred on employment and income issues. To summarize, it can be said that ICOS and its work are highly valued, and the main areas to focus on appear to te advice and advocacy, employability, and wellbeing activities, 8SP8cially family and children - focused. 14
Registered charity number.. 1186818 Related to this is the work we have done to progress the objectives set out in the review itself, induding co - production and involvement. The staff worked on engaging with ¢lients to ask them to become members of the ICOS - wde Project Steering Group (PSGland shape our work, with its initial meeting, which occurred September 2025. This initial me8ting enabled us to set up ground rules for involvement and plan next steps. but we have already gained valuable knowledge with regards to clients, priorities. with clients mentioning the importance of our environmental work to their wellbeing, the importance of combatting social isolation, and making sure more people were aware of our work. The minutes from this meeting are not yet available. lIe the PSG meetings will eventually happen on a quarterly basis, Ihey will be scheduled more often at the beginning in order to ensure enough momentum and prevent disengagement, and the nexl meeting will take place on 1511012025. Future plans: -Following up on the strategic review of our work. -Further advance plans for income generation in order to secure the core of our work in the light of the financial challenges described above. These plans include establishing a coffee shop to generate extra income, and being commissioned by local I regional commissioners. -Utilizing 9ater financial resources to create spare capacity within the organization to meet current and future challenges, and ensure good outcomes for our clients, and the wider community, as well as g¢)od staff wellbeing and morale. -Improving our extemal communications. -Building on our rent success. including the popular and well perfoming projects, such as ICOS Women, ICOS Sport I Wellbeing and our environmental work, as well as research and influencing work. Thank you to our funders: 15
Registered charity number.. 1186818 Funders, Logos PH•ENIX 'NE North East Combined Authority COMMUNrrY FUND Barbour Leed5&Irl*ty l--() 11 _Y Dkl'l. l () N. FOU.al r.n EVAN CORNISH FOUNDATION Nature HUBS BA Better World BENTLEY Nora Smith Charitab Settlement l[i]111 I;[•llill ' [ IM hivb The Cultural Spring Newcastle University COmMUTy 16
Registered charity number.. 1186818 Funders, Logos gentoo NORTHUMBRIA POLICE ', CRIME . COMMISSIONER JT JUSTICE TOGETHER Garfield Weston FOUNDATION LLOYDS &4NK FOUNDAIION E&w The Access Foundation NetWCk Sunderland City Council Law Centre 17
Registered chority number.. 1186818 Employability: htt s:Ilicos.or .uklw ontenuu loadsl202510case-stud 1218. df htt s:Ificos.o .uklw -contenUu loads120251031Case-stud -716. df htt s'.Ilicos.o .uklw -contenUu load5120251031Case-stud -7 Advice and advocacy: htt s".Ilicos.or (women) <ontenUu loads1202410411cOS-women-case-studies-. df htt s'.Ilicos.or .uklw -contenUu loads120241111K<ase-stud links-for-Life-. df htt s:Ilicos,or .uklw <ontenUu loads120241111H4ase-stud .Links-for-Life. df htt s:Ilicos.or .uklw thcontenuu loads120241111Links-for-Life.Case-Stud -MS. df Empowerment and community development: loads1202410f4Shared-Sund rland-Leadershi htt s=Ilicos.or stud -Chom .uklw df -contenUu -case- htt s'.Ilicos.or (quotssl .uklw <ontsnUu loads120251031 uetes Sha d Sunderland. df htt s'.Ilicos.or .uklw contentlu loads120251011Health-Cham ion-Case-Studies-. Volunteering including environment: htt s:Ilicos.or .uklw ontenuu Oluse un-case-stud . df loads120231091Greener-Activities-Pro ramme- htt s:Ilicos.o .uklw contenuu loads12024107Nolunteer-Ca e-stud -Folashade. df htt s:Ilicos.or .uklw 4ontenUu loads12024108j70.100-case- tud -Kell 18
Registered charity number.. 1186818 Other Pictures .K Icos J/ 19
Registered thority number.. 1186818 Other Pictures 11 WORLD DAY OF soaAL JUSTKE Icos ICOS CREAllNG ¢ThxTUN 20
Registered charity number.. 1186818 Other Pictures vc AS SUNDERLAND'S VOLuNfARY SECTOR SPRING CONFERENCE 'ONE COMMUNITY: MANY VOICES, WEDNESDAY 26TH MARCH 9.SOAM~ 3.30PM ¥4 21
Independent ex4mlner• rn)ortts ttteiw•tee¥ of Int•vnatiOnBI CornmunltyAJ300iatk•ll ol Sundort6nd IICOS) Forth• parlod d•d 31 Mqr¢h Z025 I r?port the eccounts of Ihe chjrity fLsr the p8rkoil ended 31" Matrh 2025, ar6 sèt on pagos 3 to5 Rejpeotfvo wponalbllHleg oltnJ4tee¥ and examlner The thaiity'8 tru8t8e8 arp rp8pon8ible for Ihe propardtlon OT acco8. Th6 ¢herlV8 tnJstg98 con8lder thftl wi 8udlt18 not 18qulY8d tor rhi8 ygar der seCtn 14412) of thé Ch¥ltl8s Act 2011 and that an IndÈp)a8nt•xamM0tIoTh 18 nèèdèd. It18 my r8sponslbllty to: Examloe the accounts under 3tIon 145 of the 2Q11 Act Follow thg procodures (gld down In th8 8gneral dlfectlon8 gfven ty the Charity Commtsslon undè( s8Ctlon 146(51{bl ofthe 2011 Ac, and St9 whèth2r partieular m8ttÈrs havo come to my 4ttgntion ol Ind•wd•tht •x•mlnw'• r•port •xamlnat•on wgs cwrled ot In eccordDTrce with the general Dlrec:lofis given by thg ChBrlty C&mffl8810fi. An 8x8mlnbtion IncIJ&S 8 review of the 8¢¢(MJntlng rDId5 held bythè charity &Ad a comp8r180n olthe account8 pre88nted vlth tno88 fecord& It a180 Include8 con8ldorath)n Jf ary unuw81 It8m8 or d18closure8 In thé aeewnt8 8Tha seèklng 8w18nAlion Irom yw a8 iru81a6S oonowntng any such matterg. Thé proceduret dèrt0kon do not Pfovlda th evidènc& that would bg provldgd In 4n avdlt and consequgnlly no oplnlon15 sl¥en 68 to wh&ther the accounts pre$8nl 8 'tru8 and falr viw,; and Iho iepM18 limttgd to tho86 m&rter3 8et OLA In the 81atem8nt b810w. Ind•pw9nt oxamOn•r'$ •talemani In tonnect vAth ftry exam1tIOn, Tho matter hay come to my ètt8ntlM: whlth v8s rt* rwon8blg c8use to belltho th8t. matgrld r88PeCt, th8 r8quirBmentJ o lo knep acctyjnting records In 8ecord8nce section 130 oftho 2011 kt arKI o to prepare accounts [ch aceottl wltn the aecounlkn8 record8 and compty vdth the accouniin8 roqLdrem8nz8 ollh8 2011 act h&v8 nol ten m8t: to whkh. In my oplnion. attentlDn ohoui(I be drown in order to enable a prop un&8rstandlng of tha Bcc(18 to b8 18ach8d MICHAELHEN Y ACMA Certax Acwuntin8 Isunderlandl Ltd 14 Fow8 Str88t Sunderlan SR1 1LE Inde[dent Ex8nlnor July 2025
t•rn•don•l communorn1S8tl0n OFSunderland 51atementotFlnahdal Pthltle> forttPerfod ended 31>tMrth 2025 140ts R•strlrt•d IIy•#dEt•d T•t•l Tot1 RK•lp 3.8 a310 418.412 7.733 4.311 not10GIfiAtyj1FUI)bI Tr4dlniA¢llYfTIS Refw Tr4rnf•i 7.889 2.348 2.34B 2,250 1250 IP76 InlÈ¢ÈStr•co lsav14(¢OUm) 325,993 4YSJ knEr& InveStrlÈnt>lÈs.Éi 305 zD.183 925,••3 P4yrn•nti ReDE 13D L273 213.QY6 817 IL9 1.013 199.422 IrSranC larleslNINIWM8C PayrdwrepOndemI EAdmlnarfon IITrue Posenuall 1.273 21376 17 8.2US 9,5BO 6.224 8.205 6.12B 5.9B7 8.734 li 8.382 1.452 237 Worksw an41 WLYk 6.7F7 7.$13 5L4%incy Ttirtsfjon 11.889 150 2.443 24.621 2.&5 2.953 5341 3D.474 Cuitrirtl 30.474 53 oirecosts..rnkn.sWrrY.IT.Cknrne Oth•i C•pit•larant 3.315 4.5 2.267 23.610 8.644 4.568 2.167 25,393 8.650 6.526 4.833 94 2.859 6$4 5.357 2.466 22534 5.288 PirUdp4ntiKpensei St•ff eywD5e5 66 VonuelRooffl hlie fees flehJrtJ Trinsl•itouvlny iccount 4J33 5.937 79 3,537 2.757 4.434 102 1fi20 hts1 367. 374211 yrt& lTrY•itrn•nl Purchu•4•t<. 367,WJ 37IUI 357.63D ph -61A30 47211 Tr•NfbtB•tW4•n $.054 20.717 %24S 64.*9 301.145 ,878 suJClrrIA 263,Olt
Intomational Communlty Organisalion Of Sunderland 8alanco Sheet as at 31st March 2025 2021 2025 2020 2024 R88tricl•d Curnnt Asxets C•th bank and In Hand D•b¢ors •nd Pr•paJThents 79.841 183,170 283,011 4.2 L•M CurT•nt Llobiliti85 Cr•dltor¥ Ind Aeernils N•t Currerrt 79,841 183.170 263.011 4.245 Fund•d By unrn¥tcI•d Fund• 19,C¢6 11,375 R••td¢¢•d Fund• 1JJ,170 239.245 s4n91 $3,124 Total Fund• 263.011
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