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 Ne￿rk, local councils
(notsbly, Sundertand City Council). health authorities, emergency servI￿s, 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 y￿rk. 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 v￿rk. 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), st￿ngthening

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 ￿￿1vi￿j 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
dlffe￿fjt culture.
125 people across different projects have volunteered. induding SO regular volunteers, not
counting envIr￿mental 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, S￿ter 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 I￿k 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 immigrat￿n issues
• Material support
• Removing barriers in a flexible way
General support and life and the UK. civic dUt￿S
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 Child￿n,$ 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-p*r 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 p￿vented 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.
IndI￿CtlY 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 aC￿sS 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 v￿th Tyne and Wear Citizens ffwc) and Citizens UK for national
and local campaigns.
Richard Avenue Pnmary School and Thomhill School y￿8 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. all0v￿ng migrant voices to reach
public sector bodies.
Contrit￿ted to the mayoral pledge to increase affordable and social housing.
Succ8$sfu15y infiuenced regional education policies. including the Racial
Justice in Education Campaign, Nlthich b￿arne 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￿, y￿tr 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 suppc*b'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 Communi￿tionS 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 V￿11 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¥cas￿e Building Soaety. Durham Wldlife
Trust, or British Gas.
Wellbeing and environmental ath'vities featured prO￿rnately in our lhork, as we took care of
the local area {fo(xJsing on Backhouse Park in St Michael's INard), v*iere 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 re￿ntlY grown from 8 to 12.
The group now also influences extemal bcNJies thrO￿h 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 SU￿eys, 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
ne￿rkS that others rely on. Restrictive. infiexible, and at times hostile immigration ￿li￿eS
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 drffi￿It 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 m￿ntIr￿j.
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 fOr￿d 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 resour￿5 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 v￿r$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 se￿iceS 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 $atisf*d 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, v￿CherS. 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 cU￿Ural 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 9￿ater 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 re￿nt 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
COmMU￿Ty
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
NetWC￿k
Sunderland
City Council
Law Centre
17

Registered chority number.. 1186818
Employability:
htt s:Ilicos.or
.uklw
ontenuu
loadsl202510￿case-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 acco￿8. Th6 ¢herlV8 tnJstg98
con8lder thftl wi 8udlt18 not 18qulY8d tor rhi8 ygar ￿der seCt￿n 14412) of thé Ch¥ltl8s Act 2011
and that an IndÈp*)a8nt•xamM0tIoTh 18 nèèdèd.
It18 my r8sponslbllty to:
Examloe the accounts under 3￿tIon 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
St￿9 whèth2r partieular m8ttÈrs havo come to my 4ttgntion
ol Ind•wd•tht •x•mlnw'• r•port
•xamlnat•on wgs cwrled o￿t In eccordDTrce with the general Dlrec:lofis given by thg ChBrlty
C&mffl8810fi. An 8x8mlnbtion IncI￿J&S 8 review of the 8¢¢(MJntlng r￿DId5 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$8nl 8 'tru8 and falr viw,; and Iho iepM18 limttgd to tho86 m&rter3 8et OLA In the 81atem8nt
b810w.
Ind•pw￿9nt oxamOn•r'$ •talemani
In tonnect vAth ftry exam1￿tIOn, 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 t￿en 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 commun￿￿or￿n1S8tl0n
OFSunderland
51atementotFlnahdal Pthltle>
fortt*Perfod ended 31>tM*rth 2025
140ts
R•strlrt•d IIy•#dEt•d
T•t•l
Tot*1
RK•lp
3￿.8
a￿310
418.412
7.733
4.311
not10￿GIfiAtyj1FU￿I)bI
Tr4dlniA¢llYfTI*S
Refw
Tr4rnf•i
7.889
2.348
2.34B
2,250
1250
IP76
InlÈ¢ÈStr•co￿￿ lsav1￿4(¢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
IrS￿ranC
larleslNINIWM8C
Payrdwr￿epOndemI EAdmlnarfon
IITrue Posenuall
1.273
213￿76
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
Ttir*tsfjon
11.889
150
2.443
24.621
2.&5
2.953
5341
3D.474
Cuitrirtl
30.474
53
oir*ecosts..￿rnkn.sW￿r￿rY.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
h￿ts1
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
su￿J￿ClrrIA
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¥t￿cI•d Fund•
19,C¢6
11,375
R••td¢¢•d Fund•
1JJ,170
239.245
s4￿n91
$3,124
Total Fund•
263.011
>)4,24S
Approwd by.,..... .. .......,.,.,,,...........
. Tru•t••

CISuhd•rt•r
N¥xtoth•AC￿nl1I#r1￿￿rf0dv￿•diI￿￿1f4hIo25
Tht 4¢¢ounls hw• bmn yepiteo In •¢oundni Ind fdlow th• of
PrxdE•.' ISORPI.
TheCofflwThylinDtMilityr•J (UrVAT.fvJ4rt*ithMd¢hirfry.Itls•wmptiTom%•u¥onpnl￿¢Yn*Ir￿prN
l¢tIgU•￿￿#th1 256olth•T4x•YDngfC￿r￿￿I*&[n*A(tx9￿Z prtI￿thI11ucfv4rMr4WdI1n•¥•￿E1knd•V￿ty
ichkn*m•ntof115 [￿lI&1b* ub￿(￿.
knd
PT•¥loui p•llc•$4f•pT•Mnt•tt.wthw••￿ll1bh+.fQr T•f•rnr%•v*
T•lrnbumm•fftitotruit•
Jnth
T¢tdl¥r
Vonm
r**Vow Ni4hbOup￿&2
Ltrrnmi
phre 1014
UWF Lthk>Foi Lh
J.Y$95
4,4•1
IlorthEIiiuwCon N*k
PPWS
sundit￿ndC￿cou￿Cll
2Jng6
9.S*.QO
ijn
9J5ffj
421¢
UKYFLthikiFrrfU
A￿?5
RE￿1$F¥Wolls

15K(U
I7YJ
5557
14744.16
&￿j
io
31

015w￿l￿1nd
rsJtq•t0th•Arewn¥for￿p•rfr￿$•￿oDI1tst M•tth1029
li p*ty¢•th
tyJ•th
JD
1ffj50
J.717
i¥