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2023-03-31-accounts

THAME YOUTH PROJECTS YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT A PROBLEM TO SOLVE BUT A WONDER TO BEHOLD ANNUAL REPORT 2022/23

ANNUAL REPORT

INTRODUCTION

OUR VISION

At Thame youth projects we act as a platform for all young people, between ages 11-18, living in Thame and the surrounding area, by providing advice, assistance and organised programmes of physical, educational activities. Through the support we offer young people we hope it will enable them to advance in life, as we will help them develop their skills, capacities and capabilities, enabling them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals.

OUR PRIORITIES

Our priority in the financ al yThis financial year has been about cont i nuing th e rebuilding of the services we provide to the young people, providing consistent support and activities, recruiting aar 2022/23 has been about continuing rebuilding youth worker and continuing with the vision for a community/youth centre in Thame. after COVID-19 of the services we provide to the young people in Thame and As always, I need to start with a massive thank you to the incredible volunteers and committee who have once again dug deep over the last year to make everything happen. This year we have seen Illya Teideman step down as a Trustee and some weekly volunteers moving on to other activities. All these individuals have contributed surrounding areas so we can provide consistent support and activities. hugely into the development of Thame Youth Projects Group (TYPG) and will be missed dearly. We have been fortunate to gain new volunteers throughout the year and we are in the process of recruiting Trustees to fill the skills gap on the committee. Another priority in the last year has been to grow the team in terms of numbers and expertise. As a result we embarked on recruiting a youth worker that fit the values and aims of Thame Youth Projects.

We have been successful in our search and we are excited that Hannah Kape has joined the team as a full time Youth Worker. Hannah brings with her 10 years of experience in education. For the last 18 months she has worked in a secondary school. She is passionate about young people and we are looking forward to her bringing her experience with her and building on the work that we have done.

ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS

OUR THANK YOU'S

Before we go on to the highlights of the year we want to extend a massive thank you to the incredible volunteers and committee who have once again dug deep over the last year to make everything happen. This year we have seen Illya Teideman step down as a Trustee and some weekly volunteers moving on to other activities. All these individuals have contributed hugely into the development of Thame Youth Projects and will be missed dearly. We have been fortunate to gain new volunteers throughout the year and we are in the process of recruiting Trustees to fill the skills gap on the committee.

OUR YEAR

We are immensely proud of the work we have done this year in providing a safe and supportive space for the youth of Thame and surrounding areas. It has been challenging to continue to provide this in the absence of a full-time youth worker, though our volunteers have allowed us to reach more young people than before.

Over the last 42 weeks .....

EVENTS

OUR EVENTS

This year we have continued to provide our weekly Youth Café for years 7-9, and our bi-weekly Youth Zone for school years 10-13. Both events provide varied, engaging and exciting activities for the youth of Thame, while also providing a safe and supportive place for them to hang out. Throughout the year both events have continued to grow in attendances, which we hope to continue into the upcoming year.

OUR HOLIDAY ACTIVITES

This year we have continued to deliver our full day activity events, these took place in the October and February school holidays. Through our activity days we aim to provide a fun, safe learning environments for young people. For some of the youth of Thame school holidays can provide a break from routine, but also a gap where they may be bored or unsupported.

Providing the youth with an opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities from graffiti boards, boxing for fitness, designing towns for the future, cooking, crafts etc can allow them something to do and keep them engaged through the school breaks. All of these are thanks to local companies Lucy Electric, CPM and Invictus Fitness.

During the summer holidays we worked in collaboration with the Oxfordshire City Council Targeted Support Team this year on detached youth work. This street-based work provided us with an opportunity to meet the young people around Thame and encourage them to engage with our activities.

EVENTS

OUR ACTIVITIES

In September we worked in conjunction with South Oxfordshire District Council and Thame Town Council to put on the first 'Summer of Skate' event.

The event took place at the skate park in Thame allowing a place for the young people to skate, hang out and find out more about what we do at Thame Youth Projects. We provided a graffiti board activity which attracted all ages, refreshments and of course litter picking at the end! This event was a great success and we would certainly like to repeat this event in the upcoming year.

In December we put on our first Thame Youth Projects Christmas party for the young people. The party was possible thanks to fundraising by the Lucy Electric employees around Halloween, so we would like to extend our thanks to them. We welcomed sixty young people who had a great time with candle making, Christmas crafts, silly games and pizza. Again, one we would love to repeat in 2023!

This year's activities also included a 5k Santa Fun Run during the Christmas period. Invictus Fitness have enthusiastically supported our work with young people for a few years already, and supported this event alongside us. It was a great event with excellent support from the community of Thame raising money well used to continue our work at Thame Youth Projects.

PROJECTS

OUR COMMUNITY YOUTH CENTRE

This year the committee has been working hard in partnership with Thame Town Council on the development of a community youth centre for the youth of Thame.

The Youth Centre will be a safe, welcoming and vibrant social hub to serve and support the young people of Thame and the surrounding area.

The building will be a modern, bright and comfortable environment; as well as offering a flexible and accessible space, which will allow other community groups to use it.

Opening daily, the Youth Centre will provide additional community space as well as offering a sanctuary for the young people to engage in activities, workshops or to simply relax with friends. Our goal is for them to develop, become confident and to increasingly contribute to the local community.

At time of publishing this report the planning application is sitting with South Oxfordshire District Council awaiting a decision by the early summer. This will be a vital and bespoke facility for the young people of Thame and surrounding areas.

ACCOUNTS

Financial Report Year 2022-2023

This is really the first full year following the end of the Pandemic as a consequence some expenditure has risen but for once this can only be applauded showing interaction with young people.

Our income is slightly down from Grants, this is to be expect as some of these have been received for a number of years and are now coming to an end or being reduced but the grant from the Town council is very welcome. Fortunately, we have a very good year with support from the Public either by general donation or in a couple of case individuals fundraising as a birthday activity. Other

organisations have supported us and we are very grateful. Lucy Electrics, Invictus Gym (Santa Fun and activity day), Roundtable, Rotary, CPM, Swires Charitable Trust, Inner Wheel, Logisnext, Thame Runners 10K and Lions have all generously contributed and that has enabled us to put on events and activities which would far more difficult without this support. The mayors Charity once again made a generous donation, and we are grateful to have been the chosen charity for the last two years.

Our costs has been very low due to the lack of a Youth Worker for almost the whole of the year, as has already been mentioned we ae delighted to have onboard Hannah Kape but it does bring with it expenditure and we will need to look at covering those costs going forward, a challenge for our fundraising. Over the year and running into the current year we have set up fundraising accounts with Charities Aid Foundation, and JustGiving to enable quicker and simpler donating by the public.

The signed accounts are below having been duly examined by an independent accountant.

G John Savell

Treasurer/Trustee

ACCOUNTS Tharne Youth Project5 Gn)iip {ClO) ctsunts Year endln¥ 315t March Z022 31st March 2023 Balance Blfv £ 41,011.21 66,076.06 I ntprest 3110312022 42.38 402.00 DonatiQn5 Giant Income £ 1,318.26 f 36.921. 13,222.09 £ 32,500.C Intemet & Telephone Mobile Phone ActNity Cost Ref￿Shment Costs Ernp1o¥ment Costs I nsuran Advertlsing and Promotio n RentlRoom Hlre staff Emertaining Staft Tyain in8 S￿ndr1e5 Computer/Office C051S Legal. Profe55ioTha I Subw5ptSohs 143.90 315.64 1,482.17 950.39 3.9fA).61 S?1.64 1,582.59 2,567.50 106.29 743.41 361.79 235.84 130.00 365.30 327.72 £ 6,325.98 660.32 £ 4,981.22 603.64 £ 3,027.25 295. 160.19 964.00 160.00 88la nces £ 79,250.47 £ 13,194.15 £ 66.056.32 £ I12,2￿.15 £17,870.62 £ 94.329.53 Bollk Balan￿S Current Account Savings Account Total £ 1,757.22 £ 64.318.85 f 66,076.07 2,608.(K 91.721.15 94,329.IS Sl8ned Treasurer Dated 28th Juty 2023 I have examined the accounts and supporting papers of Thame Youth Proejcts GrDUP CIO. Charlty No 1187553 , for the year ended 315t March 2023. I conflrm rni material matters have come to my attention and believe the accounts are a true and fair ststement. igned Gordon Taylor Dated THAME Y•UTH PROJEcrs

LOOKING FORWARD

OUR PRIORITIES We are incredibly proud of the work that we have done at Thame Youth Projects in the last year. We have grown our support offer to the young people of Thame and surrounding areas and we have seen an increase in the number of youth attending regularly.

Our priorities over the upcoming year will be to continue provide weekly support for the youth of Thame and to continue to provide activities in the school holidays. We also want to work with Lord Williams's School to make sure we are appropriately meeting the needs of the young people of Thame and surroinding areas.

OUR PLANS

Over the upcoming year we have plans that will aim to improve the support that we provide for the young people. As mentioned previously we now have a full time youth worker in place, we are excited to work with Hannah in the upcoming year to enhance the work we do with the young people.

Our plans for the upcoming year include growing the youth activities, including detached work so that we can meet the young people where they are. We plan to provide a safe space for the young people in mutlipe settings and engage with them accross community groups. All of these plans should lead to ensuring equal access for all young people.

CONTACT US

OUR SOCIAL MEDIA Contacts and social media www.thameyouthprojects.org.uk

www.facebook.com/thameyouthprojects

www.instagram.com/thameyouthprojects/

contact@thameyouthprojects.org.uk