Annual Trustee Report
September 2022 to September 2023
Aims and Description of the charity
Gecko Community is a registered Charity (1195860) providing innovative teaching, therapeutic projects and mentoring. We are a Neurodivergent led Charity and we are uniquely skilled in supporting neurodivergent young people. Our Mentors and Teachers are highly skilled and experienced. We understand our young people from a neurodivergent perspective as most of us are Autistic, ADHD, PDA and/or dyslexic.
We have expertise in:
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Pathological Demand Avoidance/Persistent Drive for Autonomy (PDA)
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Monotropic thinking styles
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Alexithymia
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Autistic Masking
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Autistic Burnout
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Double Empathy Theory
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Trauma/cPTSD
We support young people aged between 5 -25 who are
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ADHD
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Autistic
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experiencing anxiety and mental ill health
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at risk from exclusion or have self-excluded from formal education
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Experiencing bullying and trauma
Young people can be with us because they’re out of school, while they wait for a placement or as part of their EOTAS package. We support neurodivergent young people for as long as they need.
We aim to inspire, support and educate young people who have been let down by mainstream education and who need alternative teaching methods.
Referral process
We currently have 92 young people with us who are either in academic sessions or mentoring sessions. Young people can attend online with the choice to be on or off camera, speak or type, email or share communication types through music, film, stories or gaming platforms.
Any student can join us. Referrals come in through Families, Schools, Local authorities or the Third Sector e.g. Social Services.
Staff
Our staffing team has expanded to 17 members, everyone is part time. We believe that Gecko needs to work for us, too. We do not believe in tiers or hierarchies and treat all staff as equals and part of our team. People do not work for Gecko Community, they work with Gecko Community.
Although all appointments are open to Neurotypicals and Nerodivergents alike, currently almost all our staff members are ND and many are Autistic or ADHD. This means that we truly understand how our brains and our young peoples’ brains work and can empathise with their journeys, adapting to a learning style that best suits them. All staff understand that Gecko is entirely student-led.
Supporting our staff
As we grow we are giving thought as to how best to support our staff and their wellbeing. With this in mind almost half our staff have supervision, we are aiming for all our staff to have this. Supervision is 1:1, confidential, monthly support by trained counsellors.
We are also now running weekly teacher meetings and mentor meetings. These may involve discussing young people, teaching methods and supporting one another.
Investments made in our staff and training opportunities: Autism Awareness - Kieran Rose PDA - Mel Duncan Self Harm - Mel Duncan LBGQT - Mel Duncan / Kim Roberts Safeguarding Training - CPD Online Deaf Awareness Training from Swindon Deaf Society
The Nurturing Neuodivergence Conference 2023
Mentoring sessions
Mentor sessions are led by the young person. The aim is to support them in exploring their neurology through a neurodivergent-affirming lens, re-building self-confidence, helping them re-discover their love of learning (on their terms) and act as a positive Neurodivergent role model. Mentors also support young people who are in crisis, have cPTSD and work therapeutically with them to process trauma.
All sessions are student led. Self-discovery and recovery is achieved through the therapeutic relationship between the mentor and the young person. The length of this process is determined by the young person and is organic, not time limited or prescriptive.
All mentors use a trauma informed framework (PACE).
Academic Sessions
With an expanding staff and student profile, we are now able to offer sessions in English Literature and Language, Drama and play therapy, Art, History, Science including Physics, Computer Science and Biology, and Maths.
We offer GCSEs in English Language and Literature, Maths, Computer Science and Biology.
We now have staff members running ASDAN programmes. We offer ASDAN subjects which include short courses in Animal Care, English, Environmental, Expressive Arts, Foodwise, History, Living Independently and Mathematics.
A new member of staff is trained to teach Bronze and Silver Arts Award, and has trained another staff member who is also delivering the project.
Our support and what this means
We are widely recognised and acclaimed within the Autistic community. We are currently oversubscribed with a waiting list and are full this academic year. With us, our students are able to learn about their true selves through a Neurodivergent lens.
We are now a recommended provider in independent Autism assessments.
We have very positive feedback from young people and their adults on our new website. Some examples are:
“Not long after our session with Kim this afternoon, A mentioned that his face felt funny and a bit weird. ‘Oh, why do you think that is,’ I asked. He said, ‘I think it’s because I’ve just spent the last 45 minutes smiling and I don’t normally smile this much!!’ A big thank you from both of us to you and Kim. A has been unable to access any type of provision for such a long time, this feels like a really positive step in the right direction.”
“I want you to know that the hour that we spend with you is the best hour in our week. Before beginning our sessions with you P was suffering from extreme burnout due to trauma experienced at school and she was mute outside of very close relationships. It has been such an enormous shift for me as a parent to work with someone who genuinely wants to nurture P's interests and isn't trying to squash her into a box she doesn't fit in. I am not sure how comfortable you are with praise but I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving us hope for the future and for giving P a reason to enjoy learning again. I hope you know how amazing you are!!”
“You are all so important and I can't thank any of you enough for the support you have given C over the past year. We will forever be grateful for the positive impact you all have had on his extremely difficult journey. Please don't ever think any of you are anything but outstanding, you have been my hero's. Thank you so much for everything.”
Safeguarding
A significant rise in the number of concerns this year. For the first time, we rang 999. We spoke to the Police more this year too with historic disclosures.
Our young people have been through traumatic experiences in their school time. Some have a diagnosis of PTSD. Some of our young people self-harm and some young people have tried to commit suicide. All our staff are Level 2 Safeguard trained and we have one Designated Safeguarding Lead (Level 3 trained) and one Deputy (Level 2 trained).
Partnerships and support
Our previous partnerships remain.
This year we have a new partnership with Beacon Family Services. They have fund raised to support four of our parents with one-to-one parent listening support.
Finances
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We have a three tier payment system for our fees. We receive donations which we use to support our low income families, they pay £15 or £20 a session. For high income families, they pay £35 a session. For schools and LAs, they pay £50 or £60 a session. When schools and LAs are involved we send weekly or half termly reports and attendance data. We also attend monthly or half termly meetings and attend Annual Reviews.
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We have received a donation of £15,000 each year from Wrenlabs. We use this to support our grant funded spaces.
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We receive £1,000 each year from the Singer Foundation. This supports our staff Supervision costs.
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We receive approximately £1,500 in Spring each year, from the Ingles Foundation which is used for staff training.
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We gave everyone a 5% pay rise in July 2023 to try and support the rise in the cost of living due to higher than normal inflation rates.
Breakdown of student numbers, in relation to finances
We have 92 students to date. Of these, 60% are school or LA supported and 40% are family funded. All our family spaces are part-grant funded. This ranges from low income to high income families. (A low income family might be a single parent family, a family whose key wage earner has had to stop working to support their child or a family on benefits.)
Going forwards
Again, we are not planning to recruit anymore staff this academic year, or for a few years. We are now focusing on improving what we already do.
We want to fundraise more to support our low income families.
Signed by the Chair of Trustees
Vikki Mead
30th October 2023
Gecko Community CIO
30th September 2023
Income and Expenditure
| Restricted | Unrestricted | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | 281814 | 57574 | |
| Total | 339387 | ||
| Expenses | |||
| WAGES - Contract | 243,456 | ||
| WAGES - Self Employed | 11,840 | ||
| Ansvar Insurance | 1,535 | ||
| Go Daddy Internet | 249 | ||
| Accountng | 1,425 | ||
| NEST Pension | 5,945 | ||
| Aaron Department, DBS | 267 | ||
| Access to Work | 5,347 | ||
| Annual Audit | 270 | ||
| ASDAN | 626 | ||
| Family Therapy | 768 | ||
| Er's NI | 12,486 | ||
| Sofware | 39 | ||
| Supervision | 3,150 | ||
| Training | 1,682 | ||
| Total Expenditure | 289,084 | ||
| Reserves | 50,303 |
INDEPENDEKY EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF GECKO COMMUNITYCIO We report on the accounts ofthe charityforthe yearended 30 September 2023 which are appended. RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILMES oFTRUEEsAND EXAMINEIiS As the charitys trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts,. you consider that the audit requirement of section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act) does not apply. It is our responsibility to state, on the basis of procedure5 specified in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 14515llbl of the Act, whether particular matters have come to our attention. BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT Our examination was carried out in accordance with the General Direction5 gwen by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accountrng records kept by the Charity and comparison of the accounts presented with those record5. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosure in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do-not provide all the evidence required by an audit and consequentlyi we do not express an audtt opinion on the view given by the accounts. INDEPENDENT EXAMINERSSTATEMEt In connettion with our examination. no matter has come to our attention- l. Which 8ive5 us reasonable cause to be5ieve that in any material respect the requirement to keeping accounting record5 in accordance with settion 130 of the Act. and to prepare accounts which accord wtth the accounting record5 and to comply with the accounting requirements of the Art have not been met, or; 2. To which. in our opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. BEG hartered A untan 3-15 Commercial Road Hayle Cornwall TR27 4DE NT co. 18 December 2023
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Gecko Community CIO Charity Number: 1195860 September2023 Balan Sheet Current A55ets Debtors Bank 73,347 29.49) Liabilities Credltor Funds on 30th September 2023 Restricted Funds £82,588