## **Charity Trustee Report 2025**
1
SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
Produced By: Angela Caroo
Report Date: 31/12/2025
## **MONTHLY REPORT INDEX**
## **SECTION 1**
**1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY**
## **SECTION 2**
- **A) ABOUT US**
- **B) PROGRAMMES/PROJECTS**
- **C) EVENTS**
- **D) CHRISTMAS GIFTING**
- **E) STAFFING**
- **F) FINANCE**
- **G) PARTNERSHIPS/COLLABORATIONS**
2
SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
## **SECTION 1**
## **EXECUTIVE SUMMARY**
2025 has been a year of visibility and deepened impact for Start Young UK. Building on the foundations laid in previous years, the charity strengthened its programmes, expanded its reach to new regions and increased its national profile through strategic partnerships and high-impact public campaigns.
Despite operating in a challenging funding and capacity environment, Start Young UK continued to deliver meaningful outcomes for young people and families, supported by the commitment of trustees, volunteers, partners and supporters.
## **Leadership & Governance**
Throughout 2025, we continued to strengthen our governance structures by onboarding new trustees and reviewing board capacity and skills in line with the charity’s growth. This year also highlighted the importance of sustainability in trustee recruitment, informing improvements to our onboarding and succession planning processes going forward.
## **Partnerships & Collaboration**
We secured and developed collaborations with a range of corporate, education and community partners, enabling us to expand delivery, increase visibility and reach new schools and young people. These partnerships played a critical role in supporting programme delivery and fundraising activity throughout the year.
## **Community Support & Fundraising**
Our 2025 Christmas Gifting appeal raised £3,949, enabling the wrapping and distribution of over 700 gifts. This initiative supported 80+ families with winter essentials, personal care items and food hampers, alongside the donation of 70+ gifts and food items to the NEWway Project. This community-led effort demonstrated the continued generosity and trust placed in Start Young UK by supporters and partners.
## **Programme Delivery & Impact**
## **Elevate Programme**
- The Elevate Programme continued to grow in scale and reach during 2025. We successfully expanded delivery to Northampton in partnership with Barclays, while also launching an additional London cohort with Multiverse.
- Across the year, Elevate reached over 100 students, working in collaboration with more than 30 schools. The programme continued to support young people’s confidence, employability and career awareness, while maintaining strong engagement from schools, students and corporate partners.
## **Thrive Programme**
- The Thrive Programme remained a vital part of our grassroots work, continuing to support children and families in need. Our partnership with Newham 11th Scouts also continued, supporting young people’s personal development through enrichment and community-based activities.
- In 2025, Thrive participants benefited from a range of experiences including a Little Mermaid pantomime trip, a Mudchute Farm visit, and a vision board workshop, creating positive, confidencebuilding experiences beyond the classroom.
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SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
## **Engagement, Visibility & Influence**
- 2025 marked a significant step forward in Start Young UK’s national presence.
- We hosted our first ever Youth Empowerment Summit, bringing together young people, partners and supporters to amplify youth voice and inspire ambition.
- In partnership with JCDecaux Community Channel, we delivered a nationwide billboard campaign, “Paint the Nation Pink”, displaying Start Young UK’s message across hundreds of locations and reaching millions throughout the month of March.
- The charity was also nominated and shortlisted for the National Diversity Awards (NDA) 2025 Award, recognising our growing impact and contribution to youth empowerment.
These milestones significantly increased awareness of Start Young UK’s mission and positioned the charity as a credible and visible voice in the youth and education space.
## **Looking Ahead**
As we move into 2026, Start Young UK remains focused on strengthening governance, diversifying funding streams and scaling impact responsibly. The progress made in 2025 provides a strong platform for sustainable growth, deeper partnerships and continued positive outcomes for the young people and communities we serve.
## **SECTION 2**
|**Item**|**Description**|
|---|---|
|**A**|Overview of the charity aims and objectives|
|**B**|Synopsis of programmes run via the charity|
|**C**|Events held over the last 12 months for young people on our programmes|
|**D**|Overview of our Christmas Gifting Programme|
|**E**|Update on staffing and new hires|
|**F**|Overview of all donations, grants and spends|
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SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
|**G**|Our collaborations & partnerships|
|---|---|
|**H**|Potential risks & proposed mitigations|
|**I**|Our plans for 2026|
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SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
## **A: ABOUT US**
Start Young UK is a registered charity and, as such, our promise is to act as a resource for young people living in disadvantaged areas from the age of 5 up to the age of 18. With a strong ethos of hard work and support we are engaging with schools and families to ensure we are providing a range of advice, support and leisure activities for young people.
## **Vision:**
To be the leading charity in empowering young people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve their full potential and thrive in a supportive community.
## **Mission:**
To provide comprehensive support to socio-economically disadvantaged young people by ensuring access to essential resources, education, career development, and personal growth opportunities, empowering them to overcome barriers and succeed in their futures.
## **Core Values:**
- Empowerment: Providing tools and opportunities to help young people overcome challenges.
- Inclusivity: Ensuring every young person, regardless of background, can access our resources.
- Collaboration: Building strong partnerships to enhance our reach and impact.
- Integrity: Maintaining transparency, accountability, and safeguarding young people.
- • Innovation: Continuously evolving our programmes to meet community needs.
## **Strategy:**
Our strategy is built on five pillars:
1. Youth Empowerment and Programme Excellence
2. Partnerships and Collaborative Impact
3. Scalable Operations and Innovation
4. Financial Sustainability and Growth
5. Governance, Compliance, and Organisational Excellence
This plan provides a comprehensive roadmap for SYUK's growth and impact, ensuring we remain adaptable to the evolving needs of the young people we serve while driving meaningful change in their
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SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
lives and communities. Through our scalable model, we aim to break the cycle of socio-economic disadvantage and create a more equitable future for youth across the UK.
## **B: OUR PROGRAMMES**
The charity currently runs two programmes: ‘Elevate’ and ‘Thrive SYUK.
## **Elevate**
In partnership with Barclays and Multiverse, the Elevate Programme supports and inspires young people from socio-economically deprived background to grow their experience and qualifications, setting them up for success their future careers.
The 6-month programme supports young people aged 16-18, equipping them with a comprehensive set of personal and professional skills while providing a platform for our partner organisations to showcase who they are, what they do and what they offer in terms of early career opportunities.
This year, we have enrolled a total of 100 students. 60 in London and 17 from Manchester, 23 Northampton, with 78% BAME representation in the programme (based upon 72 student responses), and students reporting increased confidence from 3/5 to 5/5 (based on 41 responses).
We have had fantastic feedback from students, schools and mentors alike:
- “A year ago, I never would have had the confidence to speak in front of a group. This programme has taught me to believe in myself and my abilities” - student on the Multiverse Elevate programme while presenting back his vision Board to the wider group.
- “We want to provide feedback for your programme from our students. First, they want to thank you wholeheartedly for everything. My L2 business students are so excited and happy to be part of this. They have been exposed to a lot of real life and social situations that they were not aware of. Our L3 students have been very supportive and helpful in encouraging more students to sign up” - South Bank University Sixth Form.
- “ If you're thinking of using a volunteer day, do reach out. This was one of the best days I've had at work and Start Young are such a brilliant charity to spend your time with” - Billy Cavell, facilitator for Multiverse Elevate Workshop 3.
## **Thrive**
The Thrive Programme provides holistic support to underprivileged children in their educational journey from ages 5-18. The programme seeks to break down barriers to education, empowering children to learn essential life skills and fostering an environment that cultivates personal and academic growth.
Thrive encompasses mentorship initiatives, connecting students with experienced individuals from a range of backgrounds; skill-building workshops, broadening their skill set to open future opportunities; and practical support, such as supplying school uniforms and establishing school clubs to promote extracurricular activities.
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SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
This year, we have supported over 10 children on the programme.
## **C: EVENTS**
Over the past 12 months, Start Young UK has organised a series of impactful events, each contributing to the charity's mission. These events have served as vibrant platforms for community engagement, creating a positive and inclusive community atmosphere.
Highlights include:
- **The Little Mermaid Pantomime**
- We took 30 children and their families to see The Little Mermaid, offering an unforgettable experience that inspired creativity and built confidence.
- **Mudchute Farm & Millwall Park**
- We took the children to Mudchute Farm. They learnt about and interacted with a variety of different animals. After lunch, we headed to Millwall Park for some sports day games. The children built their confidence as well as their communication and team building skills.
- **Vision Board Event**
- We hosted a creative event to help the children to visualise their dreams and ambitions. From personal affirmations to long-term goals, our young people articulated visions of becoming future footballers, actors, and doctors, demonstrating a level of confidence and drive that underscores our mission. By nurturing these aspirations, we are ensuring that the next generation possesses the mindset and motivation required to turn their potential into reality.
- **Multiverse Summer Fun Run**
More than 20 people took part in our superhero themed fun run, raising over £1000.
- **Youth Empowerment Summit**
- We hosted an evening of inspiring speakers, powerful youth performance, meaningful connections to shape a better future for the next generation. We had approximately 150 guests, many of whom made a pledge to help create positive changes for the future.
- **Multiverse Christmas Fun Run**
- Our Christmas Fun Run, in collaboration with Multiverse, brought together 50 participants to collectively run 552km. Together we raised over £6,338 to support our Christmas Gifting Initiative, combining community spirit with fitness to create a meaningful impact.
- **Christmas Gifting Programme**
- Our Christmas Gifting raised £3,949 and saw 27 volunteers come together to wrap over 700 gifts for more than 80 families as well as 70+ gifts given to the NewWay project.
## **D: CHRISTMAS GIFTING INITIATIVE**
8
SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
Our Christmas Gifting Initiative exemplifies our commitment to making a tangible impact to the lives of those we serve. Since the initiative began in October 2021, we have distributed over 9,000 gift parcels to families in need. The funds raised have enabled us to provide essential items such as underwear, socks, hats and gloves, along with thoughtfully curated personal hampers for parents and food hampers for entire families, spreading generosity and warmth throughout the festive season.
The **Christmas Gifting 2025** initiative was supported by over 25 dedicated volunteers, as well as generous donations from Asda, Poundland, Multiverse, Kurve Group and an incredible show of support from our wider community. Together, we ensured that the holiday spirit reached those who needed it most.
## **E: STAFFING**
Throughout 2025, Start Young UK continued to operate as a lean, volunteer-led organisation, supported by two part-time staff members, a committed board of trustees, key volunteers and delivery partners.
During the year, we onboarded trustees with expertise across governance, legal and fundraising alongside key volunteers supporting priority areas including communications and photography.
As with many growing charities, 2025 also saw periods of transition within the team, reinforcing the importance of sustainable recruitment, clear role expectations and structured onboarding - all of which have informed improvements to our governance and people processes going forward.
Our core team of volunteers remained central to the charity’s success, contributing significant time and expertise across programmes, fundraising, events and operations. In addition, partner and corporate volunteers continued to play an important role in supporting delivery across our Elevate and Thrive programmes.
Collectively, trustees, volunteers and partners contributed hundreds of hours throughout the year, enabling Start Young UK to expand its reach, deliver high-quality programmes and increase its national visibility, while maintaining a strong focus on safeguarding, governance and impact.
As we move into 2026, the charity is focused on strengthening board capacity, succession planning and volunteer support structures to ensure sustainable growth and continuity.
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SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
## **F. FINANCE**
Start Young UK Charity is pleased to present the financial report for the year ending 1[st] April 2025.
The following report outlines the Charity’s financial performance, sources of income, and the allocation of funds to various programmes.
## **Income sources**
Start Young UK relies on a diversified set of income sources to support its mission. The primary contributors to the charity's revenue are as follows:
**1. Donations** - Generous contributions from individuals and organisations who share our commitment to the wellbeing of children and families in Newham.
**2. Fundraising** - Engagement in various fundraising events to gather financial support from the community.
**3. Buddy Donations** - Ongoing support from dedicated Buddies who contribute their time, effort and resources towards the success of Start Young initiatives.
## **Allocations of Funds**
1. **Community Club Support** – Sweatshirts for children attending the weekly Community club, including Beavers and Squirrels, have been purchased, fostering a sense of belonging and community engagement. Community Club weekly subscription for all children on the scheme is paid for by the charity.
2. **Holiday Activities** - Funds have been allocated to organise activities and various days out for families during the holidays, promoting recreational and bonding opportunities.
3. **Christmas Gifting Programme** - One of the highlights of our efforts is the Christmas Gifting Programme, where in 2024 over 1000 gifts – including personal care packages, toys, vests, undergarments and food hampers – were purchased, wrapped and distributed to low-income families in schools and the broader Newham community.
4. **Staff Costs** – Staffing expenditure for three part time employees.
**Financial Highlights: 2nd April 2024 – 1st April 2025** Total Income as of 1st April 2025: £58,447 Total Spend as of 1st April 2025: £37,503
## **G: COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS**
## **We have partnered and collaborated with the following organisations over the last 12 months:**
- **Barclays** - key sponsor for the Elevate Programme and our 2025 Youth Empowerment Summit.
- **Multiverse** – running first cohort of Elevate programme from October 2025-April 2026.
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SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
- **Siemens, Lloyd’s** – Led a Elevate session on apprenticeship pathways, sharing insights into careers.
- **Met Police** – Led a Elevate session on understanding workplace skills.
- **Urbanest** – Led a Elevate session on interview best practice & how to leverage AI.
- **Reef** – Led a Eevate session on vision boarding & transferable skills.
- **AWS –** Led an Elevate AI session with walkthrough of early career opportunities
- **Northampton Saints** – Shared a session on the third-party sector on one of the Elevate workshops
- **Newham Council** – Partnered on Youth Summit & Mentors for the Elevate Programme and a County Lines workshop.
- **Ebony King** – Delivered an Elevate session on money mules and how to stay safe online.
- **Northampshire Police –** delivered a session on Elevate in the day of a life of the Northampshire Police with Q &A
- **Greater Manchester Police –** Walked through the apprenticeship process on the Elevate Session
## **H: POTENTIAL RISKS & PROPOSED MITIGATIONS**
## **Risk Management and Safeguarding Compliance**
- We have taken all necessary steps to ensure risks are assessed, mitigated, and managed effectively. Any safeguarding concerns or issues that arise are promptly addressed by our designated Safeguarding Lead, who maintains thorough records. To date, we have had no safeguarding issues this year.
- As a charity, we are committed to proactively supporting families to prevent safeguarding concerns from developing.
## **Risk Assessments & Mitigation Measures**
- We conduct comprehensive risk assessments for all venues used by the charity for the **Thrive** and **Elevate** programs, including informal visits to locations such as the theatre and farm. These assessments ensure that all activities are carried out in a safe and controlled environment.
- For the **Elevate** program, risk assessments are shared with participating schools and colleges in advance, outlining key safeguarding considerations, including:
- **Travel Safety** – Guidance on safe routes to and from the venue.
- **Emergency Preparedness** – Identifying fire exits, fire wardens, and first aiders.
- **Behavioural Expectations** – Setting clear guidelines for attendees.
- **Special Requirements** – Ensuring accommodations for students with neurodiverse needs or other specific requirements.
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SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
- All relevant stakeholders, including catering teams, are informed of any necessary adjustments. For instance, due to an extreme allergy, all attendees are instructed not to bring nuts to the venue. Food menus were tailored accordingly, offering **nut-free, halal, and vegetarian options** to ensure inclusivity and safety.
- Through these measures, we ensure that all risks are identified, mitigated, and managed effectively, allowing us to create a safe and supportive environment for the young people and families we serve.
## **I: OUR PLANS FOR 2026**
- Expand our community engagement and fundraising activities on a more regular basis.
- Expand existing revenue sources such as corporate partnerships, individual giving and volume/value of grants received
- Turn Elevate into a qualification
- Approach councils regarding funding provisions for students in their boroughs
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SYUK Report 2025 V1 _**Charity No 1196028**_
||**Start Young UK**|**Start Young UK**|**Start Young UK**|**1196028**|**1196028**|**1196028**|**CC16a**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**For the period**
**from**|02/04/2024|**To**||01/04/2025|||
|||||||||
|**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||||
|**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**
**3,734**
**7,455**
**45,680**
**-**
**500**
**1,079**
**58,447**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**58,447**
**5,043**
**1,934**
**-**
**-**
**950**
**26,126**
**2,211**
**215**
**1,024**
**37,503**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**37,503**
**20,944**
**-**
**26,167**
**47,112**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**||**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**3,734**
**7,455**
**45,680**
**-**
**-**
**500**
**1,079**
**-**
**58,447**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**58,447**
**5,043**
**1,934**
**-**
**-**
**950**
**26,126**
**2,211**
**215**
**1,024**
**37,503**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**37,503**
**20,944**||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**|
|BuddyDonation|**3,734**||||||**3,649**|
|Just Giving|**7,455**||||||**389**|
|Barclays Aspire Programme|**45,680**||||||**27,000**|
|Family Holiday Association - Trip to
Margate|**-**||||||**1,500**|
|London Borough of Newham - King's
Coronation Event|||||||**500**|
|Youth Empowerment Summit|**500**|||||||
|HRMC Gift Aid|**1,079**|||||||
|Other|||||||**2,049**|
|**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**58,447**||||||**35,087**|
|||||||||
|**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**||||||||
||**-**|||||||
||**-**||||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**|**-**||||||**-**|
|**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**||||||||
||||||||**35,087**|
|||||||||
|
Christmas Gifting|**5,043**||||||**1,457**|
|Other Gifting|**1,934**||||||**1,967**|
|Margate Trip|**-**||||||**1,513**|
|King's Coronation Event|**-**||||||**453**|
|Youth Empowerment Summit|**950**||||||**-**|
|Staff Costs|**26,126**||||||**7,101**|
|Volunteer expeneses|**2,211**||||||**452**|
|Insurance|**215**||||||**158**|
|Other administration expenses|**1,024**||||||**688**|
|**_Sub total_ **|**37,503**||||||**13,789**|
|||||||||
|**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**||||||||
||**-**|||||||
||**-**|||||||
|**_Sub total_ **|**-**||||||**-**|
|**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**||||||||
||||||||**13,789**|
|||||||||
||**20,944**|**-**|**-**||**20,944**||**21,298**|
||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**||**-**|
||**26,167**|**-**|**-**||**26,167**||**-**|
||**47,112**|**-**|**-**||**47,112**||**21,298**|
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
30/01/2026
1
|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at**|**the end of the period**|**the end of the period**|**the end of the period**|**the end of the period**||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**|Cash at Bank
**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))||**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**47,112**
**-**
**-**
**47,112**
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**||**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
OK
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||OK|
||||||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
||||**-**||**-**||**-**|
||||**-**||**-**||**-**|
||||**-**||**-**||**-**|
||||**-**||**-**||**-**|
||||**-**||**-**||**-**|
||||**-**||**-**||**-**|
||**Details**
**Details**||**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**||**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Cost (optional)**||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||||**-**||**-**|
||||||**-**||**-**|
||||||**-**||**-**|
||||||**-**||**-**|
||||||**-**||**-**|
||||||**-**||**-**|
||||||**-**||**-**|
||||||**-**||**-**|
||||||**-**||**-**|
||Signature
**Details**||**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Angela Caroo||||**When due**
**(optional)**|
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
||||||||Date of
approval|
||||Angela Caroo||||30/01/2026|
|||||||||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
30/01/2026
2
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's
report on the accounts
Section A
Independent Examlner's Report
Report to tho trusteesl
members of
Sl-< V k
On accounts for the year
ended
I Apr 1015
Charity no
Ilf any)
119[oLS
Set out on pages
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the abovè
charity {'the Trust") for the year ended
Re8pon3ibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation
basls of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act
2011 ('th8 Act.).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts ¢arried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in ¢arying out my examination, I
have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 145(5)Ibl of the Act.
I havè completed my examination. I confirm that no material matt8rs hav8
come to my attention {olher than that disclosed below ') in connection whh
the examination which gives me cause lo believe thal in, any material
respect..
accounting records were not kept in accordance with Se10n 130 of
the Act or
the a¢¢ounts do not accord with the accounting records
Independont
examiner's statement
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection
with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order lo enable a
proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached.
Please dolete the w0S in the brackels if they do not apply.
Slgned..
Date..
l9/01/26
Name:
C.E.HaAo
Relevant profe$$Sonal
quallflcatlonlsl or body
Ilf any)..
Address".
I+ L/AM
s&i%?&r
IER
October 2018