JJ Annual Report 2024 concordla SUPPORTIN6 PEOPLR T.,¢ THRIVÉ SUPPOR TING PEOPLE TO THRIVE Life Changing -5: Experiences Concordia offers opportunities, through cross-cultural placements, which enable and support people to change their lives. "Being a volLinteei' is the most beaLltifLII experieiice. YOLI get a chance to learn more new thincJs, to travel in different places aiid YOLI also discover what YOLI want to become iii life." Annual Raport 2024 (1st January to 31st Decernber 2024) Contents Contents 04 Our year in numbers 06 About us 08 Foreword 10 Our impact in 2024 18 Looking ahead 20 . Effective organisation 24 Managing risk 28 Financial review 32 Report of the independent auditor 36 Financial statements 54 Charity information and governance 58 Our people 11 03 concordia Our year in numbers Pillar I: Volunteering 58 Our inGominglUK volunteer contrlbuted volunteers participated. 12.401 hours with an equlvalent value of UK projects available with 16 varlatlons of volunteering. 6668Q6686606e6e £128.769.08 based on the mlnlmum wage for thelr age bracket. National Cilizen Service Emotional wellbeing 390 18010 42010 272 young people participating. 495 placements. of partlclpants receSve free school meals. of participants had EHCPS (Education Health Care Plan). young people school8 220/0 41010 6010 Over the lifetime of this project from 2020- 2024 we supported a total of of participants identified as having SEND (special educatlonal needs and disabilities). of participants did not identrfy as White British. of participants were young carers. 1086 young people. Annual Report 2024 Our year in numbers Pillar 2: Agricultural Work Placements 7633 Total enquiries seasonal workers. 12,310 of respondents would work on a UK farm again for seasonal work. of which 6555 were from applicants and 5755 were from participants (figures 19 February 2024 24 December 2024 ie not a full yearl. 980/0 confirm8d to the Concordia survey that their lob was as described. countr5es were recrulted from: the main nationalities were Tajiklstan, Kazakhstan and Moldovan. We also recruit&d from.. A2erbaijan; Bulgaria; Kyrgyzstan (Concordia returnees}; Macedonia; Romania. South Africa. Ukraine: Uzbekistan (Concordia returnees). Over 120 98010 farms and growers: confirmed that th8y would work for their sponsor again. Concordia registered recruiting agents. ' SWS end of Season Worker Survey 2024 Organisation 22 8353 Total income Total spent full time equivalent employees. total individuals supported across all our projects and services. £2.772.622 £2,735.760 05 concordia About us "one. of the activities in the final session is for the young people to open an envelope which contains the goal they had set themselves to achi8ve from the sessions. When B opened hers and read her goal, I noticed she . looked quite tearful. I went to ask her what was wrong. and she said she couldn't believe how differently she felt now compared to the start of the programme. She said her goal had been to believe in herself more. She said she felt so much more confident. and self- assured in herself now." Annual Report 2024 About us Concordia is a UK charity that offers lrfe-changing opportunltles for people to build new skllls. prosperlty and communlty, through work placements and volunteering. Our programmes bring people from different countries together, to experience new places and cultures, support them to achieve their goals and broaden what is possible in their lives. Between 1943-2023, Concordia supported an estlmated three-quarters of a million people to tak8 part in activities and projects that support communiti8S both in the UK and across the globe. Whether bringing P80ple from overseas to the UK. or sending UK citizens abroad, we aim to provide lrfe-changing opportunities. Concordia glves people the chance to travel with purpose, making a positive impact in the community where they are working or voluntéerlng, and bringing a posltlve impact Into thelr own Ilves and thelr home countrlas. Today, we continue to place international workérs on UK farms to carry out a rango of seasonal work, as w811 as helping to bring in harvests and feed the natlon whlle 8nabling prosperity for the communities of workers back home. We also facilitate volunteer placements, for indivlduals and groups, speclallslng In Intemational and cross-cultural exchange. Concordia passionately believes that these cross-cultural experiences enable people to enrlch thelr Ilves, create posltlve Impacts for others and ultimately contribute to a more understanding, peaceful world. That's why we make our programmes accessible to as many people as we can. In an IrJcr8asingly polarised world, Concordia's work to bring the world together and break down the Inequalltles that dlvide us is a8 relevant as ever. Vision: A world of opportunity, prosperity and peace. '&•. Mission: We provide tailored placements to bridge divides and increase cross-cultural understanding. Values: We are kind and courageous. We focus on individual and international impact. 07 concordla Foreword Awt 2024 Foreword The past year marfced a plvotal period for Concordia. Alongside our hlgh-quality support and provlslon to over 8000 beneficiarles. substantial organisational transformation work was carried out and a new three year strategic P￿n created. The key aspects of OLir new plan are: There are many individuals and organisations we could thank for our success in 2024. including for example our government sponsors. our intemational volunteering partners, our recruiting agents, our external consultants and the NCS Trust. Our biggest thanks goes to all of the Concordia staff team, without whose hard work, skllls and commitment none of this would have been possible. The transfomiation of our approach to internatlonal volunt88ring; creating a scholarship fund for under- served people to participate; as well as an alumni programme Continu8d commltment to the dellvery of continued high standards for the Seasonal Workers Scheme, placlng over 7000 Indlvlduals a year In agricultural farm work The research. development, piloting and creatlon of a third and new area of servic8 d81iv8ry Detailed research to understand the needs and r8aliti8s of service-users Developing a clear marketing, communicatlons and digital strategy Ensuring we maintain an effective and supported staff team, retaining Investors in People silver accreditation and ensurlng our Board d8velops and learns, alongside their legal and strategic accowtability for the organisation Our work to ensure a positive workplace culture has contlnued. We have created new values: kindness, courage and impact, and we are commltted to speak-up culture where employees, trustees, benefiFiaries and partlcipants all are able to speak up and be supported. During 2024 trustees and staff w8re shocked and saddened to leam of the sudden death of our prevlous CEO, Simon Bowyer. Slmon will be sorely mlssed. We extend our condolences. and those of everyone at Concordia. to his family, colleagues and friends. We are proud of our continued achievements in delivering our key government contracts for the S8asonal Workers Scheme in 2024. enabling us to place individuals on farms In the UK. The govemment have announced a five year commitment to the scheme. creating certainty for Concordia and the horticultural industry. We continue to be a member of the Seasonal Worker Scheme Taskforca, contrlbutlng to collaboratlon, best practice and high quallty communication with govemment, growers. operators, NGOS and retailers. Victoria Lawrence Chief Executive Stuart PicGaver Interim Chalr Durina 2024 the government announced the ending of th• National Citizenship Scheme which Concordia ha5 been proud to dellver since 2016. Due to budgetary challenges at the start of the year, the Board made the difficult decision to end the Emotional Wellbeing Programme {EWP) for local young people. a well- received post-pand8mic r8sponse when Concordia was wnning a surplus. EWP was 100% dependent on Concordia funding and despite efforts during earlier years ￿sourc1ng was not sustainabl8. 09 concordia Our impact in 2024 ua 2024 Our impact in 2024 Pillar I Concordia's Intemational Volunteering programme UK Volunteering Invlting International volunteers to volunteerlng projects in the UK. Concordla Is a member of two International volunt8er networks, the Alliance of European Voluntary Servlce Organisations and the Coordinating Committee for Intemational Voluntary Service Organisations ICCIVS). worklng In partnership with more than 60 organlsations all over the world. • Concordia had 9 UK projects available with 16 variations of volunteering. Th8ra was a mix of social and environmental voluntsering including: Festivals, Farms, Charities, SEND Care Communltles, Wildlife and Activity Centres. 47 volunteers particlpatad r8presenting 14 different countries primarlly from Europe. Our largest range of inGoming volunteers is ag8 16-19 (62.5% of participants). Outgoing volunteering was most popular during this year wlth ages 30+145% of particlpantsl The data that we have demonstrates all Intematlonal volunteers gain In confldence, cultural awareness, n8W skills and independence. Some feedback from the UK project ¥olunteers includes: "Since w8 ware mo8tty among Intemational volunteers, we were able to get to know a lot of the other cultures among us.. "An unforgettable experfenoe and 8omethlng everyone sI￿ul￿ do." "Alwaus learn to be a leam player and belng generous wlll take you to great plac88 and make you meet wonderful people In Ilfe." In temis of gainlng n8w skills and having a life changing exparl8nce Raphael is an excellent example. Havlng volunteered previously. Raphael volunteered wlth Concordia in 2024 at Camphlll a small live-in care facility for disabled adults in Scotland. He has been there almost a year now. In a recent conversation he was delighted to tell us he has been offered a permanent paid role and VISA sponsorship with Camphill. His joumey will continue beyond Concordia and he admits that having been quite lost. he has found his calling. "It was a great time In which I leamed a lot for myself. Not only am I now confident in speaking English. I have also met new frlends wllh whom I hope to stay in touch. l aso really Ilke the openness and charity that I received in Ihe camp." 11 concordia "It was all fantastic. All was perfect. I will take with me all the kindness, the generosity of these people." International Volunteering Programme International Development student Sending UK volunteers to our international partnerg projects, Ellena-oldfield Edwards completed a detailed research project for Concordia in relation to internatlonal volunteerlng as a placement from Sussex Univ8rsity. There were 11 outgoing volunt88rs in 2024 The projects were in Iceland, France, Germany, Italy and Japan All volunteering involved cultural and environmental themes Our largest range of outgoing volunteers were aged 30+ (45% of participants) National Citizen Service (NCS) in Sussex Concordia has deliv8red National Cbtlzen Service INCSI for since 2016. NCS is an experience available to all 15-17 year-olds in England to encourage young people to become more active in their local communities and develop their skills. In November 2024 we received the announcement from the government that NCS will not continue beyond March 2025. This coincides with Concordla's new strategy moving away from youth work delivered directly in the local area. "Getting to help contrfbute to Improvlng some of Ihe locals, lives has baen a roally fumlllng experlence." Group Volunteering programme A bespoke intèrnational volunteering programme for students and uniforrned groups to volunteer abroad. Facilitating groups of 12 to 20 participants with Concordia acting as liaison between the group and the overseas volunteering project. There wer8 no outgoing groups in 2024- three are planned in 2025. Annual Report 2024 Our impact In 2024 4L 13 concordia National Citizen Service (NCS) Achievements Our 11-week programme was designed to be delivered during school hours by our 8xperienced Emotional Wellbeing Programme Facilitators, slotting easily into the school day. Our sessions were fun. informal, and creatlV8- giving young p&opl& th8 space and scope to explore topics in a safe and supportive environment. Each year 90% of our pre- & post- evaluation stat8m8nts register8d a positlV8 chang8, demonstrating the impact on the young people attending the programme. We had 390 young people (YPS) participating 70 YPS had received free school meals This is equivalent to 18% of participants 165 YPS had EHCPS (Educatlon Health Care Plan) This is equivalent to 42% of participants In comparison. 31.5% of young people in West Sussex schools have EHCPS 14% of young people in East Sussex schools have EHCPS During 2024 our programme helped young people understand their emotions, build an emotional toolkit, grow th8ir self-est88m and fost8r healthy relationships. This succ8ssful programm8 was implemented as a time-limited post-COVID response and we made tha difficult declslon to brlng It to an end In early 2024. 85 YPS Identlfled as havlng SEND {Speclal Education81 Needs and Disabilities) This is equivalent to 22% of participants 162 YPS identified as being part of the Global Majorlty • This is equivalent to 41% of participants who did not identify as White British Over the Ilfetime of this prolect from 2020 - 2024 we supported a total of 1086 young people. 2024: 272 young people In 4 schools 2023: 334 young people In 5 schools 2022: 255 young people 2021: 200 young people in 2 8chool8 2020: 25 young people 25 YPS were young carers This i? equivalent to 6% of participant5 8 YPS were care experlenced • This is equivalent to 2% of participants "I felt sate to talk about mu teellngs and un- ILKlged." IIThe Concordla Youth Action sessions were really fun. l enloyed making frlends and Trying naw challenges. I have leamed a lot and have galned more confldence. Thank uou tor maklng thls an experfence I wlll never forgeti." "I have made many changes In mu Ilfe and I have learnt to be muself In these sesslons." Emotional wellbeing programmes IIThank you tor another wonderful year of worklng together. On behalf of the school and myself we really appreciate the work that goes In to facilltate these sessions. always going above and beyondT I know the parents are equallu as grateful especially when they can see Ihe positive influence you have on ffieir children." We have been proud to work in partnership with schools in th@ Sussex area from 2020 to 2024 to support the wellbeing of young people aged 11-14 with our free service. This was partly made possible through surplus generated from the Seasonal Workers Scheme. Annual Report 2024 Our impact in 2024 Pillar 2 Seasonal workers programrriè During 2024 Concordia continued to provide ethical work placements on UK farms to foreign nationals. Mushrooms Bulbs and cut flowers, grown outdoors and Indoors Pot plants and bedding plants Hardy ornamental nursery stock (Chrlstmas trees. shrubs) Tree and forest nur8&rlas The Seasonal Worker Scheme {SWS) is a UK government programme that enables British farmers to recrult workers from abroad vla licansed scheme operators. Concordia Is a Ilcensed scheme operator, whlch means that we can sponsor work8rs' Seasonal Work visas. We are the only operator which is a charity and any surplus wa make from the scheme directly supports our oth8r charitable activlties. SWS recruits participants for work in the horticultural sector, which, Defra, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affalrs, states thls conslsts of: Most seasonal work In the edlble-horticulture sector is in the fruit Sector (55%) and the veg8tab181salad sector (25%}. Work18 usually manual and unskllled. No experienc8 is necessary and training is provided. The types of work on offer Include: General work In edible and omamental horticulture Crop malntenance, harvestingi husbandry • Tunnel construction and dismantllng Irrlgation Installation/maintalnlng Packing and processing of crops Preparing and dlsrnantllng growlng areas Supervlsing horticultural workers Protected vegetables (glasshou88 production) Fleld vegetables Ilncludlng herbs, leafy salads, and potatoes) Soft fruits (outdoor and covered) Top fcuits Vlnes and blnes (hop8 and grapes) "I worked hard on the farm for six "months and earned good money to support my family financially. Many 4 thanks to Concordia Charity Organization for everything." 15 concordia "We really enjoyed working on this farm and I have improved my financial situation thanks to your support" Concordia connects British farms with international job seekers looking for work in the horticultural sector. We work with nlne Concordla audlted and registered agrlcultural recruitment speciallsts, all of whom havg a GLAA licence. Our staff team assist successful appllcants wlth their pre-departure preparatlons and offer practical and welfare support to workers durlng their time in the UK. Our aim is to ensure that both our farms and the participants have a positive experience. We also have clear contractual agr8ements with the Home Office to ensure that all workers return home at the end of th8ir stay. Every year we support many individuals to return from thèir home country for another season. Concordia woths closely with the National Farmers Union {NFU}, GLAA, Home Office and Defra. The Operatlons DSrector is a m8mb8r of the Seasonal Worker Scheme Taskforce and sits on the Govemance Group as well as a number of other working groups. Concordla has a dedlcat8d w8lfar8 SUPPOrt team which offers support when needed to all Concordla sponsored workers, Concordia has a pastoral fund available to assist workers in emergencies. Concordia has a designated Anti Modern Slavery lead. Worker5 placed by Concordia pay no fees to Concordia nor to its ag8nts. Concordia has worked with UK growers since 1943. and this experience has provided us with unrivalled knowledge of seasonal horticulture work placements. Every year we audit all farms that we place workers in, to ensure high standards of wèlfare, accommodation, management and support. In 2024 we supported 7633 people, enabling them to come to the UK to work on over 120 farms to earn an income. gain experience and learn skills. We carried out audits on all farms to ensure that welfare and working standards all meet our requirernents. We also carri8d out audits with our 9 overseas recruiting agents. Annual Report 2024 Our impact in 2024 Information and enqLiiries were from applicants requesting work and 5755 were from participants. Two themes from participants were information on how to return to the UK for work (15951 and accessing healthcare or insurance (458). We work pro-actively and closely with our recruiting agents to ensure prospective workers and all individuals who are recruited réc8ive up-to-date inforTnation on a wide range of matters. This is prior to their travel to the UK, on arrival and on- farm. Information includes pay, nature of work and hour5, accommodation, travel, healthcare, d8parture expectations and how to raise an issue or grievance. We ensure that all docum8ntation is translated into relevant languag8s- and we have a retained translation servic8. At the start of the year the rnajority of emails rec8iv&d were from participants outside of the UK. From the end of May, thi5 changed and we r8ceiv8d more emails from participants inside the UK. We have recorded statistics on a few key themes. as d8tailed below. Not ever enquiry fit into a recorded category. Wa also work re-actively, responding to enquiries and issues from workers in the UK during thair employment {whilst we are not the employer, this is the farml. Participants contact us for advice, support and informatlon on a wide variety of matters which could Include welfare support, work-related concerns or health matters. Our active support Includes resolving potential issues on farms, ensuring necessary improvement to accommodation, providing support completing fornis and arranging transfer5 where this is logistically possible. Key themes from participants InUK Oulslde UK Information on how to return to UK General Advice 1047 On 19th February 2024, we started logging the number of enqulries we receive. 88tW8en 19th February 2024 and 24th Dec&mber 2024 our partlcSpant support team rasponded to a total of 12310 enquiries, of which 6555 Transfers Accessing Healthcare/ Insurance The main countrles we sponsored workers from in 2024 were Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Moldova. W8 also recruited from.. Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan (Concordia returnees). Macedonia. Romania, South Africa, Ukraine and Uzbekistan (Concordia returnees). "The season was very, very good. the farin is great. everuone is friendly. everyone helps each other, it is nice lo work with SLlCh. people. Thank YOLI very much for everything." Our participani surveu Results showed that 98Yo of respondents confirmed ihey had access to clean toilets and showers; 96¥0 confirmed their accommodation was clean on arrival. go % knew how to request a transfer and 98% confirmed their job was as described. W8 met or exceeded all our Home Office required metric5 in 2024. 17 concordia Looking ahead Our new strategic plan Annual Report 2024 Looking ahead Over the next three years 2025-2027. concordia aims to transform our worf( to reach more people, have greater impact. communicate our best practice approach and build a strong and sustainable income base. Understanding and addressing the opportunities and challenges created by radical and fast paced changes in technology will be crucial to our success. The people we support The people we support are central to everythlng we do. In the next three years, we wlll: 4. Develop new strategic partnershlps wlth govemment, educatlon, and charlty sectors to drlve Increased Impact and opportunltles. S. A scholarship programme for under- served communities. 6. An alumni programme to champion our work. 7. Skills-ba88d volunteering for professional development. l. Carry out detailed research to understand the needs and realities of service-users. the findings from which will refin8 our current programm8s and lead to new programmes tailored to reach broader and more diverse audiences. 2. Secure funding for initiatives that broaden and deepen our Impact, Including skllls development and accessibility efforts. 3. Act as the volce for our particlpants. workers and volunteers, speaking up when they cannot and representing their interests in industry and oovernment. Pillar two: Agricultural work Placements Achieve 20.000+ agricultural placements over thr88 years. 2. Enhance th8 placement experlence With skills and language support. 3. Challenge negative stereotyp&s about Seasonal workers. 4. Continue to work effectlvely and ensure best practice with growers. 6. Deliver training for grow&rs on ethical practlcas. communication and conflict r8solutlon. 6. Continue to maintain the hlghest standards of ethical and safe recruitment. During 2024 we carrled out some Inltial r8S8arch for us. using consultants Wayforward. There was a clear consistancy in the most important motivations for users to particlpate in Concordia plac8ments, for both seasonal workers and volunt88rs. The general perception of Concordia was overwhelmingly positive with servic8 users talking about interactions with the staff in very warm tarms, and holding the capability of the organisation in very high regards. Pillar one: Volunteering Pillar three: Our future pillar Concordia aspires to transform and incr8as8 its volunteering offer, establishing itself as a premi8r international volunteering organisation. Aims include: To reduce reliance on existing pillars and diversify income, Concordia plans to introduce a third pillar. To achieve this. we are investigating opportunities and assessing new ideas that align with our mission and expertise. We will design, fund and test 3 new pilot projects with potential for long-term investment. Fleview and transform the volunteering model. 2. Increase the overall number of volunteers to 1000+ per year. 3. Expand bespoke grouii trips to 100+ per year. 19 concordia Effective organisation Annual Report 2024 Effective organisation staff team staff training Concordia has a small staff team relative to our large impact, with 22 staff, who run the organisation, place and support partlcipants, monitor aTivals and departures, work with and support growers, design and deliver services to young people, place volunteers. lead group5, collate data and feedback. report to Defra and the Home Office and also audit famis and recrultlng agents. During 2024 we put in place training in a number of areas for staff including Equality, Diversity. Inclusion as well as digital transformation, wellbeing, H8alth and Safety manag8m8nt, resilience and confidence" good governance and leadership. We have undertaken significant organisational improvements, including putting in place retalners with extemal HR and H&S firms, to support US to replac8 policies and procedures and ensure good practlce. Concordla conducts an annual staff surv8y to Inform our future actions. This survey demonstrates a hlgh level of trust and confldènce by the staff in the organisation and the senior team. The most recent survey response in DeGembor 2024 shows that staff.. The Board approved a new lease to take on the ground floor premises at our office location in Portslade, In order to enable physical acc8ssiblllty, additional office space and a larger meetlng room for board meetings and training. 100% feel valued 100% are proud of what we achleve for our growers. particlpants, volunteers and young people 100% believe they have the rlght skllls and knowl8dg8 to perform their role with confidence 100% feel that their job responsibilities and oblectlves arg clear 100% belleve that Concordia car8s about th8 wollbeing of its employees 95% are proud to work for Concordla 90% would recommend Concordla as a great place to work staff wellbeing The w8llb8ing of staff is crucial to Concordia. During 2024 the board approved one day a year for all staff to take as a wellbelng day, or to US8 for extemal volunteering. We established a staff wellbeing group and reviewed our Employ80 Asslstance programme. We trained a new Mental Health First Alder, who has gone on to study counselling. We ran a series of six sessions with trainer Melody Cheal on w8llb8ing and resili8nc8. Concordia retained its Investors In People accredltatlon and was awarded Sllver level accreditation in early 2023. The accreditation was reviewed early in 2025. with a staff surv8y and Intorvlews, leading to Concordla retalnlng our Sllver level accreditatlon. .1 feel safe with concordia." INVESTORS IN PEOPLE. We invest in people silver 21 concordia staff remuneration Equality Diversity and Inclusion Staff remuneration is based on the Local Government NJC pay scales, wid8ly us8d in the voluntary sector. Our retsined HR advisors- Aspiring HR- undèrtook a salary benchmarking exercise on our behalf during 2024 to ensure staff are paid at the correct level. They ar8 reviewing our pay policy and approach with us during 2025, Concordia aims to be a welcoming, inclusive and diverse organisation where everyone can be thems81v8s. W8 know that a focus on equality diversity and inclusion will help Concordia be more effective and have greater impact. W8 have 8Stablished an EDI wort