ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
(LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
The Directors present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March
2024. The Directors have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities..
statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in
accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland
(FRS 102) in preparing these accounts.
CONSTITUTION
Action Mental Health (AMH) is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered under
N1005568, governed by the Articles of Association. The company is recognised as a charity
and is registered under NIC100753 and is recognised as a charity by HM Revenue & Customs
under reference number XN 47959.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The AMH board is comprised of up to 15 Directors as set out in the charity's Articles of
Association. Directors may serve for a maximum of three terms of 4 years, save for Serving
Directors who, having served 15 years, must be re-appointed on an annual basis. The
Governance Manual guides the work of the Board, which includes an induction programme for
Directors, Terms of Reference for Committees and roles and responsibilities of office bearers.
Directors are recruited to the Board through an open recruitment and selection process,
although four Directors may be co-opted annually,. in this reporting period there was a
significant renewal process with three long serving Directors resigning and five new Directors
recruited.
AMH decisions on strategy, policy and material capital expenditure are taken by the full Board
and it ensures the Strategic Plan guides the Executive, usually over a three year time span.
Day to day decision making is under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer, Mr D
Babington, with regular reporting to the Board. Over the year, the effectiveness of the
Committees was reviewed and it was agreed to reduce them from five to four and they are
now the Finance, Audit and Risk, Nominations and Remuneration and Service Delivery and
Development Committees (the latter committee was mainly an amalgamation of the
Therapeutic Services and Innovation and Strategy Committees). The Chief Executive Officer
of AMH manages the Senior Management Team and together they ensure targets in the
annual Operational Plan are achieved.
In line with corporate good practice AMH has an Audit and Risk Committee with two
independent and three Board members and it meets at least three times a year., the Chief
Executive Officer and Director of Business Support also attend, with the external auditors
present when appropriate. Usually, each year a Directors, Conference is held in October to
enable the Board and all managers to assess progress and consider the future, although this
did not happen in this reporting period due to significant challenges posed by the loss of ESF
funding and exceptional pressures on public sector funding bodies.
The Board and Finance Committee met six times, the Audit and Risk Committee, Nominations
and Remuneration Committee, Therapeutic Services Committee and the Innovation and
Strategy Committee each met on four occasions. Experience from Covid resulted in Board and
Committee meetings being conducted in a variety of ways.. in person, hybrid or remotely and
this has continued to facilitate attendance and engagement. Due to significant uncertainties
about the future of ESF funding ending on 31 March 2023 the Board did not hold a Directors,
Conference until there was greater clarity about the future and Directors were reassured that
that there was a Strategy already in place for the period 2022-2025.

ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
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REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
Continued
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (Continued)
In order to support the response to the loss of ESF funding and subsequent uncertainties the
Board established a Property Sub Committee and a Digital Transformation Committee to work
closely with the SMT on plans for the future.
The Nominations and Remuneration Committee consider pay levels for all staff, and possible
Cost of Living increases on an annual basis and the annual accounts are available on the
website,. the Committee seeks approval from the full Board for any increases in staff salaries.
In 2013 the Committee commissioned an extensive independent review of all staff salaries
which benchmarked them against locally based charities, sectors and National Joint Council
(NJC) scales and the recommendations were implemented in full. A further independent salary
review to ensure rates properly reflected market trends due to the impact of Covid was
implemented in January 2022. The Pay Policy Statement sets out the Board's approach to
salaries and is on the AMH website. In respect of the Chief Executive Officer and SMT the
Committee commissions independent advice which includes benchmarking against
comparable roles in the sector.
In order to provide effective services AMH is involved in a number of partnerships with other
charities in Northern Ireland such as the Supported Employment Services (SES) consortium,
co-led by AMH and the Cedar Foundation delivering the Workable employment programme
commissioned by the Department for Communities. AMH also leads the SkillSET partnership
in delivering a UKSPF programme with six other partners, which ends on 31 March 2025. AMH
contributed to a range of other committees and partnerships such as the Mental Health
Strategic Reform Board, Belfast City Council VCSE Advisory Panel, with the Chief Executive
Officer holding appointments on these Committees. AMH also provides the secretariat for the
All Party Group on Suicide at the Assembly.
DIRECTORS
The Directors of AMH are its trustees for the purposes of charity law. The Directors who served
the charity during the year are as noted on Page 1.
Mrs A Craigan, Ms S E Cooke, Ms L V Fleck, Ms R Kelly, Ms N Kerr and Messrs. E Fee, H W
R Kohner, D P McAuley, W A McKeown, J L C Thompson DL, D M McKeown, S W Robinson,
J McAdams and Prof G Lynch, P F Corr, K M McParland, R J Pannell and J M F O'Brien all
served.
A register of Directors, interests is maintained, with regular review and update, in order for the
Board to be aware of any potential conflicts of interest; the issue of potential conflicts is a
standing agenda item at the start of all Board and Committee meetings. None of the Directors
had any material interest in contracts with the charity during the year.

ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
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REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
Continued
Directors. Attendance at Board Meetings over the period up to 31 $1 March 2024 was:
AMH Directors
Meetings
Attended
Outofa
Possible
Susan Cooke
An
ela Crai
an
ene Fee
Roisin Kell
Nuala Kerr
Bill Kohner
Ger
Jonathan McAdams
Damian McAule
Bill Mckeown
Diarmuid McKeown
Ste
hen Robinson
Courtena
Thom
son
Paul Corr
Leeanne Fleck
Ro
er Pannell
Kevin McParland
Jonn
O'Brien
resi
ned Dec 23
resi
ned Jun 23
resi
ned Dec 23
oined Dec 23
oined Dec 23
oined Dec 23
'oined Dec 23
'oined Dec 23
RISK STRATEGY
A risk register is maintained in relation to all material risks posing a threat to AMH. The register
is reviewed regularly by the Audit and Risk Committee and at all Board meetings to ensure
systems and procedures are established to mitigate those risks identified and to minimise any
potential impact on the charity.
In managing the reserves, the Board is guided by their Investment Policy and its objective is
to generate a return in excess of inflation over the long term whilst generating an income which
could be available to support existing services and new projects. The Reserves Policy of AMH
is to hold six months of planned expenditure to ensure continued financial security and to
provide for contingencies. A diversified spread of investments is maintained and the Board
agreed this year to consolidate the portfolios held by two separate providers into one and the
investment provider is required to meet with the Finance Committee once a year to discuss
performance, risk and adherence to the Investment Policy's ethical criteria.
PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES
Key risks and uncertainties currently affecting AMH are set out below..
Resources
Last year the exceptional financial pressures across the region coincided with the loss
of ESF funding on 31 March 2023 and whilst new UKSPF funding helped to offset some
of the lost EU funding there was still a significant deficit so that clients and providers
such as AMH were substantially impacted. Also the Department of Health's Core Grant
ended, annual enhancements from the Public Health Agency were not passed on and
the Education Authority's Healthy Happy Minds pilot programme for counselling in
primary schools was not extended, all against the backdrop of political uncertainty
without an Nl Executive in place.

ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
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Continued
PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES (Continued)
As a result, AMH has implemented contingency plans to put AMH on a more financially
sustainable footing which has resulted in fewer clients being supported and growing
waiting lists, including a redundancy process with the loss of 17 staff as a result of the
loss of ESF funding. Regrettably AMH'S only Learning Disability service was handed
back to the commissioner to be delivered by another provider and another 9 staff left
AMH as part of the transfer. AMH'S owned properties were also reviewed and the
Board agreed to sell three sites. Alongside steps to consolidate or reduce existing
services there is a shift to new funding models, use new digital technologies and
fundraise more to generate income.
Delivery of Services
As the year progressed it became increasingly clear that funding for the sector would
become more difficult, despite a new Nl Executive in place. Funding for the Mental
Health Strategy fell well short of agreed plans and the same is likely to happen in
coming years yet this is against a backdrop of rising demand for mental health support
due to the legacy of Covid, high economic inactivity rates and the Cost of Living crisis.
The Board continues to be concerned about AMH'S ability to deliver agreed outcomes
with the pace and scale of recent reductions required in services with increasing
demand combined with difficult recruitment and retention. The required changes
require a shift away from the old Industrial Therapy Organisation buildings based
delivery model and will take some time to bed in. Although AMH responded swiftly and
effectively to the Covid pandemic the current situation is arguably more serious. The
Board has been monitoring progress closely and is pleased that client needs and
funders, requirernents have been met although numbers of clients receiving support
has reduced. In response to the challenging outlook, the Board is focussed on
considering different and more creative ways to support clients and will persevere with
digital transformation by building on existing experience and collaborative working to
embed digital expertise in AMH.
The Board recognises these key risks and uncertainties and operates so as to minimise the
threat posed to the charity by adhering to the highest procedures and standards and working
closely with independent experts as required to mitigate the risks.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Action Mental Health
AMH'S vision is for a society which aGtively values and supports people on their journey to
positive mental health and the mission is to make a positive difference to people's mental
health and wellbeing. The mission is delivered by living and working to our values of Passion,
Empowerment, ExcellenGe and Respect.
AMH is a voluntary organisation which continues to support people's mental health and well-
being across the region through vocational training, supported employment options, personal
development, therapeutic interventions, health and well-being programmes and resilience
building. The Directors have given due regard to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's
guidance on public benefit in respect of its objectives and activities. AMH'S Objects and
activities undertaken in relation to them are below-

ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
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REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
Continued
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (Continued)
To provide assistance for persons affected by mental ill health, learning disability,
substance abuse and/or other disabilities including without limitation vocational
rehabilitation and training, personal development and guidance and other support
services with a view to maintaining and improving the wellbeing of such persons to
assist their return to fitness for purposeful activity.
Training and support programmes for people recovering from mental ill-health has been
delivered through UKSPF funding and the 5 Health Trusts by 8 New Horizons services. They
provide person-centred well-being programmes to support soft skills development and
supports clients to move on to employment andlor more independent lives. There are also
three services which cater specifically for younger people and they are delivered along similar
lines to the existing New Horizons services. The Promote Learning Disability in Conlig
supported clients since 2008 and the service transferred to another provider at the end of
March.
The NLC service provides counselling for children, young people, adults and families. A range
of therapeutic services are offered depending on need, including counselling, psychotherapy,
music, art and play therapies. The diversity of staff skills and the range of modalities available
enhances the experience for clients as NLC matches the orientation of the client to an
appropriate counsellor., this now includes Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners. There are a
variety of modes of therapy offered - telephone, online or face-to-face. Counselling is provided
for a range of issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, druglalcohol
misuse, self-harming and suicidal ideation. Interpreters are also provided for clients for whom
English is not their first language.
To assist such persons whether or not they have completed training programmes on
the Company's premises to secure employment in jobs appropriate to their capabilities
and to provide, if required, follow-up guidance and support.
As well as the focus on employment through the New Horizons services AMH delivers the
Workable Government employment programme for people with mental health issues, which is
focussed on getting people into the workplace and keeping them there. The programme is
delivered with six other charity partners as part of Supported Employment Solutions which
AMH co-leads. AMH is still also the only provider of the Individual Placement Support service
in the Belfast Trust area, which focuses on placing people with mental health issues in the
workplace as quickly as possible and then training them.
To carry on for the benefit of such persons activities in which the skills of such persons
can be developed, which activities shall be carried on wholly or largely by means of the
efforts of such persons.
In line with the Mental Health Strategy's preventative priorities, a growing aspect of AMH'S
focus has been to build personal resilience within communities including young people in
primarylsecondary education, further education and higher education. The Menssana project
continued to deliver the PHA funded Mindset programme and the Protect Life service which
delivers suicidelself harm prevention services. Aside from funding from the Southern Trust,
the PHA and corporate donorslfoundations a sizeable proportion of this work was funded
through grants and AMH'S own funds but future resourcing such as this is likely to reduce.

ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
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REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
Continued
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (Continued)
The three Men's Sheds continue to maintain support to older men to help them learn new
skills, socialise and connect. The long-term conditions project, Managing the Challenge, in the
Western Trust continued to provide people with the tools to self-manage their conditions., AMH
Works also continued to provide employers with wellbeing and resilience building support.
AMH also runs a number of specialist projects to support clients to develop their own skills,
such as the Vision project (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) in the Southern Trust, and the
everyBODY Eating Disorder project in the Southern Trust. The Promote Learning Disability
project in the South Eastern Trust supported clients throughout the year but it transferred to
another provider at the end of the year.
To provide outreach seNices in support of people recovering from mental ill health
and/or other disabilities.
AMH operates from 14 sites and many programmes and services are also delivered in the
community, in local facilities such as partner organisations, offices, theatreslcinemas, health
entres, sports clubs or schools.
To provide mental health and wellbeing support to military veterans, victims and
survivors, prisoners/people in the criminal justice system and minority groups e.g.
Ethnic Minorities, Travellers, LGB T, Asylum seekers/refugees and other minority
groups.
AMH provides a diverse range of services, mainly funded through public contracts but also
self-funded when resources allow and all those services are focussed on identified needs
within communities and particular groups are identified through regular engagement. It is AMH
policy to ensure all clients, whatever their background, are treated fairly and without any
discrimination and as a result there is always a diverse range of clients being supported
irrespective of sex, gender reassignment, marital I civil partnership status, pregnancy or
maternity, religious or similar philosophical belief, political opinion, disability, racial group,
sexual orientation or age.
To promote awareness of the issues of mental health and other related issues to the
public at large.
AMH engaged intensively with politicians, particularly about the end of ESF funding in March
2023 and after that date regarding the need for full funding of the Mental Health Strategy,
although with no Nl Executive or Assembly in place little was achieved. AMH also held
numerous client events and appeared on various media to promote mental health issues. the
AMH Client Forum committed to co-production by discussing and promoting client issues and
corporate partners continued to work with AMH to raise publicity around mental health issues.
AMH remains part of the Mental Health Policy Group and Mental Health Collective, which are
working to promote the work of the sector and to tackle underlying issues in it.
More information on AMH'S work and achievements during 2023124 is in the Annual Review,
which is available from the Company's Registered Office and on its website.

ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
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REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
Continued
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (Continued)
This was the second year of the AMH Board's Strategic Plan 2022-2025 and the scorecard
reflects the fact that many objectives were achieved even with the political and funding
challenges. UKSPF and Health Trust funding made a positive difference to client outcomes
and AMH met the targets set. Recruitment and retention was an ongoing issue but given very
public Goncerns about future funding after ESF AMH still managed to reach large numbers of
the population with a variety of services.
During the year 1,442 clients with mental health needs andlor a learning disability attended
services remotely or in person provided by AMH including New Horizons, Promote and
Workable. The New Horizons services provided training and employability programmes to
1,388 clients who achieved 1,442 accredited training outcornes and 325 progressed to paid
employment, voluntary work, further education/training or other government programmes.
Regarding resilience building programmes delivered by AMH Menssana and AMH Works,
there were 21,449 direct beneficiaries. AMH also continued to run the Long Term Conditions
Alliance {Nl} project 'Managing the Challenge, in the Western Trust area and 25 programmes
were successfully provided throughout the year with 250 people participating in the self-
management programme; also 130 older men attended the 3 Men's Sheds and 120 clients
were supported through the Workable contract.
Regarding the AMH New Life Counselling service, there were 16,825 counsellinglgroup work
sessions provided to 2964 individuals and families as follows..
Adult- 12,662 sessions to 2,200 clients
Children & Young People - 4030 sessions to 728 clients
Families - 133 sessions to 28 families
AMH staff turnover in the year 2023-2024 was 41.1 % .' voluntary redundancy (9.440/0), end of
contract (7.22 % ), TUPE (3.89 % }, the remaining (20.550/0} due to retirement, returning to further
education, dismissal, ill health or personallother reasons. AMH recorded a staffing
complement of 196 employees as at 31 March 2024 with 44 males and 152 females.
AMH has achieved Investors in People (liP) 'We invest in people, PLATINUM accreditation:
only 3 % of liP accredited organisations hold this level of recognition and liP confirm Action
Mental Health is within the top 20 Platinum organisations in United Kingdom.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
As with many Third Sector providers AMH had a challenging financial year with ongoing Cost
of Living pressures but this was over-shadowed by the end of ESF funding. The UKSPF
programme funded by Westminster failed to replace the lost ESF funding and although very
creditable outcomes were achieved for AMH clients there was a sizeable deficit for the year.
Despite it being a demanding year, due to the careful supervision by the Board and senior
management, AMH finished it in a relatively stable financial position but with a considerable
way to go before achieving a sustainable financial future.
The new UKSPF programme and the 5 Health and Social Care Trusts supported the recovery
services whilst a range of PHA, VSS and various grants supported all the other counselling
and wellbeing and resilience building programmes. Unrestricted income continued through
corporate partnerships and there is an expectation that it will increase to pre pandemic levels
soon.

ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
Continued
RESULTS
Unrealised gains on investments were £230,070 (2023
£93,118)
unrealised losses amounted to
The overall net movement on funds for the year was a deficit of £333,006 (2023 - £726,660).
The charity spends all restricted monies that it receives and makes good any deficit on
restricted funds from its general unrestricted reserves.
The closing balance on unrestricted reserves at 31 March 2024 was £5,946.306 (2023
£6,279,312). No restricted reserves were held.
RESERVES POLICY
Due to the uncertain nature of AMH'S funding, it is the Board's policy to maintain a designated
risk reserve equal to six months, budgeted expenditure (see note 24). The level of free
reserves at the year-end (excluding designated reserves) was £1,085,235 (2023 - £206,066).
INVESTMENT POLICY AND PERFORMANCE
The Finance Committee, a Board sub-committee, oversees, monitors and advises the Board
on investment decisions and they are guided by the Investment Policy.
In managing the Reserves of AMH and hence its investments, the Board's objective is to
generate a return in excess of inflation over the long term whilst generating an income and
capital growth which could be available to support existing group services and new projects
whilst a diversified spread of investments is maintained.
Reports on performance are provided to the Board at each meeting and Directors understand
they are ultimately responsible for the overall management of the investments.
The Finance Committee are content that overall investment performance was acceptable and
in line with investment objectives. Performance is assessed by benchmarking against
accepted industry comparators and by using two separate investment advisors.
FUTURE PLANS
As disclosed at note 1 to the financial statements, due to funding constraints and uncertainty
surrounding future funding sources, AMH has undertaken a review of its service delivery
across Northern Ireland. As a result of this review the Directors have put plans in place that
include the reshaping of service provision and of the assets held and utilised by the charity.
The directors acknowledge the uncertainty and challenges this brings but remain committed
to AMH'S fundamental objective of supporting people's mental health and well-being across
the region.

ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
Continued
DIRECTORS, RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENT
The Directors (who are also trustees of Action Mental Health for the purposes of Charity Law),
are responsible for preparing the Report of the Directors and the financial statements in
accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom
Generally Accepted Accounting Practice}.
Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year
which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the
incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the
charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are
required to..
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.,
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP.
make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent", and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate
to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.
STATEMENT OF DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO AUDITOR
In so far as the Directors, who held office at the date of approval of the financial statements,
are aware..
there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company's auditor is
unaware., and
the Directors have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves
aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that
information.
In approving the Report of the Directors the Directors also approve the Strategic Report.
Registered office..
AMH Central Office
27 Jubilee Road
NEinrrowNARDS
BT23 4YH
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Mr D P McAuley
Director and Chairman
MrsA
Direc
raigan
or and Honorary Treasurer
Date..
Registered in Northern Ireland
No. N1005568
Charity Registration No.. NIC100753
10