2023-03-31-annual-report

South Belfast Alternatives

Report of the Trustees (continued)

Year Ended 31 March 2023

Structure, Governance & Management

Governing Document

The organisation is a private company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 16th April 2014 and registered as a charity on 30[th] October 2014, charity number NIC100790. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association and is governed under its Articles of Association.

Recruitment and Appointment of Management Committee

The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purposes of charity law and under the company’s Articles are known as members of the Management Committee. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association the members of the Management Committee are elected to serve for a period of one year after which they must be re-elected at the next Annual General Meeting.

Risk Management

The Management Committee has conducted a review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed. A risk register has been established and is updated at least annually. Where appropriate, systems or procedures have been established to mitigate the risks the charity faces. Significant external risks to funding have led to the development of a strategic plan which will allow for the diversification of funding and activities. Internal control risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for authorisation of all transactions and projects. These procedures are periodically reviewed to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the charity.

Organisational Structure

South Belfast Alternatives has a Management Committee who meet 6 times per year and are responsible for the strategic direction and policy of the charity. At present the Committee has eight members from a variety of professional backgrounds relevant to the work of the charity. The Secretary also sits on the Committee but has no voting rights. South Belfast Alternatives falls under the umbrella of Northern Ireland Alternatives Ltd.

Objectives and Activities

The company's objects and principal activities are to promote a non-violent restorative community response to justice issues in South Belfast. South Belfast Alternatives will identify needs, often in partnership with local communities and other voluntary and statutory bodies, relating to safety and conflict within communities, and will attempt to heal relationships in a restorative way. At the same time, it hopes to raise community awareness on the issues affecting young people and adults who are deemed to be at risk.

The main objectives and activities of the company are:

To organise within the community non-violent alternatives to issues of community justice. To help and work with young people in order to resolve the problems affecting their lives. To direct young

people away from destructive and dangerous practices and towards healthy and constructive activities. To enable young people to personally reflect on the potentially damaging consequences of risky and criminal behaviour. To address areas of weakness and failure within the formal criminal justice system. To heal relationships within the community and to promote better relationships between the community and statutory agencies. To work towards a sustainable model of delivery for as much of the company's services as possible.

Achievements and Performance

COVID-19 & Recovery: In terms of our COVID-19 response, practical support provided included: food and fuel vouchers, delivering much needed financial assistance to those who had been most affected by with loss of work due to the pandemic. As part of an area-based recovery plan, SBA also delivered a series of engagements with local women to address issues of isolation, social exclusion, community safety and emotional health and well-being post-covid in the PUL Donegall Pass and Sandy Row Urban Village areas. In addition, SBA continued to deliver our core projects and continued to support those most in need – young people, families, vulnerable and older people, and victims of ASB, crime and hate crime.

COMMUNITY SAFETY: SBA supported over 129 vulnerable residents and victims of ASB and crime through one-to-one support and mediation services. We provided crime prevention advice to over 200 residents as well as hosting community safety events in partnership with key statutory agencies – BCC, NIHE and PSNI. Good neighbour initiatives including the ICE project, delivered in partnership with ACT, YAP and LINCS, provided befriending and practical support to over 100 beneficiaries during the winter months.

YOUNG PEOPLE: 360 young people benefitted from engagement in prevention / intervention programmes including our successful cross-community YAP programme. 2021-22 saw the development of RAYS (Restorative Academy for Youths) a group of 6 young people who were programme participants and are now ‘Community Champions’. Their training, development and mentoring has been a large part of our programme delivery this year, growth from participants on programmes to leaders of programmes in their own youth centres. They have also explored good practice regarding wellbeing, managing stress and positive relationships.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS: SBA continues to work collaboratively with statutory agencies and in partnership with over 30 community / voluntary groups. SBA delivered a series of community relations programmes with over 600 participants engaging in a variety of cross-community and cultural programmes such as the LINCS Cultural Festival in C.S. Lewis Square. This was a day of activities that celebrated culture and identity across South & East Belfast, including both traditional local cultures as well as new and diverse cultures in the areas, and was attended by over 300 people. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee provided an opportunity for SBA to a series of community workshops that engaged local people in preparation to host a day long intercultural celebration and street party. The events itself was attended by over 300 people from the different cultures in Donegall Pass. The LINCS project worked with 30 core participants involved in ongoing meaningful engagement between individuals and groups from a variety of backgrounds and identities across South Belfast.

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT & VOLUNTEERING: SBA has increased the social capital of our young people and adults through increased skills in volunteering, outreach and detached work, community development, community safety, good relations, active citizenship, and bespoke and accredited training. Over 350 young people participated in workshops and youth intervention /prevention projects including ASB, cultural awareness and diversity, healthy relationships, positive mental health

& wellbeing, participative democracy and leadership training. SBA continued to build community capacity and resilience through the delivery of accredited Peer Mentoring training and, stress management.

Directors' Responsibilities

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial period which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company and of its financial position at the end of that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;

• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The Directors have overall responsibility for ensuring that the charity has an appropriate system of controls, financial and otherwise. They are also responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Statement of Disclosure of Information to Examiner

So far as each of the Directors in office at the date of approval of these financial statements are aware:

• There is no relevant information of which the examiner are unaware; and

• They have taken all the steps they ought to have taken as Directors in order to make themselves aware of any relevant

information and to establish that the examiner are aware of that information.

Examiner

In accordance with Article 382 of the Companies Act 2006, a resolution proposing that Arro Group Ltd. be appointed as examiner of the company will be put to the Annual General Meeting.

Registered office Signed on behalf of the trustees

33 Donegall Pass

Belfast

Northern Ireland

BT7 1DQ

…………………………………..

Tom Winstone (Secretary)

Date: 29/11/2023