2023-03-31-annual-report

Annual Report 2022-3

Community I ntercultural P rogramme

COMMUNITY INTERCULTURAL PROGRAMME

ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

Annual Report 2022-3

Community I ntercultural P rogramme

Community Intercultural Programme

• Contact Details

CIP Centre, 7 Foundry Street, Portadown, BT63 5AB Tel [phone]

Oasis Youth Centre, 34 Bridge Street, Portadown, BT62 1JD Tel [phone]

www.cipni.com - www.oasisyouth.co.uk -

Reg. Charity No NIC102018 email: [e-mail]

• Management Committee

Paul Burrows - Chairperson Andrew McCreery - Vice Chairperson Gordon Woolsey - Sec Alfredo Monterio - Treasurer Romyll Guinanao Elizabete Gomes Beata Jonak Anastazja Wisniewska

• Membership of Committees, Forums & Groups

• ABC Community Network

• Educational Authority Local Youth Advisory Group

• Locality Planning Group

• Southern Area Children’s & Young Peoples Outcome Group

• Stronger Together Network

• Partners in Project delivery

• Children in Northern Ireland

• Youthlink NI

• Scotch Street Youth and Community Centre

• Stronger Together Network

• Fit Kids

• Accountant:

Solicitor

S D Brown & Company 25-27 Edward Street Portadown BT62 3NE

T.D. Gibson & Co Ltd 107 Church Street Portadown BT62 3DD

Annual Report 2022-3

Community I ntercultural P rogramme

Community Intercultural Programme

The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the consolidated financial statement of the charitable group CIP for the year ended 31 March 2023

CIP, (Community Intercultural Programme) came into existence in Sept 2006 in response to the emerging needs of the Ethnic Communities in the region of Craigavon. CIP is committed to supporting people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, enabling them to fully integrate into and participate in an equitable society which represents difference and celebrates diversity

Vision

CIP’s vision is of an inclusive society across the ABC Council area, which contributes to social cohesion and ensures equality for all.

Values

• CIP actively promotes equality, values diversity and opposes discrimination in all its forms.

• CIP is an independent association, is non party political and is committed to an active anti- sectarian approach to its work

• CIP is committed to collective action informed by people’s experiences and an analysis of their circumstances. Therefore CIP’s primary method of operation is supporting and encouraging community action amongst disadvantaged communities.

• CIP will conduct its affairs in an honest, open, transparent and accountable way to its members.

• CIP values its volunteers as a key resource of the organisation.

• CIP will strive to represent the interests of all ethnic communities without ‘fear or favour’

• CIP will strive for excellence in all we do in order to provide high quality and effective leadership and support.

Annual Report 2022-3

Community I ntercultural P rogramme

Strategic Priorities

CIP carried out its operation under the following strategic aims and associated objectives:

• Continued evolution of effective and efficient internal organisational systems and structures

• Training and Capacity Building

• Deliver an effective and comprehensive Support Service

• Develop family support programmes that focus on the emotional wellbeing of the whole family

• Expand the level of social inclusion and integration services and culturally appropriate programmes for BME Youth and Young Adults

• Promote Good Relations between diverse communities

• Raise Awareness of, Reduce and Prevent the level of exploitation experienced by vulnerable people.

Public Benefits:

In ensuring that the activities of CIP benefit the general public, all our activities are related to one or more of the following charitable objectives;

• The advancement of citizenship through the promotion of voluntary activity using a community development approach

• The prevention and relief of poverty by activity encouraging the participation of the most disadvantaged and excluded groups in our programmes

• The advancement of education by providing training to groups and individuals

• The advancement of human rights through work designed to promote reconciliation and resolve conflict and the promotion of religious or racial harmony or equality and diversity

Annual Report 2022-3

Community I ntercultural P rogramme

In order to meet its objectives, CIP provides a series of services benefiting the local community. Such services include:

Advice, Information and signposting - this programme of work provides a quality face-to-face service to BME clients across the ABC Council area with the aim of advancing citizenship, community development and human rights.

Family Support - this programme seeks to empower BME families, provide direct focused support and improve access to third party services that reduces social inclusion and relieves poverty.

Youth Empowerment – this programme aims to provide a range of services that promotes active citizenship, personal development, cultural diversity and a sense of belonging.

Comments from the Chair

Once again it is my pleasure to present this annual report which encompasses the range of services provided by our dedicated staff and volunteer team.

This past year saw the country return to a sense of normality after the intense restrictions imposed by the Covid 19 years and this has allowed more normal services to resume within CIP. Ove this challenging period the staff team have developed a high level of adaptably and resilience and must be commended for

their industrious efforts in providing a quality advice service and youth provision.

We are indebted to our funders who have supported us to deliver a wide range of vital services, without this support CIP would not have been able to benefit so many people.

After much deliberation, it was decided to transfer all of the youth activities, which have been based at Bridge Street in Portadown for the past 10 years to the CIP Centre in Foundry Street. This move will enhance and improve the delivery of services for children and young people in the area.

As a management committee, we believe that CIP is well placed to address and respond to both the current and future challenges facing ethnic minority groups.

Paul Burrows

Annual Report 2022-3

Community I ntercultural P rogramme

Overview of Projects

Advice & Advocacy Service

Central to CIP activities has been its ‘face-to-face’ advice service which not only benefits primarily Polish, Lithuanian and Romanian communities but has extended its scope to assist individuals from 14 different language groups. The service provided a comprehensive range of activities which included:

• Ø 665 clients were supported via 1,713 one-to-one sessions.

• Ø 166 people were supported with their EU Settlement Status

• Ø 11 information sessions attended by 169 participants

• Ø 71 children referred into children and young people activities

Consular Assistance

It was our honour to host staff teams from the Lithuanian Embassy that provided individuals with an opportunity to obtain consular support at CIP. A further Romanian clients were assisted in their preparation for a consular visit in Belfast by the Romanian Consul.

Support for the Portuguese Community

The diverse cultures within the Portuguese speaking community were provided with targeted support. This included one to one support on entitlement and employment issues. The service provides the following services to beneficiaries;

• Ø Over the year 385 people were registered with the advice service and a total of 824 one-to-one sessions were offered.

• Ø Over 200 people were supported with their EU Settlement Status

• Ø A series of information sessions were delivered

Support for the Bulgarian Community

With the support of the NI Housing Executive and the Department of Justice an advice service was developed this year to assist members of the Bulgarian Roma community. The holistic project incorporated information sessions, ESOL Classes, one to one advice sessions. Another feature of the project involved building the capacity of a recently Bulgarian community group in Craigavon, enabling the group to deliver a series of community events.

Annual Report 2022-3

Community I ntercultural P rogramme

Poverty issues

As newcomer families encounter high levels of deprivation, CIP remained vigilant regarding community needs and responded to the individual challenges providing direct intervention to families in need and also providing third party assistance and signposting to families. This included provision of food vouchers, food & warm packs supplied by Fareshare, local companies, the Public Health Authority and charitable groups.

Oasis Youth

Oasis is an inclusive, youth focused programme that engages with ethnic children and youth through targeted provision. The club provides a range of comprehensive and interlinked projects throughout the year. The following is a sample of the key initiatives that were delivered which supported 420 different children and young people from 16 different cultural groups,

LOOKIN' OUT PROJECT - Mental Health Support Programme

ASPIRE - Volunteering Opportunities and Training- All Year

2 x P7 TRANSITION PROJECTs - Presentation Primary School Project & 12 week project in partnership with SSYCC

ACTIVE MINDS – Neighbourhood Renewal Funded Project - Health & Wellbeing & Sports project

AFTER SCHOOL CLUB Tuesday & Thursday

DROP IN CLUB - Weekly session - Tuesdays

BREAKFAST CLUB - Thursday mornings Jan-March

PORTADOWN GETS ACTIVE - 4 Holiday Hunger projects (Summer 3 weeks Face to face, Halloween face to face, Christmas face to face & Easter face to face)

COMMON GOOD - 20 week Good Relations Programme - weekly Nov-April

OASIS CAFE 2GO - 8 week outreach cafe at front of centre - Mondays 2 hours (Oct-Dec)

One to One Support (CV support, References, Personal Statements, Mental Health Check ins, work with Family Support Hub Referrals)

EMPOWER YOUTH FORUM – Bi-weekly meetings all year

Annual Report 2022-3

Community I ntercultural P rogramme

YOUTH EMPLOYABILITY PROGRAMME - NR Funded project 20 week programme OCN and social action

Oasis POD – Neighbourhood Renewal funded project – Exploring the needs of young people and issues impacting young people through Podcasting.

Cultural Diversity & Personal Development Programme at Killicomaine JHS - 2 x 8 week terms Sept-April 22

ORBIT Project - 3 phases – Space to Learn Teambuilding, Space to Live – Exploring risk taking behaviour, Space to Lead – Social Action, leadership & Volunteering

BUD – Youth Steering Group & BUD Projects (Youth Social Action Project) Youth led project designing and delivering workshops on Transition. BBC CIN Funded

5,602 Total number of sessions attendances: (participants x sessions) 15,680 Total hours of delivery: (Participants x Sessions x Hours) 420 Total number of members:

The anticipated outcomes of each project were achieved and these included the following:

• Ø Children and young people are better able to express themselves.

• Ø Children and young people develop Increased leadership skills

• Ø Improved relationships among young people from different backgrounds.

Future Developments

The trustees have identified the following opportunities for development which the CIP seeks to achieve over incoming years, subject to adequate funding availability.

It is proposed and approved by the management committee that all Oasis youth projects located at the Oasis Youth Centre at 31 Bridge St Portadown will cease and be transferred to the CIP Centre in the summer of 2023. This decision was taken as the facility at Bridge St was deemed no longer fit for purpose due to structural deterioration. The proposed date for the termination of the rental agreement of the said premises is 30th Sept 2023. All of Oasis staff and youth activities will operate from 1[st] Oct at the CIP Centre.

Further enhancements of the CIP Centre are proposed in order to upgrade the interior and exterior of the Centre.

Annual Report 2022-3

Community I ntercultural P rogramme

SCHEDULE OF CIP FUNDERS

CIP would like to place on record our appreciation to the following funders whose financial support enabled the charity to achieve its objectives during the year.

Funder Issue Targeted

ABC Borough Council Core Running Costs & Good Relation ALMAC/CINI Holiday Hunger BBC Children in Need Oasis Youth Community Fund Oasis Youth Education Authority BME Youth Projects Food Foundation Grant Oasis Youth Home Office EU Settlement Project –Stronger Together Network NI Housing Executive Support for Bulgarian community Neighbourhood Renewal Youth Project Red Cross – (TEO crisis fund) Relief of Poverty The Executive Office BME Advice Service & Youth Project PEACE BME Research Public Health Agency Warm Packs

S.D BROWN Accountants, Portadown were appointed as the independent examiner and produced a financial statement for CIP.