It is with pleasure I present the Star Neighbourhood Centre trustee report for year ending March 2023 This report contains the organisational key strategic aims and the activities and services delivered during the year to achieve desired outcomes. It highlights an impressive amount of activity and engagement with the local residents Star Neighbourhood Board are delighted with the organisations performance and focus on positive outcomes to improve the lives of residents. This is central to our organisations activities whether it be improving access to quality childcare, making our communities safer, youth development, building cohesive communities or building capacity; it is all about making life a little better for residents. The Star Neighbourhood Centre continues to work in partnership with community groups’ organisations and agencies in order to develop skills, strengthening organisational structure and processes, addressing equality issues and promoting engagement and participation. Without doubt we are working in challenging times. Our communities face daily struggles; poverty, mental health, homelessness to name few, are all major issues Our childcare and family support services are running at full capacity. The youth project continues to work to meet the needs of the young people across North Belfast. The personal social and emotional development of young people remains our core work. With Youth intervention and good relations programmes also delivered. This report covers the SNC organisational key strategic aims as well as activities and services delivered up to the end of March 2023. Star Neighbourhood Board are delighted with the how the staff and volunteers have continued their vital work and provided support and met needs for residents during energy increases and the cost of living crisis. We remain committed to providing quality services and focus on positive outcomes to improve the lives of residents. A special thank you must be extended once again to our members who actively support the star and our work. To our funders, in particular our main funder Department for Communities. The Department of Education Pathway fund, EA, Belfast city council, John Moore & Children in Need, without their support we would not exist. To all the organisations and individuals who have supported the Star Neighbourhood Centre through the good times and the not so good times we thank you. Liam Wiggins Chairperson ## **Star Neighbourhood Centre Purposes and Activities** The Star Neighbourhood Centre is an organic and generic community organisation, based on the Duncairn Gardens interface in the New Lodge area of North Belfast We are a quality driven organisation where the focus is on our user requirements and where quality is demonstrated in our day-to-day operations. We aim to respond to locally identified need through close engagement with the community, beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries. The services the Star offers are tailored to meet local need, e.g., opening hours and range of activities and programmes. The Star works on a holistic basis within the neighbourhood, catering for pre-school age children to providing a services for older people. Given its ‘position’ within the community, the Star Neighbourhood Centre has the flexibility to be able to react to particular situations and respond to changing local needs as and when they arise. Star Neighbourhood Centre provides a number of programmes, facilities and services to the Greater New Lodge community. These include:- - Early Years Project - Out of Schools project - Family Support - Youth projects - Older Persons support - Support for groups - Volunteer development Projects - Community inclusion events The Centre acts as a local resource centre for the community. This includes offering services such as typing, photocopying, computer and internet access, telephone/fax and lending equipment. The Star also acts as a conduit to statutory and voluntary organisations for local people to access information of training, benefits, legislation, employment and acts as a “sign poster” to other community organisations and training providers within the area. As well as the provision of services, the Star acts as a development catalyst for the area advocating and campaigning on behalf of the community to attract resources and drawing the attention of resource providers and policy makers to the needs of the Greater New Lodge area. ## **Review Of the year:** |44|Children benefited from the childcare services| |---|---| |52|people participated in Good relations projects| |10|volunteers engaged in community development activities| |68|children took part in holiday schemes| |20|people took part in programmes to support and develop parents| |50|winter warmer packs delivered to local residents| |50|Older people took part in a good relation social event| |15|individual young people received range of OCN qualifications| |.|| |36|children & young people took part in mental health promotion/awareness| ||programmes| |20|people participated in programmes to promote a healthy lifestyle| |48|young people benefitting from youth inclusion/diversionary projects| ## **Governance and Structure** The Star Neighbourhood Centre is a Company limited by guarantee [NI46763] and also a registered charity [NIC104759]. This structure has been found suitable, meets all legal obligations and protects the Centre and Directors in the event of financial failure. Currently 9 local people are on the board of directors. The roles, functions and responsibilities of the committee are as follows:- - Deciding the overall strategy of the Centre; - Acting as Company Directors, leasehold and employers, and taking full responsibility for all legal aspects involved in these areas of work; - Setting structures and procedures in place for the Committee to be maintained and replaced; - Representing the Committee on external platforms and to the general public; and - Being collectively responsible for the management of the Centre. ## **MISSION, VISION AND VALUES** The Star Neighbourhood Centre has adopted the following as its Mission, Vision and Value Statements: ## **Mission** To improve the quality of life of residents by providing essential services to the Greater New Lodge area ## **Vision** Working to develop a cohesive and thriving community ## **Values** In working together towards our mission, we are committed to a number of values which underpin all that we do and the way that we do it. - **Community led** – the participation of local people is central to our work; - **Respect** – everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect; - **Equality and Social Justice** – we seek to challenge poverty, injustice, and discrimination in all its forms; - **Quality** – we value creativity and innovation; we strive to deliver quality and best practice in everything we do; - **Accessibility** – we work to remove barriers and increase accessibility to our services; and - **Integrity** – we work together at all times, ensuring sensitivity and openness. **Registered Company number** NI0 46763 (Northern Ireland) **Registered Charity number** NIC104759 ## **Trustees** Trustees Liam Wiggins Chairperson Gerard O’Reilly Treasurer Kate Clarke Secretary Marisa McMahon Cecilia Heron Sally Smith Joe Doherty Tommy Quigley Liam Corr ## **Future Plans** Four strategic goals will determine the services programmes and projects we deliver. Our outcome based approach in our work will provide a basis by which we can judge our success in our delivery. Each aim is supported by a series of outcomes which specifies the changes we want to see, the difference we want to make. It sets out our goals and how we will achieve them. These Strategic Aims will be achieved through operational objectives. Overall our strategy is underpinned by our Vision Mission and Values which drives all that we do. The core areas of our work are defined as: Community Development Childcare Youth Organisational Development Therefore the strategic aims of the Star Neighbourhood Centre reflect these areas as follows: ## **Strategic Aim 1** To meet the identified needs of our community through leadership, participation and empowerment in order that the community continues to positively develop ## **Strategic Aim 2** To provide high quality and accessible childcare services for local families ## **Strategic Aim 3** To provide opportunities for young people to engage in personal and social development activities and to leave a legacy for the community ## **Strategic Aim 4** To be a ‘fit for purpose’ organisation that strives to continually develop and deliver high quality service provision ## **Capital improvements** The refurbishment of the playground is ongoing with plans to make the area more accessible and the installation new play equipment that is suitable for a wider age range. ## **Planned Projects/Programmes** A young people’s Good relations project working in partnership with Fort William Mount Vernon youth center Volunteer development project to increase capacity of young people Community social event during the NewLodge festival