Youthllfe Llmlted
Trustees. Annual Report
for the Year Ended 31 March 2023
The Direclors are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial slatements of the Charity
for the year ended 31 March 2023 which are also prepared lo meet the requirements for a Directors, report
and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
The financial statements comply with the Charltles Acl INI) 2022, Companles Act 2006, the Memorandum
and Articles of Association. and 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 Republlc of Ireland IFRS102)18ffectlve 1 January 2019.1
The company Is governed by a M8morandum and Articles of Association dated 31103109. The company
number is Nl 72222 and the regislerd offic8 is 23 Bishr)p Street, DerrylLondonderry. BT48 6PR. The
company is a registered Northern Ireland charity. reference NIC 105568.
Dlrectors and tru8tee8
The directors of the charitable company (the Charlty) ar8 the trusteés for Ihe purpose of Charity Law.
The trustees during the year and at 31 March 2023 were as follows..
Ms Dorothy Hutchinson
Ms Paula Cunningham
Mr Giovanni Doran
Ms Catrina McFeely
Ms Lisa Ar¢hibald
Mr Alan Mcclure
Mrs Tina Falbn
Chalr's report
2022 2023 was a successful year for Youthlife reallslng thelr 8mbllion of service delivery across the
Western Trust with counselling delivered face to face from our Derry City Centre office and outposts active
in Limavady. Omagh and Enniskillen on CAMHS behalf, as well as counselling online and over the phone.
The small staff team have exceeded targets and reached a much higher number and. wider demographic of
young people than expected this year and we hop8 to maintain this momentum.
We are especially pleased with the performanc@ of the Waypoint and peer menloiing project, providing 8
wide range of training and therap8ulic activity to 250 young people and, producing a theatre performance
tackling the difficult topic of suicide. The proiect has been active in schools and the community offering
advice and SLJPPOrt durlng perlods of Iransition and provldlng a pathway to counselling for those pupils In
need. The person81 and professlonal development of Youthlife's Youth Advi50ry Board continues to ensure
a Youth-led organisalion, by and for young people.
I want to sincerely thank each member of staff and the board for their continuing dedication to Youthlife and
to express how much l appreciate their Input, dedication and support throughout the year.
The board wlsh to thank the staff, counsellors and volunteers for their Continuing support and hard work
during the year.
Thank# also to our funders and supporters who hav• holp•d sustain Youthllf• throughout 2022-2023.
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Youthllfe Llmlled
Trustees. Annual Report
for the Y8ar Ended 31 March 2023
Our purposès and actlvltles
The purpose of the charity is to support children and young people aged 5-25 years who have experienced
bereavement, separation. and loss. Youthlife offer counselling. art, play and music therapies and peer
m8ntor support.
In shaping our oblectives for the year and pl8nnlng our activities, the dSrectors have considered the Charty
Commlsslons guidance on publlc beneflt requirement (PBR1). We 8ndeavour to encourage a wid8 range of
children. young people and their parents and carers to take advantage of our expertise and community
signposting services.
Our Volunteers
The Charity is governed by a Board of Directors who are all volunleefs., The Board of Directors oversee the
fln8ncial affairs and admlnlstrallon and ensure the smooth running of the Chariws affairs in accordance with
legal obligations. funders requirements and ethical standards. Youlhlife promotes Youth-led services and
has been establishing a Youth Advisory Board who are participating in training and projects to reinvigorate
the Youthlrfe space. Our Volunteer Peer Mentors are young people aged 16-25 with lived experience of
bereavement, separalion and loss who undertake OCN quallfications and personal development workshops
in order lo h8lp others. Thanks to Children In Need funding young people who require additional support
upon exiting counselling can avail of Peer Mentor Support.
Thanks to volunteers Jaclnta Bradley and Sean Doherty who volunteered thelr time and expertlse offering
therapeutic support to Children. young people and their families.
Achlevements and perfomiance
Our maln achievement contlnues to be the charities timely and effective response lo all referrals YouthlSfe
received Aprll 22-March 23. During this period we have mainlalned our relationship and contract wlth
WHSCT in relation to providing s8rvlc8s for approximately 44 children and young peoplè In the Northern
sector of the Western Trust and continuing delivery of an additional contract offering services across the
Western Trust reach reaching an additional 100 children and young people.
In addition Youthllfe ar8 pleased io have secured National Loltery Communily Fundin9 to secure
self-referral pathway to our ServI￿S following bereavement; reducing CAMHS waiting list and ensuring
childr8n receive the right support at th8 right time. This project WIIS last 4 years providing 640 ¢ounselling
sessions per year. This has developed and strengthened partnerships across the Children and Adolescent
Mental Health statutory, community and voluntary sectors. Our Virtual Youthlrfe service conlinues to reach
geographically and demographically as many teenagers in particular fe81 more confident attending $8ssions
onlin& or on the phone. Youthlife have an outpost in Limavady and in 2022-23 extended face to face
servlces into Omagh and Ennlskillen.
In this p8riod April 22 March 23 Youthlrfe have engaged 244 children and young people In 1915
counselling sessions including 115 clients1704 sessions) deliv8r8d on CAMHS behaN. In addition,
2SO young people engi1ged through the Waypolnt proleGt.
23 young people engaged in peer mentoring OCN training.
6 families enjoyed a day of equlne therapy together.
27 young people enjoyed confidence building though dance and football.
15 young peop16 leamed healthy eating on a budg8t.
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Youthllfe Llmfted
Trustees. Annual Report
lor thg Year Ended 31 March 2023
Achlevements and perfomiance - contlnued
6 activ8 Youth Advisory Board members.
22 young people from Oakgrove Col￿ge participated in a Transitions programme.
50 young people from Longiower Primary schwl participated in a Transitions prografflme.
More than 100 young people were involved in petsonal development workshops and the production of
Youthlif8's Theatre project and performance 'lf only they knew.,
5 children availed of un-time-limited Art th8rapy148 s6ssionsl through the Looked after Children's services.
Children's courts and Youth JustiC8-, our Art Therapy is highly regarded especially where talking therapies
are not an Opilon or due to trauma or communication dlfficulties.
Youthlife have retalned a skllled team and our reputallon for quallty servlces and meetlng mental health
need continues to grow.
Youlhlrfe performance is measured through SDQS (Strength and difficulties questionnaires} and Youlhlif6
evaluations. The SDQ rèsponses measure improvements over a range of Indlcators including emotional
and physical symptoms and relationships with friends, family and peers. Response indicated Youthlife is an
effective intervention, th8 majority if clients moving from 'abnormal' or 'borderline' Galegory lo 'normal' (SDQ
terminology) levels over the range of indicators, Feedback from parents and clients is hlghly posib've with
noticeable improvement s within the 8-10 week period.
Following 1..1 coun8811ing'.
860/0 of recent participants hav& reported 'yes. counselling has helped me,, 14 /0 sbll f811 unsure.
94°/o agree or strongly agre8 .1 am f881ing more in control of my life.
870/9 agree '1 value and respect myself more.,
889/0 '1 feel I can cope more with everyday life.,
780/0 'my self esteem has increased.,
790/0 '1 have made plans for the future.,
860/0 '1 am managing my relationships better.,
Flnanclal revlew
Fundlng of £111,321 was secured durlng the year and donatlons and fundralslng lotalled £2.000, Dlrocl
costs including wages and programme costs were £130,939. administration overheads were £34,668 and
depreciation of £461 was charged. This resulted in a deficit for the year of £52,747 which was funded from
opening reserves of £120,079. At the year end the Charity had reserves of £67,332.
The Directors were pleased with the results for the year. The unrestricted reserves at the year end were
£9,229.
Re8èrv¢8 pollcy and golng conc•m
Reserve5 are needed lo bridge the gap between the spending and receiving ol income and to cover
unplanned emergency costs. Due to the nature of the activities of the Charity no material unplanned costs
are expected, The major costs are wages. programme costs and rent bul funding isthill be in place to cover
most of these costs. The Directors consider that a satisfactory lev81 of unrestricted reserves to be in the
region of £7,000.
The financial review above shows unfestricted reserves at the year end of £9.229. The Direclofs have
reviewed the circumstances of the Charity and consider that these reserves are adequate lo fund actrvilies
for th8 foreseeable future. The directors are of the view thal the Charity is a going concern.
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Youthllfe Llmltod
Trustees. Annual Report
for the Year Ended 31 March 2023
Plans for future porlods
Youthlife continue to offèr counselling services face to fac8 and rèmotely across Dery and Strabane council
and wider Western Trust area. We will focus on delivering the extended CAMHS conlract for the remainder
of 202312024 and promoting our self.referral pathway and peer mentor support to those most in need.
Youthlife is focused on empowering young people have a train8d and active Youth Advisory Board,. feeding
inlo Board decisions. advising our service5 and increasing the developments of th8 Youthlife community in
centre and online.
Future plans include an increase in 'alternative therapies, including equine therapy, use of art, sport, danc8
and musr lo improve confidence and mental health. And, the reintroduction of our popular WAIN (Where
Am I now?) programme delivered in schools and 'Managing grief workshops offered within the community
following a tragedy or loss.
An outline strategy has been developed and this coming year Youthlrfe board of directors will review again
to create a comprehensive 3 year strategy including an action plan.
Statemant of Trust808' R8sponslbllltlo8
The Charity Trustees (who are also thè directors of thè Youthlife Limited for the purposes of company law)
are responsible for preparing a Trustees, Annual Report and financial stat8ments in accordance with
applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generamy Accepted AGcounting
Practice),
Company law requires the Trust68S to prepar8 financial slat8ments for each finartial year which give a
true and fair view of the stste of affalrs of the charltable company and of the profit or loss of the company for
that year,
In preparing ihese the Trust8es are required to..
select suitabl8 accounting policies and apply them consistently;
make judgements and estimates that ar8 reasonable and prud8nt',
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP-
state whether applicab18 UK accounting standards hav8 b88n followed, subjecl to any malerial departures
disclosed and 8xplalned in the flnandal statements;
prepare the financial ststements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the
company will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping 8dequale accounting records th8t are sufficient lo show and
explain the companls transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position
of the company and enable them 10 8nsure that the financial stat6m8nts comply with the Companies Act
2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding th8 assets of the company and hence for taking
reasonable steps for th8 prevention and detection of fraud and olher Irregularities.
This r8POrt has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15
of the Companies Act 2006.
This report was approved by the Board on 3 November 2023 and slgned on Its behalf by
Dorothy Hutchinson
Chairperson
3 November 2023
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