C.H.A.R.T.E.R. FOR NORTHERN IRELAND Communities Having a Response Towards Economic Regeneration (A company limited by guarantee) Trustees, report (Rncludlng Directors, Report) for the year ended 31 March 2024 The trustees, who are also directors of the charitable company for the purposes ofcompany law, bave pleasure in prcsenting their Trusteeq, Report and the audited Fiiiancial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024. The trustee5 have adopted the provisions ()f Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Stst¢ment of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accDrdan¢c with the Financial Reporting Slandard applicabl¢ in lh¢ UK and Republic of Ircland (FRS 102), effective l January 2019 (Charities SORP 2019 (FRS 102)), in preparing? the tn]stees' report und financial statements of the charitsbl¢ Lompany which are also prepared lo meet the requirements for a dire¢tors' report and a¥coiints for company and charity law purposcs. The Statement of FinanLial Activities (SOFA) shows the gross income from all sources. Chairperson's report I would like to lake the opporti)niry to acknowledge the Staff and Management for their determination, dedi¢ation and commitmeiil Iv oiir organi7.ation. As a voluntary Ex)ard we are aware of ihe Current ditficiilties aroiind the cojnmunity volUnt￿Y sector with reb?ardy lo loiig ILm] sustainability Ot project8 year on year. With that said I would lik¢ to thank our fuiideis who ¢onstiinily siipporr our stal'f and the devcloiimeiil of our orgF¢illi.5atiun by providing lis with the financial support for Loiiimunity progr(iinmes, and iii liirn allow lis to support our Loinniiinity groups and IoLal resid¢nls. Many conLcrns h1£ ve been raiscd rLgdrding hardships I"acing many of our pensioners in our commiiiiities in relation to the latest culslLliaiigpes lo the full Lyrdnis and pension paymenls. Cost of living is a c()nstant woiry for many in our local con)mLiniti¢s. Charter Nl slaft'conliniie lo be in ihc lorctroiil ot"d¢livering support iii inner BLlfast and OIiiLr East Belfast, ensuriiig Ilul those living in high areas of deprivation arc tlie forefTOlIt of our prosrainme% and activities. Tlitg year has geen i¥sues arige within LommunitlC8 rcgarding the cost of living crisis and our Staff worked Llosely with Belfast City Council und l-laiiwood Trust tor t.ood v()iivlierb loi. thu¥c families who Lanie t"oiwllrd f()r %Lipport in th¢ Orrniston C ouncil area. Stuff al80 distribiited lo those tamilies who n¢ed¢d .%'iipport at Christmay through tlie Cash for Kids Project. I woiild like to commend tl)e staff who took part iii these initiatives and tor the many hours that they put iii to ensure that the communities they work in daily, w¢re l.ully supported. I lake this opportunity to Iliank everyone that makey a difl¢r¢nce at Charter Nl eacli day, and look fonvard to next ycar. wheii it i.s hoped Ihal new oppurlunities will arise troni th¢ SF.UPB PcaLL Plus prO￿.a1￿meS. Until then we will continue to support the Managcineiit Cuinmittec, staff and the volunt¢ers that support Ih¢ir Communities daily. The board Lontinue to recognise there is a need to develop gFreater comrnunity leadership and a need for capacity building to hapi)en al a grass roots level, and wc are delighted tlial our staff have now taken up extra training and education prograrnmes to enhance their own knowledge and skills. This Iius resulted in Iwo staff joiningv the Community Development degree in Ulster University. Staff developmenl is very important lor our oi'gaiiisation movingy forward in the future and 18 something that, as cIMirmaii of Charter Nl, I totally support. Alberi Hem'ill (.'.H.A.R. T.E.R.for Norlherii IrelaFid C'hairper,so C.H.A.R.T.E.R. FOR NORTHERN IRELAND Communities Having a Response Towards Economic Regeneration (A company limited by guarantee) Trustees, report (including Directors, Report) for the year ended 31 March 2024 Objectives and Activities Purposes and Objectives C.H.A.ILT.E.R. for Northern IrelAnd (hereinafter Charter Nl) Mission Statement is: To enable, Lquip empower cummunilieA io beii¢fil fi'om social uiid Lcoiiomic r¢gL)iieruliuii. Our Mission Statement recognises that when local community representatives and groups want to develop their cornmunities they need lo be enabled to do so by buildinby their own Capacity. Our choice of words reflects a commitrnent to helping people through providing support that allows them to artiLulate their own needs and sbape their future at local, regional and international levLI. ThL sUPPQrt which Charter NI has provided and Lunlinue¥ io provide is supported by local people with a thiist lo improve themselves and their communities in which they live. It is this with this support that w¢ have the confidence in the strategic direction of Charter NI and which scts us apart from other initiatives. Our supporl mechanisms consist of not just finanLial 8upporl, but support thal is driven by a community development ethos ol. supporting local people to build their Lapacity to regenerate their own areas, through education & training initiatives. The people in our commuiiities are people of ability and aspiration, who need a blend of support to enable them to lift themselves from low-lev¢l Noble categories into thriving, economically active, healthy and developing Communitics which work at a local l¢v¢l with ststiitory agencies. Charlcr Nl's vision as laid out in our Strategic Plan 2023-2026 is to play a leading part in the community regcneration of East Beltast & North Down, lo se¢ il develop into a safe, settled, prosperou% plaLe, Ihat is stable and rcsilient, at ¢ase with itselt" and its neighbours, culturally confidenl tolerant and welcoming to others. The vision will be delivered in the following six strategic areas,. Community and Cultural Confidence. Arts; R¢g¢neralion and RelatAonships' Training; Education, Employm¢nt and Engagem¢nt,' and Resources and R¢S￿ICturIng. The programmes that Charter Nl's operational staff deliver, and will tender for in the tutur¢, all fEt into one or more of these six strategic aims. C.H.A.R.T.E.R. FOR NORTHERN IRELAND Communities Having a Response Towards Economic Regeneration (A company limited by guarantee) Trllstees, report (including Directors, Report) for the year ended 31 March 2024 Achievements and Performance l. Tullycarnet Community RegeneratioD Project StArt date: 1st April 2016 End date: 31 st March 2026 Funded by: Department for Communities Partnership: Charter NI- Lead Aims: To work wtth 13-25 year-old.8 in Tullycarn¢l area. Provide access to programmes on suicide awar¢n¢ss, drug l alcohol awareness and health. Signpost to Charter Nl Tralning programrnes and provide access to volunteering. Support commiinity groups in the area. Establish inforrnation sharing in the comrnunity via a quarterly newsletter and social media. Maintain relationships with IoLal SLhools and other service providers. Objectives aiid TArgels: Buildiiig a confident Community and encouraging local groups and individuals to participate in capacity building activities. Encouraging and facilitating young people to participatc in community relations projects. During thAS period over 40 young people participated in community relations projects. Over 1,000 people parti¢ipated in coinmunity bonding projects. During this period an average of 44 youiig people a week engaged in youth to¢used activities. linprovittg connections between Tully¢&rnet, wider East Belfast and bcyond. Providing opportunities for Tullycarnet to d¢velop links and pdrtncrships wÈth other communities Many people volunteered for community development activities. Building a confident community. Siipporting and encouraging young people and local groups to participate in community development activities and capacity building programmes. Sharing information aboul opportunitie8 and events through the community website and social media. Contributing towai'ds a wide range ot community services and inilialives for and with children, adiilts and senior citizens. Improving educational outcomes for childr¢n and young pcople in the Ncighboiirhood Renewal Area. During the year w¢ provided strategic direction, ffftancial management and governance support to 9 uommunity/ voluntary sector groups. rn partnership with Dundonald Hi8h School we .8et up a GCSE support group with external trainers providing tailored support programm¢s for 40 young people from the Greater Tullycarnet Area. Supporting acccss to eduLationaL and development opportuniti¢s for all sections of the local communiry. 84 young people ben¢fitted directly from the projccL through parttcipaiion within the Charter Youth Grouprrp youth project and othcr initiatives. C.H.A.ILT.E.R. FOR NORTHERN IRELAND Communities Having a Response Towards Economic Regeneration (A company limited by guarantee) Trustees, report (including Directors, Report) for the year ended 31 March 2024 l. Tullycarnet Community Regeneration Project- continued Many young people have benefitted through participation in programmes run by the Tullycarnet Football T¢am, Tullycarnet Boxing Club and The Tullycarnel Dancers. Chai'ter Nl Continues to collaborate with the Education Authority Youth Service and other youth providers on the pr()vision of outr¢aLh youth Services and other progrummes. We are particularly looking fonvard to 2025 as new youth workers have commenced work in th¢ area. W¢ have alre¢1dy started planning for new support progranmi¢5. 2. Diamond Project Start date.. I st April 2016 End date.. 31sl March 2024 Funded by: Belfast City Council Partnership: Charter Nl Lead Outputs: Resident forum (18 residents) A large niimber of residents from the local area infurm¢d about project.%, events and also training, employm¢nt and volui)teeriiig opporlunilies. Tliis will boost Lommiinity confidence and build sclf-esleem of local residents to ¢ngage in coinmunity devclopnieiit opportunitie5 in their immedidte area. Also, the forum will be allending various meetings and training opportunities across ￿st Belfast and Lity wide. l OO+ meetings in total. Community news and infomiation A coinmiinily news sheet will provide information to the community on a quarterly basis. Inforn)aii(In pmvided will be relcvant plione nuinbers, Community events and training opporttinilies. Fivc inlorrnalion leaflets lu be given out to every household in the Diamoiid area {500+homes). Inter-agency resident led meetings (4 meetings per annum) Four interagency meetings with relevant stakeholders on a quarterly basis. These tneetings will involve housing providcr51 police, yoiith and community wvrkers, lo¢al churches and inforitjation group5. The meetings will be based on information sharing aiid bltler joincd up approaches lo tackling specific issu¢s in the local area. Four well attended inter agenLy meetings addi'e&sing specific Issues in the local area. Cross-coinmunily women's and yoiinger people's group (20 women / weekly s¢ssions} The rcsidenls meet wilh Short Strand women's group every Tuesdmy night. During these sessions they have compleied a number of training workshops around women's rights, capacity building, Lommunity d￿clOPMent process¢s and Good Relations PTojects, including arts & crafts. Summer cornmunity festival & bonfLre beacon 200 people attending Community fAmiLy fLm day. Halloween festival Remembrance event 4-day long reflection and remembrance event for 150 people. Christmas children's party Santa's grotto event for 150 young people and their families. Pensioners. Christmas Lunch 45 pensioners receiving a Christmas lunch and a visit from Santa. C.H.A.R.T.E.R. FOR NORTHERN IRELAND Communities Having a Response Towards Economic Regeneration (A company limited by guarantee) Trustees, report (including Directors, Report) for the year ended 31 March 2024 2. Diamond Project- continued Thc Community Regeneration Officer (CRO) has also been on the ground constantly and gained approximately £7,000 of cost-of- living support in partnership with FBCDA and BCC. This provided gas and electricity and door to door support for the vulnerable and ibose who were highly deprived. The CRO is still part of thc East Belfast Coronavirus Conunuiiity Support Group. Objectives: Engage every street in the Diamond project area. Identify issues oll a street by street basis. Recruit new volunteers. Create a saf¢ space for I￿al restdents to discuss and address their issu¢s and solve local problems. Provide programmes and activities for local people to help improve th¢ir health and well-being. EIiLoiirag¢ young people to get involved in the local cornmunity and attend programmes and actlVLties in the con]muiiily hub. Develop OPPL)rtunities for local residents lo ¢ngage with and be part of tlie local community. Pathways Programme Start date: I st April 2016 End date: 3 1st March 2025 ContrJ)cted with: Public Health AgenLy Partnership: Cliarter Nl Lead. Parlncrs.. Allernatives Restorative Justice & East Belfast Mission Aim: Chgrtei. Nl was to provide and bignpost servil¢5 in a cornmuiiily setting where the client group feel at ease and confidentiality is seLur¢d. Charter Nl operales in ali environment crcatcd aiid managed by ex- prisoners and fainily members, so increasing the empathy will) the client group, which in turn reduces the sligmatisation and 4ense of isolation. Through this approach Charter Nl ainis to Improve information for the Llient and service provider and begin to collectively address the iieeds of Ibis clicnt group. Charter Nl aims lo assist througli partnership working with the other groups and organisations involved in this project to help ex-prisoners and their families bc ind¢pendent ai)d lo live a better quality of life, improve health and emottonal well- being for ex-prisoneiB and their famili¢s through counselling aiid aliemat2ve therapics. Objectives: Provid¢ counselling service to ex-prisoner5 and their families. Provide a ran£e of alternative therapie8 to ex-prisoner8 and their families. Raise awareness and inform potential clients about the service. C.H.A.R.T.E.R. FOR NORTHERN IRELAND Communities Having a Response Towards Economic Regeneration (A company limited by guarantee) Trustees, report (including Directors, Report) for the year ended 31 March 2024 3. Pathways Programme continued Target Groups: Young People; Ex-prison¢rs' Sentor citizens- and Unemployed Charter Nl are a k¢y provider of servi¢¢s to ex-prisoners and they have formed a partnership along with the B¢lfast Health and Social Care Trust. East Belfast Alternatives and Easl Belfast Mission. The Pro￿.￿n￿ne provided professional conftdential eommLinity-baqed Lounsellin8 sessions with a wraparound eumplimentary servicc which coinpribes alternative Iherapies helping clients lo enjoy b¢tt¢r health and a more vital life, encouragTing the client to feel Lomfortable and the motivation to utilisc coiinselling services. The project acted as a referral to th¢ Ejelfabt 14ealth and Social Services Trust. The s¢rvice will be delivered in a community setfing thereforc increasing aLLesyibility lu those ex-pri50ners and their famili¢s who may feel stigmatised or have perceptions around accesstng mainstream services or those provided by larger organisalions. The programme way closely monitored to get a b¢ttcr understanding of the key issu¢s for the Llient group, the service providers and the extent of tlie problem. Outputs: Number of people counselled 52. Number of counselling sessions 422. Number of people having alternative therapies 20. Number of th¢rapies 20. 4 infonnation qessions given. 4. Cultural Confidence in Young People Start Dxte: 1st April 2023 End date: 3 Ibt March 2024 Funded By.. TEO Good R¢lalions Partnership: Charter NI - Lead Partner, with Short Strand Partnership Young Peoples. Programme 12-16 year olds who would nol nomially ellgage outside of this programme as this was a cro8S community project between Short Strand and Inner East Belfast. This ensured that there was a fair engagement of15 from CNR backgrounds and 15 from PUL backgrounds. C.H.A.R.T.E.R. FOR NORTHERN IRELAND Communities Having a Response Towards Economic Regeneration (A company limited by guarantee) Trustees, report (including Directors, Report) for the year ended 31 March 2024 4. Cultural Confidence in Young People Continued 30 Young pe()plc reLriiiled l O from PUL backgi-ound and l o froni LNR bdckground in partnership belween Lharl¢r Nl and Short Strand Doyle Youth Club. 2 dcl ivery and planning SLs%ions complLtLd in botli areas (Lord Sireel llnd Shon Strand) lo incrLase tru%( and coiifidLllcL. 12 (3hr) worksl)ops dLI ivLrcd a.% follows.. CulttirL & Divci-sity Biillyin¥ & C'ybLr-biillying' SL'Ltari*. IL