Charity registration number: NIC107497
## The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)
Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 August 2022
Baxterworld Ltd Unit 3 Dargan Industrial Park 60-84 Dargan Crescent Belfast BT3 9JP
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Contents**
|Reference and Administrative Details|1|
|---|---|
|Trustees' Report|2 to 7|
|Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities|8|
|Independent Examiner's Report|9|
|Statement of Financial Activities|10|
|Balance Sheet|11|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|12 to 16|
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Reference and Administrative Details**
**Trustees**
Mr Basil Bayne Mr Edward Collins, Chair of NISCA Conference Committee Ms Margaret Stirrup Mr Pat Jamison, Treasurer Mrs Julie Richardson, Chairperson Ms Rosie Cooper
**Principal Office** 14 Glenburn Park Belfast BT14 6TF **Charity Registration Number** NIC107497 **Independent Examiner** Baxterworld Ltd Unit 3 Dargan Industrial Park 60-84 Dargan Crescent Belfast BT3 9JP
Page 1
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Trustees' Report**
The trustees present the annual report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2022.
## **Objectives and activities**
## _**Objects and aims**_
To support Careers Education in Schools and Regional Colleges.
## _**Public benefit**_
NISCA has operated for a number of years providing a professional support network for careers teachers and guidance professionals across Schools and Colleges in Northern Ireland. Operating primarily through a committee comprising current and former Careers teachers with co-opted input from business and industry as required, NISCA runs two major conferences each year and in addition disseminates relevant up to date information relating to Careers matters and current issues through its website. The aim of the association is to
empower and enable Careers professionals to support pupils / students and their parents as they make informed career decisions at key points of transition.
provide a professional Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance service within their Schools and Colleges to meet the statutory requirement placed on Schools and Colleges by Department for Education and regularly assessed through its ETI Inspection process
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
## **Achievements and performance**
During this period NISCA continued to adapt its activities to the emerging Government changes as the country moved through the various changes in the pandemic. In all matters consideration was given to safety of members and the wider public so committee meetings continued to be held on Zoom until early 2022.
Page 2
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **Events**
As the two annual conferences were a priority for the Committee and its members, a small ‘in person’ conference was held in Nov 2021 with a small number of teachers and organisations attending, in keeping with government restrictions, with sponsorship from Liverpool Hope University. Receiving positive feedback from all participants, it was a very successful ‘first step’ back into a measure of normality. This was followed up by a further conference in May 2022 which moved closer to the pre-pandemic model. Sponsorship was provided by the Scottish Universities Tour of NI with a most encouraging response from teachers and exhibiting organisations.
Following on from this the Committee focused its attention on planning for the Nov 2022 conference.
## **Membership**
Membership remained steady during this period and as the country moved towards post pandemic normality, the Committee sought the membership fee for this year.
## **Committee**
During this period three new members, all serving teachers with strong Careers background and experience, came onto the NISCA committee which has proved invaluable in terms of adding renewed focus.
## **Website**
Work continued to develop the website and associated communications to members.
## **Summary**
In conclusion the period 1 Sept 2021 to 31 Aug 2022 is best characterised as a transition period from the pre pandemic to a slightly different post pandemic period. The NISCA Committee was mindful of moving slowly taking account of the various adjustments occurring in Schools and the impact of these on membership and teachers availability to participate in professional support activities.
Page 3
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Trustees' Report**
Page 4
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Trustees' Report**
Page 5
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **Structure, governance and management**
## _**Nature of governing document**_
The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA) is an unincorporated charity and is govenred by a constitution.
## _**Recruitment and appointment of trustees**_
The charity shall be managed by a committee of Trustees who shall be appointed by election at the Annual General Meeting of the charity. The charity must have a minimum of six Trustees. The charity must appoint officers by election at the Annual General Meeting.
The charity must have a minimum of the following officers :
A Chairperson A Vice Chairperson A Secretary A Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer. A Conference Chairperson
Officers shall remain in post for two years and shall be eligible for re-election at the AGM. A minimum of 50% of the Trustees must be current CEIAG practitioners.
All Trustee posts shall be elected on an annual basis at the AGM. They must retire at the next AGM but may stand for re-election.
All Trustees must be either :
A Full Member of the charity A person who has been co-opted by the Full Member Trustees.
A Trustee may not appoint anyone to act on his/her behalf at a Trustee meeting.
A Trustee must cease to hold office if he or she:
is disqualified from acting as a trustee by virtue of section 86 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (or any statutory re- enactment or modification of that provision);
ceases to be a member of the charity.
in the written opinion, given to other Trustees, of a registered medical practitioner treating that person, has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a charity trustee and may remain so for more than three months.
resigns as a Trustee by notice to the charity.
is absent without the permission of other Trustees from all their meetings held within a period of 6 consecutive months and the other Trustees resolve that his or her office be vacated.
In order to enable them to effectively carry out the work of the charity, the Trustees may co-opt persons, not exceeding four in number, to act as Trustees for one year.
A Trustee mid-term vacancy can be filled by a co-option.
Page 6
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **Financial instruments**
## _**Objectives and policies**_
The charity’s activities expose it to a number of financial risks including credit risk, cash flow risk and liquidity risk. The use of financial derivatives is governed by the charity’s policies approved by the board of trustees, which provide written principles on the use of financial derivatives to manage these risks. The charity does not use derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes.
## _**Cash flow risk**_
The charity’s activities expose it primarily to the financial risks of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. The charity uses foreign exchange forward contracts and interest rate swap contracts to hedge these exposures.
Interest bearing assets and liabilities are held at fixed rate to ensure certainty of cash flows.
## _**Credit risk**_
The charity’s principal financial assets are bank balances and cash, trade and other receivables, and investments. The charity’s credit risk is primarily attributable to its trade receivables. The amounts presented in the balance sheet are net of allowances for doubtful receivables. An allowance for impairment is made where there is an identified loss event which, based on previous experience, is evidence of a reduction in the recoverability of the cash flows.
The credit risk on liquid funds and derivative financial instruments is limited because the counterparties are banks with high credit-ratings assigned by international credit-rating agencies.
The charity has no significant concentration of credit risk, with exposure spread over a large number of counterparties and customers.
## _**Liquidity risk**_
In order to maintain liquidity to ensure that sufficient funds are available for ongoing operations and future developments, the charity uses a mixture of long-term and short-term debt finance. Further details regarding liquidity risk can be found in the Statement of accounting policies in the financial statements.
The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity on 15 June 2023 and signed on its behalf by:
......................................... Mr Pat Jamison Trustee
......................................... Mrs Julie Richardson Trustee
Page 7
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities**
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) and applicable law and regulations.
The law applicable to charities requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material 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 charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (the 2008 Act), the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations, and the provisions of the constitution. The trustees 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.
Approved by the trustees of the charity on 15 June 2023 and signed on its behalf by:
......................................... Mr Pat Jamison Trustee
......................................... Mrs Julie Richardson Trustee
Page 8
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2022 which are set out on pages 10 to 16.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 65(2) of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (the 2008 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 65 of the 2008 Act;
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 65(9)(b) of the 2008 Act; and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner’s report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the next statement.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 63 of the Charities Act 2008; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2008 Act
have not been met; or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
...................................... Catherine McRory FCMA CGMA Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
Unit 3 Dargan Industrial Park 60-84 Dargan Crescent Belfast BT3 9JP
15 June 2023
Page 9
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 August 2022**
|**Note**
**Income and Endowments from:**
Charitable activities
Investment income
3
Total Income
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
Total Expenditure
Net movement in funds
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
6
**Note**
**Income and Endowments from:**
Investment income
3
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
Total Expenditure
Net movement in funds
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
6|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
22,820
3
22,823
(18,765)
(18,765)
4,058
35,565
39,623
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
48
(6,965)
(6,965)
(6,917)
42,482
35,565|**Total**
**2022**
**£**
22,820
3|
|---|---|---|
|||22,823|
|||(18,765)|
|||(18,765)|
|||4,058
35,565|
|||39,623|
|||**Total**
**2021**
**£**
48
(6,965)|
|||(6,965)|
|||(6,917)
42,482|
|||35,565|
All of the charity's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2021 is shown in note 6.
Page 10
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **(Registration number: NIC107497) Balance Sheet as at 31 August 2022**
|**Note**
**Current assets**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Funds of the charity:**
**Unrestricted income funds**
Unrestricted funds
**Total funds**
6|**2022**
**£**
39,623
39,623
39,623|**2021**
**£**
35,565|
|---|---|---|
|||35,565|
|||35,565|
The financial statements on pages 10 to 16 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 15 June 2023 and signed on their behalf by:
......................................... Mr Pat Jamison Trustee
......................................... Mrs Julie Richardson Trustee
Page 11
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2022**
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Statement of compliance**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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 Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008.
## **Basis of preparation**
The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA) meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.
## **Exemption from preparing a cash flow statement**
The charity opted to early adopt Bulletin 1 published on 2 February 2016 and have therefore not included a cash flow statement in these financial statements.
## **Going concern**
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
## **Income and endowments**
## _**Investment income**_
Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due.
## **Expenditure**
All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.
## _**Charitable activities**_
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
## **Support costs**
Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, for example, allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage.
Page 12
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2022**
## **Governance costs**
These include the costs attributable to the charity’s compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, including audit, strategic management and trustees’s meetings and reimbursed expenses.
## **Taxation**
The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.
## **Borrowings**
Interest-bearing borrowings are initially recorded at fair value, net of transaction costs. Interest-bearing borrowings are subsequently carried at amortised cost, with the difference between the proceeds, net of transaction costs, and the amount due on redemption being recognised as a charge to the Statement of Financial Activities over the period of the relevant borrowing.
Interest expense is recognised on the basis of the effective interest method and is included in interest payable and similar charges.
Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the charity has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting date.
## **Fund structure**
Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees's discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.
## **Financial instruments**
## _**Classification**_
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the charity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the charity after deducting all of its liabilities.
Page 13
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2022**
## _**Recognition and measurement**_
All financial assets and liabilities are initially measured at transaction price (including transaction costs), except for those financial assets classified as at fair value through profit or loss, which are initially measured at fair value (which is normally the transaction price excluding transaction costs), unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction. If an arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, the financial asset or financial liability is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are only offset in the statement of financial position when, and only when there exists a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and the charity intends either to settle on a net basis, or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Financial assets are derecognised when and only when a) the contractual rights to the cash flows from the financial asset expire or are settled, b) the charity transfers to another party substantially all of the risks and rewards of ownership of the financial asset, or c) the charity, despite having retained some, but not all, significant risks and rewards of ownership, has transferred control of the asset to another party.
Financial liabilities are derecognised only when the obligation specified in the contract is discharged, cancelled or expires.
## _**Investments**_
Investments in non-convertible preference shares and non-puttable ordinary or preference shares (where shares are publicly traded or their fair value is reliably measurable) are measured at fair value through profit or loss. Where fair value cannot be measured reliably, investments are measured at cost less impairment.
Investments in subsidiaries and associates are measured at cost less impairment. For investments in subsidiaries acquired for consideration including the issue of shares qualifying for merger relief, cost is measured by reference to the nominal value of the shares issued plus fair value of other consideration. Any premium is ignored.
## _**Fair value measurement**_
The best evidence of fair value is a quoted price for an identical asset in an active market. When quoted prices are unavailable, the price of a recent transaction for an identical asset provides evidence of fair value as long as there has not been a significant change in economic circumstances or a significant lapse of time since the transaction took place. If the market is not active and recent transactions of an identical asset on their own are not a good estimate of fair value, the fair value is estimated by using a valuation technique.
## **2 Income from charitable activities**
|Conferences & Membership|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**General**
**£**
22,820|**Total**
**2022**
**£**
22,820|
|---|---|---|
Page 14
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2022**
## **3 Investment income**
|Interest receivable and similar income;
Interest receivable on bank deposits|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**General**
**£**
3|**Total**
**2022**
**£**
3|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
48|
|---|---|---|---|
## **4 Analysis of governance and support costs**
## **Governance costs**
|Allocated support costs|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**General**
**£**
108
108|**Total**
**2022**
**£**
108
108|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
190|
|---|---|---|---|
||||190|
Page 15
## **The Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association (NISCA)**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2022**
## **5 Taxation**
The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.
|**6**
**Funds**
**Balance at 1**
**September**
**2021**
**£**
**Unrestricted funds**
**_General_**
Unrestricted Funds
35,565
**Balance at 1**
**September**
**2020**
**£**
**Unrestricted funds**
**_General_**
Unrestricted Funds
42,482
**7**
**Analysis of net assets between funds**
Current assets
**8**
**Analysis of net funds**
Cash at bank and in hand
Net debt|**Incoming**
**resources**
**£**
22,823
**Incoming**
**resources**
**£**
48
**At 1 September**
**2021**
**£**
35,565
35,565||**Resources**
**expended**
**£**
(18,765)
**Resources**
**expended**
**£**
(6,965)
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**General**
**£**
39,623
**Cash flow**
**£**
4,058
4,058|**Balance at 31**
**August 2022**
**£**
39,623|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**Balance at 31**
**August 2021**
**£**
35,565|
|||||**Total funds**
**£**
39,623|
|||||**At 31 August**
**2022**
**£**
39,623|
|||||39,623|
Page 16