Skilled Nl Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directotrs Report) Year ended 31 March 2023 Thè trustees. who are also the directors for the purpiises of company law, present their report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. Manager's Report 202212023 YRS the first full year of having obtained charitable status for the college. It was also the first full year of having a new company structure moving from two managers on the retirement of John Savage to one Executive Director Beth Ogilvie. A strategic and structural company review took place in November 2022 that resulted in a restructuring of the vmrkforce, job roles and a renewed sense of direction for the company. During a year full of challenges and changes the organization also underwent a significant rebrandin9 proce3s and is now known as Skilled Nl. The Gompany Gontinu¢3 to develop its Moving Forward Strategy, adapting and changing in order for it to compete more effectively. Succession planning and staff change. and development are at the forefront of this strategy and the organization Gontinues to go from strength to strength with new programmes outside yet sympathetic to our core values being developed. Wa continuo to dglivgr Apprentice8hipsNI and Skills for Life and Vvork programme8 through our contracts with The Department for the Economy. We successfully tendered for fijnding from the Communty Foundation under the Mental Health Fund for a Youth Support Worker. The funding is for two years, and the position has proved to be invaluable. The organization continues to deliver a range of vocational skills training. The last year has been challenging financial due to several factors. A new management and student information system (TAMS) was introduced by The Department for the Economy. TAMS is the conduit through which payments are made to the organization in respect of its training contracts and this did not make payments for several months. Consequently. the organization had to dig into its reserves in order to keep the company going. Additionally. the reduction in Apprenticeship numbers has had a negative effect on this year's income. The current management team has assessed these issues and a strategy is now in place that will address. The Trustees have been extremely supportive and have approved a range of capital and revenue investment throughout the financial year. Service users are starting to achieve more qualifications. thus leading to increased output related funding (ORF.) This in tum gives Trustees the confidence to invest in programmes and resources. The end of this year also saw student numbers starting to rise. Despite the ongoing challenges this report details the incredible work and successes achieved by our hard-working dedicated Management and Staff team, who have worked tirelessty to ensure that the company moves forward and that our students are availed of the best and most appropriate training, support, and opportunities. I vrfould like to say a personal thank you to our Management committ and all of those who have supported us through this transitional year. Signature Beth Ogilvie Executive Director Date".
Skilled Nl Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Reference and adrninistrative details Registered charity name Skilled Nl Charity registration number 108364 Company registration number IP 219 Principal office and registered 981102 Donegall Street office Belfast BT12GW The trustees P Donaghy R Gilgunn A Simpson G McAllister J Savage (Appointed 21 June 2022) Company secretary Gary MrAllister Auditor Finegan Gibson Ltd Ghartered accountants a stalLrtory au¢Jitor Causeway Tower 9 James Street South Belfast BT2 8DN Banker5 Danske Bank PO Box 183 Donegall Square West Belfast BT16JS
Skilled Nl Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report {Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Structure. governance and management Skilled Nl is a Training Organisation set up as an Industrial Provident Society and a registered charity and has been operating since 1975 (formally known as Belfast Central Training and before that VSB). We are located in Belfast city centre, and we support young people and adults across Northern Ireland with barriers to employment and leaming. Management Committee/Trustees The management committee of the charitable company Skilled Nl are its trustees for the purposes of charity law. Throughout this report they are collectively referred to as "the management commtttee" The management committee serving from 1 st April 2022 to 31 st MarGh 2023 wer¢ as follows". Paul Donaghy Gary McAllister John Savage Alan Waite Roisin Gilgunn Chairperson (Solicitor) Secretary (Business Owner, Communty Worker) Treasurer (Relired) Committee Member. (Rcty) Committee Member. (Education and Training Inspectorate. Retired} The Executive Director of Skilled Nl is Beth Ogilvte. Govemance Skilled Nl is a registered chartty and Industrial Prowdent Society. The Rules of Skilled Nl (Memorandum and Articles of Association) sets out the organisations, intemal governan strudure. It is the organisation's Goveming document and fully compliant Wtth the Charities Act 2011, the Industrial and Provident Societies (Northem Ireland) Act 1969 and The Industrial and Provident Societies (Northern Ireland) Order 2005. Skilled Nl is govemed by a Management Committee made up of five voluntary members with the relevant skills and expertise to fu11 their responsibiltties as Board Members. The committ meets quarterly and is responsible for the strategic direction and policies of the charrty. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles, the members of the Management Committee are elected to serve for a period of one year. after which they must be re-elected at the next Annual General Meeting. Key designated officers are elected by the Members of the Committee, these roles include: A Chairperson. Vice Chairperson, Company Secretary and Treasurer. The designated officers are elected to seNe for one year, after which re-election for the roles normally takes place at the August monthty meeting. Day-tIHlay responsibility for the provision of ServIS rests with the Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that the charity delivers the services specffied and also has responsibilty for the day-to-day operational and strategic management of the organisation, supervision of the Senior Management Team and Vocational Educators, skills development and good working practice. Responsibilities of the Management Committee The Management Committee is accountable for the work of the organisation. The matters reserved for the Management Committee include the approval of strategy: the budget" the business plan,. the Annual Report and Financial Statements. The Management Commtttee also retains oversight of management controls and corporate govemance, along with the appointment of Management Committee members, the Executive Director and senior staff positsons. All members of the Management Committee give their time voluntsrily and recetve no financial or material beneffts from the charity. Any expenses claimed from the charity are set out in a note to the accounts. Risk Management
Skilled Nl Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) fcontinued) Year ended 31 March 2023 The Management CommFhee recognises the inherent risks in working with disadvantaged young people and in raising funds to pay for ts work. The span of these risks is wide. including health and safety, client safeguarding, programme development and fundraising. The Committee works to mitigate the risks that it takes and aims to deliver safe and effectFve opportunities for people. The Management Committee ensures the organisation manages its risk as effectively as follows".
Skilled Nl Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (continue Year ended 31 March 2023 Objectives and activities Wision We are dedicated to encouraging. educating. and upskilling students, creating meaningful opportunities and a brighter future. Where success is achieved. A place where businesses work in partnership, where people learn collaboratively and work together towards individual goals. Strategic Objectives 1. To provlde quallty occupallonal and employablllty tralnlng to school leavers and young people aged 16-24 in the Greater Belfast area and throughout Northem Ireland. 2. To develop Ihe organisation both through the identified short-tenn business goals and the long-term strategy and vision. 3. To provid¢ cffcctivc Icadership and managcmcnt by communicating clear direction through mission. vision and values. 4. To promote a cutture of accountabilty, responsibility. selF-evaluation, and continuous improvement to encourage and support innovation. 5. Demonstrate commitment and passion for the organisation's goals and engage staff across all levels of the organisation in strategy and planning. 6. Drive perfomiance and outcomes. 7. Deliver value to stakeholders and leamers by fully understanding their requirements and expectations. 8. Bring together the creativty, capability, and innovation of our workforce through continuous professional development. 9. To enhance the organisation's performance by providing learning strategies which exhibit rigor. innovation and ftexibility in meeting the needs of the leamers. employers and the industry. 10. To improve plans. systems and processes which will lead to improved organisational perfomiance and sustainability. 11. To build an effective partnership between parents. learners. employers, stakeholders and the wider communty to fulfil the organisation's mission. 12. Provide equal access to a broad and relevant currtculurn to all with a wide range of enrichment activities to widen the learners, awareness of the industry and raise their career aspirations. 13. To provide a data rich environment using relevant data and statistical analysis to monitor performance. 14. To develop and deliver digital skills across all training areas.
Skilled Nl Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) fwitinued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Principlès and Values We believe in the potential of our young people and adults. We believe in respect, honesty, hard work. support. collaboration and communication as the foundation for all of our work. We believe that all key stakeholders should be invotved in the training joumey. We provide a flexible client<entred holistic approach that is caring and compassionate. We are dedicated to including all sections of the communty, offering equal access to services and support. We believe in the importance of partnership and collaborative working to maximise student benefrt. Skilled Nl charitable purposes." To advance education and vocational training for young people and adults throughout Northern Ireland. The direct benefits from this purpose include school leavers and young people qualified in skills and knowledge that meet local and regional employer needs, or provide the young person with the opportunity to progress onto further education or training. The intended beneficiaries of this purpose are unemployed young people in Greater Belfast and Northem Ireland, including schcK)I leavers and those classed as NEET (Not in Employment. Education or Training) who require support to secure employment or or progross to furthèr oducation. Additionally young adults already in employment who require training and upskilling to enable them to progress within the employment environment and further beneficiaries are local and regional employers with increased recruitment options: and the local communities with reduced levels of anti-social behaviour associated wilh high18vels of unemployment. Skilled Nl Pmgrammes and SeThices To meet these purposes and maximise Public Benefft we provide the following programmes and services from our college site at 98-102 Donegall Street. Belfast. BT12GW. Training for Success, Apprenticeships Nl Skills for Life & Work Apprenticeships21 Strategic report The following sections for achievements and performance and financial review form the strategic report of the charity.
Skilled Nl Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) {contintRd) Year ended 31 MarGh 2023 -Achievements and petformance Training for Success (Tfs.) Skills for Lrfe & Work (SfL&W,) ApprenticeshipsNI (AppsNI) and Apprenticeships21 (APPS21.) Tfs & SfL&W is the Department for the Economy's mainstream programme targeted at young people aged 16 to 17 (up to 24 if coming from a care bad(ground or requiring additional support) to provide them with the skills, confidence and support they need to secure employment. Young people undertaking Tfs at Skilled Nl join the programme at a level appropriate to their ability and are supported to progress accordingly within the programme. get a job upon completion. and ideally take up opponunrties available through APPS21 to sturJy for higher level qualffications whilst they are in employment. This year the organisation worked with on average 20 young people and 170 Apprentices. Throughout the year the students responded well to the training and support on offer and as a result a significant number of qualtfications were attained. 980/0 of completers this year progressed to positive destinations, Employment, Apprenticeships or Furthei Educationrrraining. Of those who left early. 80°h lefL for positive desliiiations. Recruitment onto Apprenticeship programmes has been excellent with 133 Apprentices recruited this year. There has been signfficant development this year in the organis8tion's capacity to deliver qualty provision consistentty across all sector areas offered. A review of Apprenliceship delivery led to changes to the delivery model that now provtdes a sound base from which to grow Apprenticeship provision in the inming year. Financial review 2022123 has been a challenging year for Skilled Nl for a variety of reasons with incoming resources of £760,950 compared to £769.002 in 2021122. At the year end the organisation had reserves of £1.368.361 of which £16.396 was restricted. The organisation remains confident going fOard and optimistic about future opportunities for income generation. We remain committed to making a positive difference to social need through the provision of high quality services. ReseThes Policy Skilled Nl's Reserve Policy outlines the organisation's commitment to establishing and maintaining sufficient levels of reseNes to meet a number of planned and unplanned events. The year end accounts record sums of £16,396 as restricted and £1.351.965 as unrestricted reserves, £11,780 of which can only be realised by disposing of tangible fixed assets. The policy of the organisation is to ensure that in the event of periods of unforeseen difficuty, funding gaps or of the business being wound up. that it would be necessary to maintain key staff to ensure that this was conducted in an orderEy manner and that all legal and contractual obligations were met. Skilled Nl believes that 9 months operational running costs and the provision of stsff redundancy costs is appropriate tsrget level of resenies. Unrestricted resenies. which are realisable without the disposal of tangible fixed assets, currentty held by Skilled Nl are £1,340.702. which is higher than target level.
Skilled Nl Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Plans for future periods Over the incoming year Skilled Nl has identified the following key areas for consolidation andlor fvrther development: Review of current 5 Year Strategic Plan Our senior team will begin to review our current strategic plan throughout Autumn 2023. aiming to have a refreshed and updated plan before the end of the year. Skills training and employability and Investment in new training options Continue recruitment onto the programmes. Skills for Life and Work (SfLW) (Entry Level and Level 1) Apprenticeships21 Introduce Broad based programme to the curriculum. Skilled Nl will continijg. to develop pathways to employment, APprentiShipS and Further Education for young people and adults. These investments have been a direct response to our 5-year Strategic Plan, where the organisation set actions to widen vocational training options and increase Skills for Life and Work intake. Investment in Student Support Serces The company acquired addttional funding for a student support worker in order to meet the demand for support services and the increasing numbers of students presenting to us with mental health and other SOCiOryeconomic issues. Implemented in June 2022. the service is already having a huge and positive effect on those students who require the support. The funding is due to be completed in September 2024. Business Support The company employed a Business Growth Consuant in November 2022 to ensure that marketing and recruitment was being addressed in a manner that was benefrting the company. Thi5 is now being recognized as a vttal role and will be further rolled out in the 2023r24 year. Social Economy initiatives Skilled Nl will continue to explore viable and sustainable business opportunities aligned to the company's principles and values. Capital investment to re-invest in people (core business) ongoing investment in our premises to.. - enhance existing and future service provision. increase revenue potential for future re-investment for communty benefft. Identify further capital investment opportunities. This will require us to continually assess and VIeW our organisational capacity with regard to both human and physical resources and to create and build robust models of collaboratbve and partnership working.
Skilled Nl Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees, Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Trustees. responsibilities statement The trustees. who are also directOTS ft)r the purposes of wmpany law, are responsible for preparing the trustees, report and the financial ststements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the charty trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the incoming resources and appli¢ation of resources. including the income and expenditure. for that period. In preparing these financial statements. the trustees are required to: select suitable accounting policies and then appty them consistently: obgervg the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP. make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent: state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed. subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements., prepare the financial statements on the going concem basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and disclose wtth reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence ft)r taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Auditor Each of the persons who is a trustee at the date of approval of this report confirms that: so far as they are aware. there is no relevant audit information of which the charity's auditor is unaware; and they have taken all steps that they ought to have taken as a twstee to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the ¢harrty's auditor is aware of that information.
Skilled Nl Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees, Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023 The trustees, annual report and the strategic report were approved on August 2023 and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by: Gary McAllister Charity Secretary 10