Together For Better Life Trustees Annual Report-2024-2025 Tablc of Contents Trustccs Annucil RLport 1/4/?0?4- 3113/?0?5........ Seciion Oiie: Organisation Ovcrvieiv . Scction Tiio: ProjLLts,..... l- AdN'ocac)' (2nd IVLII-beiiig: I'hc Robertson Trust:. ................................. -1. IIIoiiiLlI'S Cliib: A-courses:........................................... .......... B- Nlidday CoffcL:............ . .......... ... 4- Povcrti, ,Ind Education:.. 5- ESOL Courses: ... Financial Review: Independent Examiner's Report to Trustees of Together for Better Life....... Section Three: Budget summary 1/4/2024-31/3/2025:. Declaration:. Trustces Anniial Report 114/2()24- 311.112()25 SeLtion One: ()rganisation OTr'erTr'ieiv Togcthcr For BLItLr Lifc (I"rB) Ili￿ eslabli51iLd iii GlasgyoKI on 6 FLbruary ?016 by Sudanese iiidividii.Ils aiid rL'blSlLred a cliarity 011 98 April ?016. 1.he principal foundLr, was a PIID candidaiL in DLI'elopmL'ni Policy and PraLtice ￿'11h 26 )'ears of experience in commuliity dLVLlopnient in Lurope and her hoine country. IiispirLd by researcli she condLlCtcd on hcr ethnic group. she foiiiided TfB to mobili5e communit), resourccs c1nd cnhcince tlie Ivell-being of those SLrved. TFB'S vision is to enipoi¥cr our targ)Lt groiip lo ILad digjiiificd lives in the UK. We priorilise eniploi abilit!. financial indLpciidciice. confidLncc and sclf-esteLin building, and awarLness of opponiiniliLS, 11 Iiile fostLringy social colicsion. Qiiulificd community members deliver our actii'ities, Iiliich also supports tliLir own skill development. OLir programmes inclLide seminars, 'orkshops. training. advocacv, researcli, and sports c2Ctivitics. As a communill'_led organisation. TFB Iises a participatorv approaLh: plc2cing service users at tlaL centre of project planningy. iinplciiientalion: aiid evalualion. Tlie board, coinprising four trusleLS Ivlth diverse qualifica11(￿5 and CLIItLiral e,xperience in botli tlie UK and Iheir hoine countries, meets every, tiio Inontlis. Decisions rLqiiire a 75 % quorum and are made by Inajority vote, V* uli Ilie chair casting a secoiid votL in Ilie eveiit of a tie. Tlie trustees are committed to supporting oiliers. Current trustees are: Name })OSiition Chair Secretary TrL(IsurLr NqLmbcr SLCtion TM'O: Projcct.s TFII runs various projecls that meel Ihe nLcds of Ilie commiinity. Some of Ihcse projects Started in previous I cars, and others are in the current ones. BLloiv is a brief of thcsc projccts. l- Acli ocaci" dind Il'cll-l)cinR: The Gl,Isooiv C.oinmLinily Fiiiid is sui)porliiig tliis projLCt froiii April 2023 to March 2026: coi"ering st,qff, aclivitlLS, aiid oN'Lrhcad cosls. Tlic projcLI aiins to reduLe povL'rty amnnby Ilic tarbiLI group tlirougli indiN idual support, advocacy. aiid aH arciiLSS courses. Tlie firsl aLtii'it)' providLd individual siipport and advocacy. addressing issues from daily lasks to serious concenis like violence againsl Ivoinen and girls. SLlPPOrt was covailable throughout the ￿eek. including evenings andqveekends. We responded proinptly to phone and WhatsApp messages. offering immediate assistance or schediilingi appointmcnts as reqiiired. The manager coordinated responses and appointments Ivith hcrself or the project coordinator. Some matters. such as letter translation. Jury Citation explanations: or employmcnt rcfcrrals. were resolved bN' phone Il'ithout meetings. After initial coiitact. ￿'e accoiiipanied service users to tliird parties, including job centres. housiiig associations. or solicilors. or contiiiued support c2t our office. their Iiome. or onliiie. For urgent cases like domcsiic violLnce, we respond iinmcdiatLly. 2417. If il ￿aS safe, visited clienis ai Iiome. if not. li'e coniacted tliL police. Since January, we have operated rLmotely. meeiingy clients at tlieir Iiomes or in public places as needed. Most tasks, including Iiousing applications, wLre coinpleted online. Diirino the first in-person meeling, clients completed regyistralion and conseni forins after e.xplaiiied our confidentiality policy. We supported 60 cliLnls across 88 cases, cls sonie requirLd Iiclp Ivith miiliiplL iSSUL4i. Fifty cliLnts rLcLivLd face-to-face support. oftLii Ilirough mLiliiplc niLetingys or folloiv-up calls. tIIL rest were assisled online. Mosl casLS iiivoll'ed IIoufiing, social bL'nefil5, eniplo)mcni, aiid I'inlence agclinst IiomLn and girls. Minnr concern%, such as c()nflicts ()r FS()L class infonnation. erc addrcssLd b) ph()IlL. Tlic second aclii iti, dLlivercd a￿ arLllLSS C()urscs on poverty. ith a focu% on fiiel poverty and cncrgi: cflicienc!. We hLld fil'e courses, eacli ￿ lili ti¥() sessions, for tLn participants. 2- TIIL. R()l)Lrl%nii "fru%t: The Robertson Trust lias funded a part_timc I"FB giencral manaocr position for three years. This support strcngiilicned TF B's slriicture. cnabling the mancigcr to lead additional projects, such as ESOL. granimar courses. and Digyital C()Iineclivily. dcspile I lin ited resources. -1. 11 onicn'sj Clul): The Nalional Loiier), ConiniLinilJ Fuiid supported Iliis yrojLct for IlirL'L )'cars. DUL to its success and gyroi% ing dciiiand. fiiiidiiigy has bL'Lll L.xILndcd for an addii ioncll Iliree years, incl udingv the current )'ear. Tl)c girani covcrs stiiff, actiN'ity. and Tii()st ovcrliead cosls. Tlie projeLt dinis to prol idc a IVLlcoiiiing? space INliere N%oiiiL'n cali SPLnd tlieir tiiiie prc)duclivcl! arid Lnjoyably. Its viliiin activities are coursLS and Midday CoffL'e gyatlieringr). A-courses: Each Near. we select themes based on Ilie coiiimunily's Iiecds. Tliis lund fully covercd all course cosis. Our flexible hours. biling)ual lulors. and creLIIL SL'fwicL'S allowed us 10 support IvoinLn ith )'oung children and limited Englisli skills. We also offer mobilL courses c2t venuLS convenienl tor participaiits. Tliis Jear. M e dLlivered si,x cour5cs: each Ivitli four sLssions: tliree focused on digital literacv aiid tlirce 011 chi Id prolLCtion. The child protection courses providcd a valuablc space for woiiicn to discuss relalLd issiiLS, learn hoiv to communicate scnsitive int-orniatioii to Iheir cliildrcn. and teaLlI IIILM self-proicction skills. feedbclck indicated a need tor additional pareiilingp courses. 11- ￿ll(l(la￿. Cnffcc: Tlie second activ'ily. 'Midday C of"Ice,' ol.lirs social gatlierings wlicre wonieii nicct over tca to discuss lopics of Ilicir choice. ollcn with a volLintLer expcrt. Whcn an expert is unavailable, participants Ic,Id Ilieir oivn discussions or activilics. Tliis J'car: wc held fourteen gatherings, inclijdingi tlirLL B13Qs in iiarioiis L ily Ic)Ccl1ions, 1% IIiLlI pro%'idLd opporlunitics for women <2nd cliildrcn lo coiiiicct and ciijo) Ilie oiitdoors. 4- crti an(1 E(IIiL.'Ilinn: This pr()jLCt slartLd tllo NL,Irs ablo. li ￿a5 tIIL firsl projeLI to directly address poverty in our targict group. A part-tiiiic 11 orker as hircd to iiivestigiate povLny ainong Bl