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← Inspiring Young Voices (SCIO)

2025-04-05-accounts

CHARITY NUMBER:SC049417

INSPIRING YOUNG VOICES SCIO

TRUSTEES' REPORT

AND ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5th April 2025

Chartered Certified Accountants 42 Shore Street Nairn IV12 4PX

GJC is a trading style of Gareth Jones Compliance Ltd / Registered in Scotland No. SC498367

INSPIRING YOUNG VOICES SCIO

TRUSTEES' REPORT

AND ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5th April 2025

CONTENTS
Officers & Professional Advisors
Trustees' Report
Independent Examiners Report
Statement of Receipts & Payments
Statement of Balances
Notes to the Accounts		 Pages

1
2-6
7
8
9
10-11

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

INDEX

Inspiring Young Voices SCIO

ACCOUNTS

For the year ended 5th April 2025

TRUSTEES

PRINCIPAL CONTACT ADDRESS

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New Start Highland Offices 9 Carsegate Road North Inverness IV3 8DU

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

Gareth Jones Compliance Ltd 42 Shore Street Nairn IV12 4PX

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER:

SC049417

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

page 1

Charity Number:-SC049417

Inspiring Yong Voices SCIO

Trustees' Report

for the period ended 5th April 2025

The trustees' are pleased to present our report and accounts for Inspiring Young Voices for the period ended 5th April 2025.

Organisation

The charity was registered on 28 June 2019 as Highland Children and Young People's Forum (SCIO) and is constituted as Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) governed by a constitution. On 22 November 2021 the charity changed its name to Inspiring Young Voices (SCIO).

The charity was established to replace Highland Children’s Forum (SC031945). Highland Children’s Forum (SC031945) wound up and passed its assets and liabilities to Highland Children and Young People’s Forum (SCIO) (SC049417) on 28 June 2019.

Appointment and Induction of Trustees

Any person, nominated individual or body who/which wishes to become a Charity Trustee must sign a written application for Charity Trusteeship; and for a corporate body, that application must be signed by an appropriately authorised officer of that body who will remain as the representative of that corporate body until such time as the corporate body informs the Board otherwise. The application will then be considered by the Board at its next Board meeting. The Board may, at its discretion, refuse to admit any person, nominated individual or corporate body, or veto the proposed authorised officer acting as a representative of a corporate body, to Charity Trusteeship.

Objects of the Charity, principal activities of the Charity

The organisation is established for charitable purposes only, and in particular, the objects are: "the advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation","the promotion of equality and diversity","the relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage"

The area within which the organisation shall operate (in this constitution referred to as the ‘Area of Benefit’) shall be The Highlands and the surrounding areas. The organisation shall promote (but not promote exclusively) its activities and delivery operations to people within the ‘Area of Benefit’, defined as "Children or young people”, “People with disabilities or health problems”, “Other defined groups’. These people will be the organisation’s beneficiaries.

Activities

In the course of 2024 - 25, we had a number of staffing changes. The Inclusion Worker role came to an end in October 2024 and our Participation Lead moved on to a different role outwith IYV. Two new roles were created in 24/25. Funding through Inclusion Scotland enabled the appointment of a Communications intern in May 2024. IYV appointed a Sessional Youth Consultation Worker in February 2025. The roles of Chief Officer, Policy Officer and Youth Participation Officer remain unchanged.

Inspiring Young Voices exists to inspire and be inspired by the voices of children and young people in Highland facing challenges in their lives. We seek to ensure that these voices are raised, heard and acted on. We advocate for changes in policy and practice across Highland which support and promote the meaningful participation of children and young people at every level of decision making.

During the 2024 – 25 financial year we have done this in a number of ways through our work in Youth Participation and Policy.

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

page 2

Charity Number:-SC049417

Inspiring Yong Voices SCIO

Trustees' Report - continued for the period ended 5th April 2025

Activities - continued

Youth Participation

Through our Youth Participation work we have continued to support Inspire Highland, our youth-led collective voice for young people (YP) in Highland at risk of harm & facing trauma & adversity in their lives. Our Inspire Highland project, which was established in December 2018 due to an expressed need by YP with disabilities/additional support needs (ASNs) to have their voices heard, is a creative, dynamic youthled project that promotes the rights, participation & inclusion of YP up to the age of 25 (or 26 if care experienced). This work targets those YP most vulnerable in Highland, including those with long term health conditions, disabilities or ASNs, specifically YP: Affected by mental health problems and mental illness; With learning disabilities & communication challenges; Impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES); Young asylum seekers & refugees; & Who live in remote and rural areas of Highland. The approach of this project is rights-based & grounded in trauma-informed practices & principles to ensure that our charity responds in ways that prevent further harm, support recovery, address inequalities & improve the life chances of vulnerable YP in Highland. This work was funded by the final year of our National Lottery Community Fund Scotland New start award. Through this project we continued to support Inspire Highland group members at two monthly in person and online meetings to develop their own youth led projects. We have also delivered Big Day out opportunities for our Inspire Highland young people. This is a chance for the wider group to meet face to face and have a fun day of activities as a thank you for all their hard work and included an afternoon a Halloween celebration, a Christmas celebration and a trip to ‘Singing in the Rain’ at Eden Court. We continue to find new ways to recruit more young people to the Inspire Highland Group.

In 24/25 we have continued the promotion of ‘Angus the Autism Bear’ to raise awareness of autism and neurodiversity. Current work is focusing on finalising our book co-created with our young people, Angus The Bear’s First Day At School. This work is supported by a small grant from the Highland Cross.

A small grant from the Alcohol & Drugs Partnership Local Improvement Fund enabled us to work in partnership with Cromarty Youth Cafe over the summer to deliver wellbeing sessions to over 40 young people, many of whom have been affected by drug and alcohol related harm, as well as traumatic bereavement. These sessions involved yoga, breathing exercises, coping strategies (e.g. for anxiety) and healthy juice and smoothie making. The young people were able to build on these skills each session and began to practice these independently themselves outwith the sessions.

Funding from the Volant Charitable Trust Small Grants Programme, administered by Foundation Scotland enabled us to grow our work with asylum seeking, refugee & resettled young people in Highland. In 24/25 we successfully delivered our Connections project in partnership with Compass Collective and Eden Court. The partnership supported this group of young people within a youth-led theatre participation project. This ran from January 2025 until April 2025 in which time we connected with 34 young people from Cameron Barracks and the wider Highlands, from Inverness to Invergordon, Dingwall and Alness. Our Connections cast performed ‘Happy People’ to an audience of over 150 people at Eden Court’s One Touch Theatre in April. Their performance of the powerful story of Mohammed, who arrived in Scotland and found connection and community on a cricket pitch, received a standing ovation.

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

page 3

Charity Number:-SC049417

Inspiring Yong Voices SCIO

Trustees' Report - continued for the period ended 5th April 2025

Activities - continued

Youth Participation - Continued

During 24/25 IYV developed and started to pilot a new youth-led participation outreach programme, working with C&YP with ASN/disabilities to develop their learning and understanding of working as a team, values, identity, inequality, stigma, discrimination, barriers and enablers to participation, their rights, youth-led participation and social action. Funded by the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, our approach is fun, informal and participative. The programme comprises of up to 8 learning sessions which support the participants to develop youth-led participation and social action projects. IYV staff work with each group over a 3-4 month period (depending on the needs of the group) delivering our learning sessions and supporting them with their projects. We set out to pilot this in 4 different settings; primary school, secondary school, further education and rural youth group setting. We are already delivering this to 22 children in a primary school setting, with a 70% ASN in an area of high deprivation in Inverness, and with a group of 6 Young People with learning disabilities who attend Cantraybridge College. Young people’s voices are at the centre of this programme. Feedback from them is shaping how and what we deliver in each setting. The programme is youth-led, co-designed and co-developed, and therefore centres around issues that are important to the children and young people. The youth-led participation & social action projects allow children and young people to take part in an opportunity that lets them express their voice in a creative way and influence change in their setting or at a local or national level. We have recently secured funding to pilot this in Caithness, in a rural youth group setting, and are seeking funding to pilot in a secondary school setting.

Policy

At a policy level, Inspiring Young Voices has been a strong voice representing the interests of children and young people and the third sector on a wide range of committees and forums. These are attended by the Chief Officer and /or Policy Officer and include the Highland Council/NHS Highland Joint Monitoring Committee, the Children’s Rights and Participation Implementation Group, the Highland Strategic Alliance, Highland Child Protection Committee, the Promise Board and many others.

During 24/25 IYV staff sat on the Boards of Thriving Families, Youth Scotland and Children in Scotland.

Our Policy Officer supported the elected members who have taken on the Children’s Champions role within Highland Council with regular meetings and updates. At a national level they sit on the Scottish Government’s Disabled Children and Young People’s Advisory Group. Our policy work has also included the publication of our latest report on ‘Influencing Youth Mental Health Provision in Highland’ for which we consulted with young people ages 18-26 in Highland on mental health support and services. This work was funded by the Scottish Governments Children and Young Peoples Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund, administered by Highland Council.

In this reporting period, we have continued to worked with young people and partners from the public and third sector to co-create a Children & Young Peoples Participation Strategy and Implementation Plan for the Highland Region.

Throughout 24/25 the wider work of IYV has continued to be supported through funding from our service level agreement with the Highland Council, the People’s Postcode Lottery and from a grant administered by the Corra Foundation.

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

page 4

Charity Number:-SC049417

Inspiring Yong Voices SCIO

Trustees' Report - continued for the period ended 5th April 2025

Future Plans

We will continue to develop our Youth Participation and Policy work in 2025 - 26.

Our Participation Team will work to expand our participation projects including Inspire Highland, increasing the numbers and diversity of young people that we reach across Highland.

At a policy level we will continue to be a strong voice representing the interests of children and young people most vulnerable in Highland, including those with long-term health conditions, disabilities or additional support needs, specifically young people: Affected by mental health problems & mental illness; With learning disabilities & communication challenges; Impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES); Young asylum seekers & refugees; & Who live in remote & rural areas of Highland.

As we move into the implementation stage of the Highland Children and Young People's Participation Strategy, IYV will play a key role in its implementation across Highland.

Collectively we will continue to inspire & be inspired by the voices of children & young people in Highland facing challenges in their lives. We will continue to seek to ensure that these voices are raised, heard & acted on. We will continue to advocate for changes in policy & practice across Highland which support & promote the meaningful participation of children & young people at every level of decision making.

Finances

The net deficit for the year ended 31st March 2025 was £3,902 (2024: £38,544 - surplus), giving unrestricted funds amounting to £82,603 (2024: £60,449) and restricted funds of £22,855 (2024: £48,911) at the year end.

Reserves Policy

The board members have examined the charity’s requirements for reserves in the light of the main risks to the funding of the organisation. Realising that unrestricted reserves are needed to sustain the day to day operations of the charity, the board members consider that the ideal level of reserves should be the equivalent of three months’ operating costs calculated and reviewed annually.

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

page 5

Charity Number:-SC049417

Inspiring Yong Voices SCIO

Trustees' Report - continued for the period ended 5th April 2025

Trustees' Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the accounts comply the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). They 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.

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the accounts in accordance with applicable law and the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).

In preparing these accounts, the Trustees are required to:

Approved by order of the board of trustees and signed on its behalf by:

Dated: 30th September 2025

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

page 6

Charity Number:-SC049417

Inspiring Young Voices SCIO

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Inspiring Young Voices SCIO

I report on the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 5th April 2025, which are set out on pages 8 to 11.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (“the 2005 Act”) and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) (“the 2006 Regulations”). The charity’s trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(d) of the 2006 Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section

(44)(1)(c) of the 2005 Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner’s Statement

My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Regulations. 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 seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

In the course of 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 44(1)(a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Regulations, and

to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Regulations 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.

Gareth Jones Compliance Ltd 3 Wyvis Drive Balloch Inverness IV2 7HP

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Date: 30th September 2025

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

Page 7

Charity Number:-SC049417

Inspiring Young Voices SCIO

Statement of Receipts and Payments For the year ended 5th April 2025

Notes
Receipts
Charitable activities
4
Other Income
Total Receipts
Payments
Charitable activities
6
Independent Examination Fee
Total resources expended
Surplus for year		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Total Funds
Funds
£
Funds
£
2025
£
86,860
38,393
125,253
112
-
112
86,972
38,393
125,365
75,366
53,901
129,267
-
-
-
75,366
53,901
129,267
11,606
(15,508)
(3,902)		 Total Funds
2024
£
164,982
164
165,146
126,602
200
126,802
38,344

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

Page 8

Charity Number:-SC049417

Inspiring Young Voices SCIO

Statement of Balances as at 5th April 2025

Cash Funds
Cash & Bank Balances as at beginning of the year.
Surplus for the year
Total Cash Funds
Other Assets
Technical Equipment Net Book Value
Prepayments
Gift Aid Receivable
Liabilities
PAYE Liabilities
Provision for Independent Examination & Accounts		 05/04/2025
£
109,160
(3,902)
105,258
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 05/04/2024
£
70,816
38,344
109,160
-
-
-		 05/04/2024
£
70,816
38,344
109,160
-
-
-

109,160
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Approval

This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 30th September 2025 and signed on its behalf

Trustee

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

Page 9

Charity Number:-SC049417

Inspiring Young Voices SCIO

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 5th April 2025

1. Accounting Policies

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities. The principal policies which have been used are:

a. Basis of Preparation

The financial statements are prepared under the receipts and payments basis.

b. Income

Income represents voluntary donations and offerings and gift aid recoverable.

c. Allocation of Expenditure

Charitable activities represent the cost incurred in running and upkeep of the charity.

d. Restricted Funds

Monies given for specific expenditure are shown as restricted funds.

2. Allocation of Funds
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
Highland Council SLA
CYP Participation Strategy
HADP
Highland Cross
Inspire Highland
Young Start- TNLCF
YGM-0213
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Inclusion Scotland
Volant Trust
Whole Family Wellbeing
Total Restricted Funds
Total Funds		 Balance at 6
April 2024
£
60,449
Incoming
Resources
£
86,972
Outgoing
Resources
£
(75,366)
Net
Movement
£
11,606
Transfers
£
10,548
Balance at 5
April 2025
£
82,603
-
297
-
297
-
297
14,567
-
(8,637)
(8,637)
(2,000)
3,930
5,000
-
(5,000)
(5,000)
-
-
3,500
-
-
-
-
3,500
22,874
-
(13,470)
(13,470)
(9,404)
-
-
15,000
(15,669)
(669)
669
-
2,970
-
-
-
-
2,970
-
3,000
(3,151)
(151)
151
-
-
5,096
(5,132)
(36)
36
-
-
5,000
(2,842)
2,158
-
2,158
-
10,000
-
10,000
-
10,000
48,911
38,393
(53,901)
(15,508)
(10,548)
22,855
109,360
125,365
(129,267)
(3,902)
-
105,458

3. Payments to Trustees

Under the constitution of the charity remuneration to the trustees is allowed under contract of employment. The following trustees or their close associates were paid under contracts of employment during the year.

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

Page 10

Charity Number:-SC049417

Inspiring Young Voices SCIO

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the year ended 5th April 2025

4. Income From Charitable Activities
Highland Council SLA Funding
Grant Funding (see note 5)
Other Income
TOTAL
5. Grant Income - Organisation
The Highland Council
Peoples Postcode Trust
The Corra Foundation
Inclusion Scotland
Volant Trust
ICS
Scottish Refugee Council
Highland Third Sector
Youth Scotland
Youth Highland
The National Lottery Community Fund
6. Expenditure Charitable Activities
Bank Interest & Charges
Board Costs
Book-Keeping & Professional
CYP Participation Strategy
HR Support
Inspire Highland -Development
Inspire Highland -participation costs
Insurance
IT Software & Support
Memberships
Office Expenses
Payroll Expenditures
Policy Participation
Postages
Property
Staff Costs
Supplies & Services
Telephones , Broadband & Digital
Training & Development
Travel & Subsistence
TOTAL		 Unrestricted
Funds
5th April 2025
Restricted
Funds
Total Funds
48,286
297
48,583
33,000
38,096
71,096
5,574
-
5,574
86,860
38,393
125,253
Unrestricted
Funds
5th April 2025
Restricted
Funds
Total Funds
-
13,000
13,000
25,000
-
25,000
8,000
-
8,000
-
5,096
5,096
-
5,000
5,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
15,000
15,000
33,000
38,096
71,096
Unrestricted
Funds
5th April 2025
Restricted
Funds
Total Funds
59
-
59
-
-
-
2,232
-
2,232
-
-
-
270
-
270
-
-
-
-
-
-
903
-
903
3,086
274
3,360
374
-
374
161
3,097
3,258
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,392
288
2,680
64,173
43,330
107,503
-
4,258
4,258
309
337
646
171
181
352
1,236
2,136
3,372
75,366
53,901
129,267		 5th April 2024
Total Funds
48,286
111,155
5,541
164,982
5th April 2024
Total Funds
54,470
-
8,000
-
-
4,000
14,315
5,000
2,400
2,970
20,000
111,155
5th April 2024
Total Funds
60
289
1,246
5,433
600
5,843
6,225
666
4,489
380
132
480
607
10
2,344
96,135
-
1,430
233
-
126,602

IYV ACCOUNTS for year ended 31 Mar 2025

Page 11