Report of the Management Committee for the year ended 31^st March 2007

Aims

The Wheels Project seeks to engage and educate young people aged 13-19 years old, within a twenty five mile radius of Bristol, who are socially and educationally disadvantaged, and significantly in danger of becoming involved in crime.

Learners are usually classified on the ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEET) register by the Connexions Service and live in the most deprived areas.

It aims to provide programmes as a part of multi agency work which are safe, enjoyable and enable young people to gain a sense of achievement.

We want our learners to feel that they make a positive contribution throughout and feel that they have something positive to offer their community upon completion.

The Indices of Deprivation 2004 were released by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) on 28 April 2004. They are the most comprehensive mapping of deprivation across England and for the first time include data on crime and the living environment, along with enhancements to a number of the other domains.

The Indices are based on the premise that multiple deprivation is made up of the following separate dimensions, or 'domains' of deprivation:-

• Income Deprivation
• Employment Deprivation
• Health Deprivation and Disability
• Education, Skills and Training Deprivation
• Barriers to Housing and Services
• Crime
• Living Environment Deprivation

A summary of the key findings for Bristol, a map of Multiple Deprivation and the full report: ‘Deprivation in Bristol 2004’ are available to download as pdfs below.

‘’These showed that Bristol has some of the worst areas in England adjacent to some of the least deprived. Bristol has more areas in the worst 20% of deprived areas nationally than in the least deprived 20%. 1 in 7 Super Output Areas (SOA) in Bristol are in the worst 10% nationally. Bristol is the only Authority in the South West of England to have SOAs in the worst100 SOAs nationally for each of the domains with the exception of Living Environment and Barriers to Housing Services. The Education , Skills and Training Domain is where Bristol experiences some of the highest levels of deprivation (nationally)….it is particularly concentrated in the social housing areas in south Bristol… lack of attainment among children and young people is more significant in terms of deprivation in Bristol.’’

A hard copy of the full report is available by telephoning 0117 922 3097 (£10) or alternatively click on:-

• Summary of Key Findings for Bristol (pdf, 16 Kb)
• Deprivation in Bristol 2004 report (pdf, 2173 Kb)
• Map of Multiple Deprivation (pdf, 107 Kb)
• Super Output Areas - Briefing Note

We conducted an analysis of the profile provided by our learners and found that:-

95% lived in the poorest areas of their towns or cities and of whom:-

69% of learners lived in Bristol of whom only 17% came from the south; 

83% were male; 

22% were non-white;

35% had parents who were still living together;

30% were taking medication for asthma; 

81% had used illegal drugs;

75% had been suspended from school and 38% excluded;

50% had been to at least 2 different senior schools;

49% admitted to driving a car illegally on the public highways and 62% admitted to driving a stolen motorcycle on the public highways; 

64% had been arrested before joining The Wheels Project.

(Based on 101 completed questionnaires)

 FINANCIAL RESULTS

The net income and resources for the year amounted to £304,278 ( down from £336,297 in previous year).

£289,008 (95% ) of this was restricted funds allocated to specific projects, ( down from £324,214 in previous year ; 97%) .

£15,270 was attributable to general income.

The Wheels Project ltd made a net deficit of £1,325 for the year (£5,280 surplus the previous year).

Total reserves now stand at £138,734 of which £37,014 is restricted and the balance of £101,720 is in General reserves.

The General reserve is kept as a contingency to continue operations for six months in the event of our principle funding (restricted) being removed due to a change in Government policy and replacement funding is not immediately available.

Almost all funding has come from a range of public sector services with relatively small (and shrinking) monies provided by Trusts to support shortfalls. There has been a decreasing trend for Sponsors to grant general or ‘unrestricted’ awards which has significantly reduced our discretion to direct monies towards the poorer funded programmes.

The larger Trusts are now tending to restrict their monies for activities that are non statutory and outside school hours. Statutory funding is very often inadequately resourced to fund our provision and usually requires co financing from other organisations in order to be delivered. Whilst we would encourage full funding from statutory services the reality seems to be that it is a long way off being so. Now that major co funders are withdrawing their support we are facing the threat of either delivering our programmes at a loss or placing more emphasis on delivering our programmes out of school hours: something our learners and staff may react to negatively unless adequate (and more expensive) support mechanisms are put in place.  

The Learning and Skills Council sponsored a new contract in 2006 with Co Financed monies from the European Social Fund through the City of Bristol College: the Education Unlimited programme.

This programme specifically targeted unemployed 16 to 19 year olds not in Education or Training and appeared to provide us with a degree of continuous financial security through a mainstream contract until 31^st December 2006. 

The European monies supporting this contract were in place until 30^th June 2007 so it was something of a shock to learn from the College in the second week of December 2007 that all monies from their contract had been spent and consequently it would be unable to continue the contract to its planned end date. As a direct consequence 4 staff members were made redundant at Christmas in order to retain our sustainability.

This Government-funded programme was high maintenance and made a loss for the second successive year (despite full occupancy) of £14,645 of which £6913 was borne directly by The Wheels Project in Redundancy payments.

The pre 16s programmes made a total surplus during this year of £9,092.

 ADVICE & INFORMATION

The Wheels Project is based at 24 Emery Road, Brislington, Bristol. BS4 5PF in the south east of Bristol and has provided guidance and advice since 1984 in a wide range of issues that include Health, Driving and the law, Training and Employment in the motor vehicle industry.

The Project offers advice to other organisations that are interested in setting up other initiatives and last year produced a ‘Best Practice’ operations manual for setting up and delivering programmes. Copies are available for a small donation.

Our website, www.wheelsproject.org.uk , has been developed and maintained regularly. It offers comprehensive information about our organisation and programmes. It now serves as one of our main marketing tools. Information leaflets and packs have been updated on a regular basis and these are now available in the Connexions Service, Youth Offending Teams, schools, youth organisations, police stations and a variety of other local organisations that work with similar client groups from within the voluntary sector. We have advertised in local Resource databases and Directories and also in pocket guides produced by Connexions, West of England and Bristol City Council. ‘Wheels has been represented at Careers Fairs and at local Network meetings. It is a member of our local Voluntary Sector lead body, VOSCUR, and the Black Development Agency. The Wheels Project has participated in National Surveys commissioned by the Home Office (now Dept. of Justice) and DfES. The Wheels Project serves as a Placement provider for new Police Officers in training with the Avon & Somerset Constabulary.

 ACTIVITIES

All of our programmes are based on site in our professionally equipped mechanical workshop and classrooms.  This year we abandoned making local programme deliveries using our mobile workshop due to lack of bookings. There was a widely held view from User groups that there was greater added value to learners receiving our programmes in a ‘real’ motor vehicle workshop.

Only one group (maximum size 8) attends the Wheels’ Centre at any one time in order to reduce distractions and optimize impact. Supervision levels need to be high and we supply at least 2 supervisors per group.

All pre-16 learners are referred as a single group from one agency such as Schools, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), Youth Inclusion Programmes (YIPs), Youth Offending Teams (YOTs), Social Services, Youth Service and the Constabulary.

 Post-16 groups were generally referred individually through our local Connexions Service but individual enquiries could be made if appropriate. All post-16 referrals were interviewed at the ‘Centre by appointment and franked by the local Connexions Service before starting.

 The programmes are designed to be undertaken in short manageable blocks each over 1 full term. They are intended to be progressive and range from the introductory, motivational programme Kick Start (1 x 2.5 hrs session per week) through a series of 3 more distinct Kick Start Plus programmes, the Community Vehicle (35 sessions over 5 terms) and concluded with the longer, even more intensive vocationally based  Education Unlimited (EUL) programme  specifically aimed at post 16 school leavers; this programme developed close links with local employers and Colleges and provided an excellent opportunity for learners to leave us with either a job or enrolment in Further Education.

At the beginning of this financial year we had the capacity to employ five full time members of staff and four part-time in April 2006, all of whom needed to possess specialist skills in their own areas of responsibility such as vocational supervision, Basic Skills, Employment Management and Administration.

A small number (max 2 this year) of specialist volunteers have also been used to provide additional staff support in training the students.

Additional staffing is hired occasionally to deliver specialist programmes when required (e.g. First Aid, Driving activity).

In 2000/01 we became an approved Oxford Cambridge and RSA (OCR) training centre following the development and accreditation of the OCR’s National Skills Profile in Motor Vehicle Studies and Basic Skills.  This year we again maintained that status through the submission of work we had done in the previous year. This certificated course is available was our Community Vehicle and EUL programmes.

The Wheels Project reviewed the performance of each of its available programmes in 2006 and as a result abandoned its motorcycle trials programme following low take up, poor outputs and outcomes . The Trials bikes were 5 years old and sold to a dealer. The monies have been put into our General reserves. A new programme emerged after Christmas; Kick Start Plus – an introduction to car servicing using vehicles donated by our local Tow Away scheme. The vehicles are used for vocational training purposes only and are scrapped at the end of their usefulness.

 SOME PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

This year we delivered an overall total of 1,579 programme hours

(2005-06 – 1592 hrs: 2004 – 05 – 1,909 hrs: 2003-2004 - 1,364hrs)

to a total of  208 learners  attending all programmes

(2005-06 – 191:   2004 – 05 – 210:   2003-2004 - 180)

There was a total of  21,039 learner hours of received training compared to: -

(20,539 hrs in 2006;   25,455 hrs in  2005 and   16,175 hrs in 2004).

Attendance rates on all programmes (Actual hours versus programmed hours) averaged 82% which was slightly lower than the previous 2 years (both 85%).

Our completion rates for our Pre 16s groups over the last 5 years have averaged 81% with the best performers coming from Schools (91%) and the worst from Youth Offending Teams (70%)

Our performance on the Education Unlimited programme showed improvement since we were inspected by the Adult Learning Inspectorate in 2004:-

            2 out of 3 learners on this programme (47) left for either a full time job or a place in        Further Education. (2004 : 2 out of 5)  

            85% of learners left with at least 1 nationally recognised qualification in motor    vehicle studies or Basic Skills 95% came to us with no qualifications and only Entry level ability in Basic Skills. (2004;  60%)

There have been no reported accidents or incidents again this year which is a testament to  our policies, procedures and, above all, the care taken by our staff to ensure the safety and welfare of  the learners and themselves.

COMMUNITY WORK

The Project is represented on some local community groups to support the developement of Third Sector provision. 

The Project works closely with the Local Education Authority to develop strategies and programmes for educationally excluded young people who are at high risk non- achievement or going on to commit crime.

In the year 2000/01 The Wheels Project introduced the one year Accredited Community Vehicle Programme and this year we again ran two more programmes with vehicles being gifted to registered charities based in North Somerset (Crossroads Young Carers) and London (Spitalfields City Farm). This programme helps young people identify a suitable donor group to gift a vehicle which they renovate.

FUTURE STRATEGY

We continue to receive support from charitable trusts but have experienced a decline in the level of support received for General Expenditure. Our bids to the larger charitable trusts provide a vital subsidy for all of our programmes and we need to maintain sufficient flexibility to satisfy each Trust’s awards criteria. Consequently, we will need to remain vigilant keeping abreast of their strategic thinking through the continued support of a professional fund raiser.

We increased our efforts to identify new sources of funding one of which proved to be the Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF) a 2 year pilot Government pilot which ends in March next year. We recommend it continues as it has shown to fit our learner’s needs effectively. It specifically targets disaffected and disadvantaged young people aged 13 to 19 years old. There will undoubtedly be more applicants for these funds as this source becomes widely known and we will need to help maintain the high quality applications made so far.

 In 2007/08 we have scaled down our provision to match our reduced capacity. We have  already secured funding of £140,000 but still need to find a further £100,000 to balance our budget forecast. Our General Reserves at the end of this financial year just cover the projected shortfall which at least ensures our delivery for another year but we need really to increase these reserves by another £20,000 if we are to provide at least 6 months of operations independent of sponsorship.

Our pre-16’s programmes netted a surplus again in restricted monies during 2006 – 07 and we intend to use these monies to subsidise any financial shortfalls from user groups unable to meet the full costs of programmes attracting appropriate restricted funding. We shall be looking to each school, PRU or Youth Offending Team to pay at least 80% of the full costs for each Kick Start and 55% of the Community Vehicle programmes.

We shall maintain our positive links with our local Connexions Service which will continue to offer financial support for a range of initiatives it has developed for Year 10 and 11 pupils who are either close to or have been excluded. It continues to place a high priority on its work with teenagers in the NEET group.

We shall investigate potential links with central government training agencies and employers where we can target a more secure, long term funding base and provide improved employment opportunities for our students.

The Charity will continue its search to increase the membership of its Board both in size and diversity.

FREE RESERVES

The Management Committee has established a policy whereby the unrestricted funds not invested in tangible fixed assets (the free reserves) held by the charity should be between three and six months of the resources expended which equates to between £60,000 and £120,000.  At this level the Management Committee believes it can continue the current activities of the charity in the event of a significant drop in funding.  It would obviously be necessary to consider how the funding would be replaced or activities changed.  At present the free reserves amount to £101,720

INVESTMENT POLICY

The Management Committee considers the best way of investing funds is through a building society account as this represents a relatively safe, stable and predictable form of investment.

RISK REVIEW

The Management Committee meet quarterly to review the financial information available and maintains a regular overview of the major risks to which it is exposed.  The charity has operated since 1979 and was initially set up as the Youth and Community Help Trust.  Its current title was registered in November 1996 with the Charities Commission.  The General Manager has been with the charity since 1984.  Significant changes in funding strategies have led to the development of a strategic plan for the diversification of funding and the range of activities on offer through its programmes.  Internal risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for all transactions and protocols and to ensure consistent quality of delivery for all operational aspects as a charitable company.  These procedures are reviewed regularly to ensure that they will meet the needs of the charity.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Company law requires that the Management Committee prepares financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year.  In preparing those financial statements, the Management Committee should follow best practice and:

·         select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.

·         make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.

·         prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the company will continue on that basis.

The Management Committee is responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 1985.  The Management Committee is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

MEMBERS OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Members of the Management Committee, who are directors for the purpose of company law and trustees for the purpose of charity law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report are ACC Steven Mortimore (Avon and Somerset Constabulary), Mr Nicholas Pritchard (Secretary), Mr Eric Wormald (Treasurer), Mr John Kane and Mr David Glossop.

Members of the charitable company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charitable company in the event of winding up.  The total number of such guarantees at 31 March 2007 was four.

AUDITORS

Elliott Bunker was re-appointed as the charitable company’s auditor during the year and has expressed its willingness to continue in that capacity. www.elliotbunker.co.uk