Extern GROUP

www.extern.org

The Extern Approach

Helping to empower lives and build resilient communities throughout the island of Ireland.

BUILDING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES.

Resilience is about the ability to bounce back from life’s challenges; to recover from adversity and not get overwhelmed. Yet every day we work with people who are in vulnerable and marginalised situations, families and communities facing increasingly complex challenges that they are struggling to manage alone and without access to other services.

We are here to give everyone the support they need to manage and to overcome whatever difficulties they may be facing. We are here to help people and communities regain self-trust and selfbelief and to build the resilience that will see them through whatever life may throw at them in the future.

HELPING TO EMPOWER LIVES. Despair is an appalling condition. It feeds off isolation, it induces inertia, it leads to a dark, sorrowful place. And it blights the lives of so many in our society. Yet no matter what an individual’s situation may be, we are here, reaching out a hand that offers practical, life-changing, empowering support. Clasp it, and we will support you to move forward. Leave it, and we’ll still be here, ready when you are.

Chair’s Message

As Chair of Extern, I continue to be inspired and humbled by the dedication and commitment of my colleagues in helping to address the deep societal needs across the island of Ireland.

CEO’s welcome

As a society, we believe in compassion and helping each other. Compassion is an emotion that promotes meaningful connections and improves health and wellbeing.

We operate in a tough economic environment with ever-increasing pressures on health and social care services. Despite these constraints, Extern’s ability to adapt quickly and respond appropriately has been crucial to meeting the needs of the people we work with and support.

This 2023-2024 report will give you an overview of our activities and achievements across the year. It also contains compelling endorsements from some of those we work with, highlighting how our efforts have helped to change and save lives. I believe this is because Extern is an organisation which puts people at the centre of every decision. Doing so ensures that we maintain the conﬁdence of our service users, our funders and our partners - something which is of the utmost importance to us all.

This year’s report pays homage to a discreet yet vital part of our organisation, our Support Services. Championed as Our Support Engine on Page 29 and 30, the report rightly acknowledges the vital contributions from our colleagues in IT, Human Resources, Data Protection, Learning & Development & Employee Wellbeing, Finance, Audit & Risk, Safeguarding, Communications, Contract Management and Administration. Their skills and expertise act as a ‘Force Multiplier’, dramatically increasing the effectiveness of the Extern Group and ensuring that our frontline teams are best able to deliver our support to those who need it.

Looking ahead, I am conﬁdent that the Extern Group will continue to do what we do best – working tirelessly and with unwavering commitment to support the people who need us the most, at their point of need.

As always, our achievements would not be possible without the generosity of all our funders, stakeholders and partners, our supporters and the incredible dedication of our colleagues who deliver their best work for those we support. Thank you for your extraordinary efforts to build a better society for marginalised people and communities throughout the island of Ireland and supporting our endeavours for further achievements in the years ahead.

Aideen D'Arcy Chair, Extern Group

We will aim to change lives to support a socially just and inclusive society. Our Vision

We will create opportunities and provide supports to enable everyone to meaningfully participate in society.

I believe that ‘kindness’ is equally important, because kindness is the action that translates our good intentions into positive outcomes. And it is kindness that I see being put into action every day, at every level, by my friends and colleagues at Extern. I ﬁnd it deeply inspiring.

The reporting year 2023-2024 saw Extern continue to deliver vital – and in some cases life-saving - support to those across the island of Ireland who are isolated, marginalised or vulnerable. Unfortunately, this year also saw an ever-deepening complexity of needs from people and communities who engage our services. Currently, these include mental health support, substance misuse, physical health issues, criminal justice backgrounds, learning disabilities and family-related challenges including bereavement and homelessness.

In addition, we provide refugee support and Mentoring for Children Looked After. We operate in a very challenging ﬁnancial and resource environment, but I am conﬁdent that Extern has the attitude, character and kindness to continue delivering our life-changing support well into the future. And it’s all down to our exceptional staff.

While kindness is evident throughout Extern, it is particularly prevalent amongst those who deliver our Extern Outreach Support Service (EOSS) in Ireland. The purpose of EOSS is to enable individuals to re-engage with their community, to re-socialise and, ultimately, to lead independent lives. But this takes time and involves making small, patient steps. The very high engagement levels of this service (see Page 23-24) says much about the kindness and patience of our team.

I am delighted to report that in 2023-24 we were successful in achieving a ‘Silver’ standard Investor in People (IIP) award. This internationally respected award is an independent endorsement of how we apply best practice towards our colleagues. Extern is facing challenges and change, so it is imperative that we listen to our people, hear their suggestions and concerns and take action wherever possible.

Finally, I want to thank our Board of Trustees as well as our supporters, partners, funders and donors. Together, they share our values and our commitment to working together to achieve better outcomes for Extern’s service users across the island of Ireland.

Colin Hayburn CEO, Extern

Our Values

Respect

We value the feelings, opinions and rights of our service users, colleagues, and other stakeholders.

Integrity

All our decisions and interactions will be ethical, open, honest, and transparent.

Compassion

We care about our service users and colleagues and will act with empathy in all engagements.

Accountability

We hold ourselves and each other responsible for our decisions and actions.

Professional

We work inclusively with service users, colleagues, and key stakeholders to deliver high quality supports and evidencebased services.

We are Extern Group

We are a charity that works tirelessly across the island of Ireland to tackle pressing social issues and bring help, support and hope to people in vulnerable situations and those who ﬁnd themselves marginalised by society.

We believe in giving people as many chances as they need to transform their lives. No matter how far down the road someone may have gone, wherever there is the slightest hint of openmindedness or the merest spark of willingness, we will always go the extra mile to support that person and bring positive change to their lives.

We do not judge or condemn. Nor are we miracle workers. Our commitment lies in enabling those who approach us to overcome their difficulties; to nurture positive change in their lives and build or re-build family ties for a brighter future together.

So who are we? Well, we are a team of everyday people, drawn from all parts of society, blessed with a generous dose of compassion and kindness; an innate desire to help our fellows and the gift of seeing beyond what is…to what might be.

Some of what we do in Northern Ireland

FAMILY AND YOUTH SUPPORT

Not all young people find it easy to fit within the traditional models of education and training. Some of them need an alternative approach to make a successful start in the world. Find out on Page 27 how our Pathways Project has been providing this opportunity for over 25 years.

SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION AND HOMES

Our housing project, Extern Homes manages a portfolio of ten properties across North and West Belfast, providing essential, affordable housing for people moving out of our hostel care and for

PEER MENTORING

During 2023, we launched an insightful new report highlighting the positive impact that our mentoring approach has on the lives of young people. The summary on Page 25 offers important insights into our mentoring services and the positive impact they have on the young people we support.

JUSTICE SERVICES

On Page 11, you will discover how our Criminal Justice Floating Support programme helps individuals to transition from prison to the community, obtain suitable accommodation and maintain their tenancies, so that they can take up a place in their communities and give back positively.

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

Our Bangor and Belfast Youth Engagement Service (YES) programmes provide safe and inclusive social spaces where young people can access confidential health and well-being services, share experiences, develop friendships and - most importantly - have fun. Find out more on Page 13.

Some of what we do in Ireland

DISABILITY

Our Extern Outreach Support Service (EOSS) supports children, young people and adults with an intellectual disability or autism. The primary purpose of EOSS is to enable these individuals to re-engage with their community, to re-socialise and ultimately, to lead independent lives. See Page 23 for more.

JUSTICE

Extern Ireland Justice Services offer support to young people and families who have become involved with the justice system. Our programmes for young people include early intervention through Garda Youth Diversion Projects and intensive individual intervention via the Janus Justice programme. Discover more about these programmes on Page 12.

FAMILY AND YOUTH

The purpose of our Intensive Home-based Support Service (IHSS) is to keep families together and in their own community. Find out on Page 14 how our key workers help adults in the home become better parents, with more nurturing home environments built on healthy relationships.

MINORITY COMMUNITIES

Extern's Traveller Primary Health Care Programme aims to improve the health outcomes of members of the Traveller Community across counties Cavan and Meath. The report on Page 15 shows how this unit focused on three key areas for ongoing health improvement: Cardiovascular, Diabetes and Mental Health.

Community Crisis Intervention Service (CCIS)

Extern’s Community Crisis Intervention Service (CCIS) in Derry/Londonderry is a community-led initiative which responds to individuals who are in distress and potentially vulnerable to self-harm or suicide.

Rates of suicide in Northern Ireland have increased substantially over the past 20 years, particularly among men.

Derry/Londonderry has a suicide rate that is 38% higher than the rest of the western region of Northern Ireland.

For those in crisis and distress

CCIS is centrally located within Extern’s premises on Spencer Road and is staffed by qualified professionals.

The service is available to anyone of any age experiencing social, emotional or a situational crisis In 2023-2024, CCIS provided 1,188 crisis de-escalations and interventions during out-ofhours periods and weekends.

A real need for this service

Individuals tend to be at their most vulnerable at weekends, when most support services are closed. Our CCIS team meets this gap in weekend support provision and provides a vital lifeline for people in the local community and surrounding areas who find themselves in crisis.

Saving

lives

Our support is ongoing. The CCIS team provide weekly check-ins with service users to ensure they are supported and, if requested, can accompany them to appointments as appropriate. Measures such as these help to reduce the possibility of other suicidal crises occurring. In short, our interventions in the past few years have made a huge impact on the suicide rate and have saved lives.

Working with other Agencies

CCIS works closely alongside local authorities and maintains vital communications with Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Foyle Search & Rescue and Police to ensure the safety of high risk service users. Moreover, by alleviating pressure on these vital services, we enable them to focus on other key areas of their operations, saving them both time and money.

CCIS in action

The following case study exemplifies CCIS’s help in action and the life-changing outcomes that our teams can help to bring about.

Context

Joan (40s) has had numerous interventions with police and ambulance. She has contacted CCIS on many occasions to say she is going to end her life and while actively self-harming. She feels continually lonely, with nothing to live for.

Specific needs

Joan is high risk so the CCIS team must ask a number of questions in order to plan the next course of action. These include establishing if she has self-harmed, has any blades/bleeding and if she is contemplating suicide. The team will also establish what medication she is taking and if she has consumed alcohol or drugs. Our top priority is to keep her safe and validated until the situation de-escalates.

Work undertaken & approach

Joan had been profoundly affected by her father’s passing and possibly may not have dealt with this grief. She lives alone and felt that she has no one to turn too. A safety plan was developed for her to follow when she feels her mood changing at home and she has been encouraged to discuss small achievable goals.

Self-referral & outcome

Joan’s confidence has grown and she is now showing very positive engagement with the CCIS team. When she is beginning to feel that she cannot cope she is able to lift the phone and talk to us.

“I’d never knew this place existed until I was brought here…..I would come back definitely, this would be the first place I would go to.” Crystal, CCIS service user

Helping individuals to reintegrate in Northern Ireland

Our Criminal Justice Floating Support programme is funded by Supporting People. Its purpose is to help individuals transition from prison to the community, obtain suitable accommodation and maintain their tenancies, so that they can take up a place in their communities and give back positively.

Giving the right support

Good Lives Matter

Extern’s interventions are based on the Good Lives Model of Offender Rehabilitation (GLM) which holds human rights at its ethical core. This means we work on the understanding that while offenders have obligations to respect other peoples' entitlements to well-being and freedom, they are also entitled to the same considerations. Each person is allocated a key worker and together they agree a support plan and goals for the intervention. Floating Support services can be delivered for between six months and two years, with an option to reconnect, should a housing crisis occur.

Triage system

We introduced a new ‘triage’ system over 202324 to accommodate the increased demands for our support services and reduce waiting times. It works by identifying each person’s specific requirements and pointing them towards the most appropriate help. This triage approach has worked remarkably well. It has enabled our team to run two lists: an urgent waiting list for someone, who, say, desperately needs a key worker; and a general waiting list, for example someone who needs assistance with their benefits.

Frontline Counselling

Many of the people we help are excluded from mainstream services and struggle to reintegrate into society. Our Frontline Counselling services, funded by St. Martin-in-the-Fields Charity as part of its 'Frontline Fund’, have played a vital part in helping many to gain self-esteem, develop social skills and build emotional resilience. Once acquired, these qualities make it easier for individuals to reintegrate into society and become valued members of their communities.

We secured further funding commitment from St. Martin-in-the-Fields, from January 2024 to December 2024. We are deeply grateful to them for their generous support and thank them for having made our counselling work possible for the past three years.

Support for young people facing the justice system in Ireland

The Extern Janus Justice programme is a flexible, one-to-one support programme for young people aged 12-23 years. Young people are referred to Extern by the Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLO) and the Young Person’s Probation Service.

Each young person is assigned their own Extern case worker who works closely with them. Our goal in providing this individually tailored support is to prevent the young person from going into custody, or their behaviour escalating within the justice system.

Many young people come to us without a positive role model in their life and with little or no idea of the very real opportunities that are available to them. It is remarkable to be part of the process of helping young people to bring about positive changes in their lives and to overcome what they had previously regarded as insurmountable hurdles.

Willingness to change

Damian, 20, was serving an 18-month sentence in Limerick prison for serious drug offences. However, after five months his behaviour was so good that he was able to apply for and obtain release on bail, subject to regular attendance at the Garda Station. He was also referred to Extern for the Janus Justice programme by his Adult Probation Officer.

Damian bonded well with his Extern key worker and showed a keen interest in the programme and willingness to change. His bail release stipulated that he had to show progress in education or employment. Unable to read or write, his key worker helped him to join an adult literacy course and later a computer skills course. He completed these successfully and signed up the next level for both courses. He also attended addiction services and took advantage of the support available.

The Court acknowledged Damian's progress and required him to check in at the Garda station less often. He has since signed up to speak to younger people coming onto the Janus Justice programme and share his experiences so that they can learn from this and avoid following a similar path.

YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICES

Our Criminal Justice Floating Support programme has provided vital assistance to 90 individuals in

People often leave prison with underlying support needs and for some individuals, the period of transition from custody to community can be extremely challenging, particularly if they lack the right support to find somewhere safe to live. Extern’s Criminal Justice Floating Support programme prioritises housing support for exoffenders, irrespective of their offending history. The programme also delivers non-judgemental support to people who have had contact with the Criminal Justice system, as well as those who are at high risk of doing so.

Other achievements this year

We have developed a referral pathway with Extern's Multi-Disciplinary Homeless Support Team. This enables us to provide assistance, support and advocacy to adults and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and have complex additional needs. This initiative has enhanced joint working across Extern projects. Looking ahead, we will continue to offer a highquality service, expand our knowledge base, advocate for the most disadvantaged in our society and work diligently to inform government policies by highlighting need.

COMMISSIONERS:

Government of Ireland and the European Union, the Dormant Accounts Fund

SERVICE USERS SUPPORTED: 203

LOCATIONS:

Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Naas, Athy

HIGHLIGHTS:

This year, Extern’s Bail Supervision Scheme made a powerful difference in the lives of 58 young people. By offering tailored support and supervision, we ensured they had the guidance needed to navigate the legal system and avoid reoffending.

Saying ‘YES’ to our Youth Engagement Service

Our Bangor and Belfast Youth Engagement Service (YES) programmes, run under the Public Health Agency (PHA), have been engaging with young people aged 11-25 since 2016.

Both of our YES projects provide safe and inclusive social spaces where vulnerable young people can access confidential health and well-being services and advice. They can also share experiences, develop friendships and have fun. We work with young people, not for them, moving together towards shared goals. We listen to their opinions and challenge their outlooks. We foster an environment where personal responsibility is seen as a desirable strength and mutual accountability is the norm.

Maintaining a safe space

Our Belfast and Bangor venues provide friendly, comfortable places where vulnerable young people can engage with their peers, make friends and access support when needed. Our YES teams deliver a person-centred approach and every individual is recognised, valued and cared for.

During 2023-2024, over 2,000 young people aged 11-25 years old engaged in social and recreational provision. 49% were male, 51% female.

Most of these (77%) were aged 11-15 years old.

Almost one quarter of those who engaged with us in 2023-2024 were aged 16+ years. This demonstrates the essential need to offer young people over the age of 16 a safe space to grow, learn and socialise.

It’s good to talk

Our aim is to encourage young people to engage with us by building trust-based relationships and offering one-to-one support. This usually means a face-to-face chat, but some young people prefer a more informal approach, such as going for a walk, or sitting in a safe outdoor space. Young people who are particularly anxious may opt for a video or telephone call.

This year, most of the young people who approached us wanted help for mental and emotional issues (62%). Others wanted help around their personal health (12%), social welfare (4%) and practical matters (22%).

Helping families to thrive and grow in Ireland

Our IHSS programme is an Intensive Home-based Support Service lasting 6-9 months. Its primary purpose is to keep families together and in their own community by helping to create more nurturing home environments built on positive, healthy relationships.

Where children are at risk

Our IHSS programme is designed to help the adults in the home to become better parents. Research shows that young people who grow up in care are four times more likely to have poorer long-term outcomes than young people growing up in a family setting. By supporting young people to be maintained or returned to family settings, Extern’s IHSS programme is helping to build long term positive outcomes for them and their families.

How it works

Families are usually referred to Extern by a child protection or child in care social worker. This means that a referral to us is a serious matter and is usually the last step before a child or children face leaving the family home and going into care. The programme is voluntary, so parents will either proceed with us, or withdraw at that point. Our team provides intensive support to parents with up to three meetings every week. Gradually, as the parents work through and resolve their challenges, they become more confident and gain trust in their ability to manage situations in more positive ways, with better outcomes for their children.

navigate life’s challenges.

Monaghan, Louth

HIGHLIGHTS:

In the past year, Extern's Janus programme supported 329 young people, providing tailored interventions and mentorship. The programme helped participants build resilience, develop life skills, and access essential services.

Delivering our Traveller Primary Healthcare Programme

Extern's Traveller Primary Health Care Programme is aimed at improving the health outcomes of members of the Traveller Community across Counties Cavan and Meath.

Extern Ireland’s front line support to the Traveller Community comprises our local Manager and five Traveller Primary Health Care workers. During 20232024 this dedicated unit focused on three key areas for ongoing health improvement: Cardiovascular, Diabetes and Mental Health. The team gave out information on available supports and continued to raise awareness on all other health-related issues relevant to the Traveller Community, particularly mental health awareness.

Traveller Youth Mental Health Conference

In October 2023, Extern and other Traveller organisations in HSE Community Healthcare across Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo hosted a conference in Sligo titled ‘Traveller Youth Mental Health and Education’. Its purpose was to highlight the issues of accessing services and breaking down barriers that many Travellers face, day to day. Many members of the Traveller Community attended this event, with personal

contributions made by young people from the Traveller Community. The conference put a focus on many of the positive initiatives currently taking place in the areas of education and existing support services.

Tea, coffee and chat

Among the new initiatives launched this year was the introduction of informal monthly coffee mornings held in a local café in Cavan town. These have proved very popular and are well supported, with between 10-15 traveller guests attending each month. We have also used them as an opportunity to engage with other service providers by inviting guest speakers to talk about the services they offer to the Traveller community. These included the Suicide Bereavement officer from Pieta house, the Domestic Violence link worker from CTM and the SCAN nurse, who explained how to access the service.

Problem gambling

We are here to help anyone on the island of Ireland who has been impacted by gambling harms - whether their own gambling or that of a loved one.

A growing problem

Problem gambling is hard to measure and often hidden, and while it can be difficult getting an accurate picture of the extent of the issue, it is clearly becoming more widespread. Research suggests that that 1-in-30 adults in Ireland suffers from problem gambling – around 130,000 people. Problem gambling impacts not just on the individual involved but on their family and friends, so its effects can be devastating, both financially and socially.

During the 2023-2024 year, our team provided 978 counselling sessions to 128 individuals whose lives have been harmed by gambling. Most of those using our counselling service are people in active addiction, however we also worked with family members and other concerned persons. In addition we received and responded to 242 helpline contacts via phone calls, emails, text messages.

Erasmus+

This year saw the conclusion of our three-year Erasmus-Plus Programme for Experts by Lived Experience. Working in collaboration with gambling addiction projects in Finland and Norway, we have produced a programme to train people with lived experience of gambling addiction and recovery to provide support to others.

Extern Youth Awareness Programme

The problem gambling rate among teenage boys in Ireland has more than doubled in the last five years. We are working to address this problem through our workshop programme to secondary school pupils across key areas within Ireland. During the year, we engaged with over 6000 students in 68 schools across 19 counties, highlighting the issues of problem gambling and encouraging them to reflect on how they might be impacted, even if they are not aware of it.

1,440 hours of direct contact delivered by our Traveller Healthcare team across Cavan and Meath

PROBLEM GAMBLING

COMMISSIONERS:

LOCATIONS: Co Waterford (covering all of Ireland)

HIGHLIGHTS:

532 hours of counselling delivered; 68 schools visited as part of Youth Gambling Awareness programme

Community Champions: Northern Ireland

Building strong, meaningful connections with disadvantaged communities.

Our Community Champion programme has grown and developed over the past three and a half years. The scheme gained an initial kick-start during the Covid-19 pandemic, when funding secured via the Executive Office enabled Extern to recruit and train Community Champions to work with and enhance the wellbeing of their communities. It has since gained real traction, with over 30 Community Champions engaging with communities across Greater Belfast and Larne/Carrickfergus in 2023-24.

Community Champions are members of local communities who volunteer to promote health and wellbeing and improve conditions within their local community. Champions draw on their own life experience, such as mental health issues, bereavement, substance use, and use their social networks to dissolve barriers to engagement and build strong connections between Extern’s services and disadvantaged communities.

Building a legacy

Our Community Champions are people who are deeply embedded within their community and have real-life experience of the issues they are working to address. Most have grown up locally and are trusted by those in their neighbourhood. Executive funding has enabled us to build a lasting legacy so that our Champions will be equipped to deal with anything that may emerge within their communities in the years ahead. When issues arise, they know how to signpost on to appropriate support; they are able to set boundaries and offer a listening ear or peer support; they have been trained in SafeTALK (for suicide alertness) and can keep themselves physically and emotionally safe.

Champions in action

The three Community Champion-led groups in the Larne/Carrickfergus areas provide much-needed help and support to over 60 people and deliver a wide range of services, such as cold water swimming and men’s groups. Without our Community Champions, Extern could not deliver such a range of services to these communities and individuals. Moreover, because our Champions are trusted by their friends and neighbours, people who might not otherwise have approached us become more willing to ask for help.

Our Community Champions also play vital roles in our Family Support and Suicide Prevention Response Project in the Greater Shankill area.

Giving their time, energy and skills

Our Champions give generously of their time, both towards supporting their various groups and for their own personal upskilling. For example, at Community Champion who wishes to support cold water swimming will undergo water safety and first aid training from Extern, as well as Assist training, SafeTALK and Safeguarding training to help prevent the abuse, neglect and harm of children and vulnerable adults.

Supporting our Champions

As an organisation, we take our responsibilities towards our Community Champions very seriously. This means not only empowering them with the skills they need to fulfil their active day-today roles, but also ensuring that they are able to set clear boundaries and do not go over and above, even though they may want to do so in some situations.

Looking ahead

Our Community Champions play a vital role in breaking down the barriers of isolation and with new, energetic Champions arising from within the support groups already established, we very much hope that this will continue.

Giving our stakeholders a voice

Here’s what our stakeholders say about Extern Ireland.

Our annual stakeholder survey gives us a special insight to how young people, their parents and other professionals view our services and the impact we have had on their lives. Here’s a snapshot of 2023.

HOW OUR YOUNG PEOPLE REGARD US

96%

of young people felt they could trust their Extern Project Worker

94% of young people believed overall things had improved for them since starting with Extern

98% of young people felt included in making plans and decisions with their Extern Project Worker

96% of young people felt their Extern Project Worker supported them to reach their goals

“My key worker is amazing and really helpful.” Young Person, Dublin

96% of young people would recommend Extern to other Young People

96% of parents felt they understood why the young person was on an Extern Programme

97% believed the Extern Project Worker supported the young person to achieve their goals

95% of parents said they were included in making plans and decisions with Extern

96% of parents believed that the young person had a good relationship with their Extern Key Worker

94% of parents would recommend Extern to others

A PROFESSIONAL VIEW

100% of professionals were satisfied with the progress being made towards meeting the objectives set out on the referral form

99% of professionals felt they received sufficient regular feedback from Extern Workers around the young person’s progress

100% of professionals felt comfortable to challenge Extern staff on issues they felt needed addressing in relation to support provided to the young person

100% of professionals felt Extern was responsive and flexible in meeting the needs of the young person/family

100% of professionals would recommend Extern to other professionals

We believe that everyone deserves a home

Our housing project, Extern Homes, was set up as a response to five individuals who sadly lost their lives while sleeping on the streets of Belfast.

Extern Homes has a portfolio of ten properties across North and West Belfast providing essential, affordable housing for people moving out of our hostel care and for those drawing on our wide range of support services.

Taking a step up

Delivering specialised and sustained support to refugees

One of our key achievements in 2023 was to provide our first shared tenancy arrangement with service users from our Refugee Floating Support service. The safety of these tenants is paramount and we shall continue to support them as they establish themselves in the communities in which they now live.

Comfortable, affordable, energy-efficient housing

Extern Homes takes pride in ensuring that all of our properties are of a sound standard and that we are fully aligned with all private rented regulations. This year, with the help of grant funding from ESB, we were able to keep all of our properties ahead of the game by improving their overall energy efficiency to ‘C’ standard. This means our tenants can enjoy warmer homes and reduced energy costs.

Here’s what our tenants say….

Our annual Tenant Survey provides a fair and impartial overview of what our tenants think of our service. This year’s survey, conducted in February 2024, revealed excellent levels of tenant satisfaction. We are pleased to report that 100% of respondents said that they were very satisfied or satisfied with the quality and size of their property, maintenance being carried out on time, the community in which they live, their rent level and that the project listen to and respond to their needs.

“I am so happy with the service. I just wish if Extern can have much more houses for this project. I can’t ask for more, the support, listening, care and quick maintenance are all perfect.”

“Not only do you provide a home for those in need, the advice and genuine interest/care is invaluable. Taking time to visit and talk about practicalities of life for those who struggle and sometimes just an ear to listen is priceless.”

Here’s how it works

Client B was living on the streets of Belfast in a tent when they became engaged with our Street Outreach and Homeless Support Team. Unable to afford the private rented sector and other housing options not being available to them, they moved into an Extern Homes tenancy. This recent comment summarises their experience:

“I would like to thank your organisation for helping us find a home after being on the streets and living in a tent. Declan helped me not only by getting us a lovely home with lovely neighbours, he visits to see how we are doing and gives support/advice and guidance.”

Client B has settled in their tenancy, is working full time and is currently making plans to move on from their Extern home into more permanent accommodation.

The Homelessness Prevention Forum Over the past eight years, Extern has worked in partnership with NIACRO, a voluntary organisation working to reduce crime and its impact on people and communities. Together we chair the Homelessness Prevention Forum which provides a collective voice for housing related support services. A website www.homelessnesspreventionforum.com has been developed to help all stakeholders understand the signs and prevent homelessness.

We were delighted this year to have the Social Care Council (SCC) agree to create its first ‘Homelessness’ page within its e-learning library. Developed by the Homelessness Prevention Forum, the Homelessness training tool can be accessed by all 40,000+ members of the SCC.

HIGHLIGHT: Over the past year, 21 individuals have been supported through Extern Homes, providing them with

Extern’s housing-led model gives our tenants a vital ‘step up’ into their communities. This means they are able to build a sound tenancy history as they adjust to living more independently, but can also call on our support as they meet their obligations as responsible members of their communities.

and

EOSS: supporting individuals to be active independent members of their communities

Extern Outreach Support Service (EOSS) supports children, young people and adults with an intellectual disability or autism and who may find it challenging to integrate into their social, educational or community environments. Its aim is to support them to remain and flourish in their own communities.

Limerick, Galway , Tipperary, Clare

HIGHLIGHTS:

In the past year, Extern's Disability Projects provided essential support to 54 individuals, helping them live more independent and fulfilling lives. Our dedicated team offered personalised care, advocating for their rights, and connecting them with services to meet their unique needs.

Give choice, give power

One of the greatest strengths of EOSS is its voluntary nature. This means that for the young person taking part there is no pressure or coercion. It is entirely their choice whether or not they participate and when you give somebody choice, you give them power over their own lives.

As a result, the service enjoys very high levels of engagement and low cancellations.

Into the community

The primary purpose of EOSS is to enable individuals to re-engage with their community, to re-socialise and, ultimately, to lead independent lives. This takes time and involves making small, steady steps in the form of shopping trips, visits to museums, going to the zoo and to concerts. It means signposting young people towards different support services. And it involves helping them to secure meaningful employment.

Reaching out through OUTREACH

We work mostly with young people and children across counties Tipperary, Clare and Limerick whose primary diagnosis is autism, a condition which often brings high levels of anxiety and a tendency to isolate. We focus very much on OUTREACH to people who cannot physically travel to us, meeting them at home and bringing them out into the community, where possible. This gives them a chance to re-socialise and catalyse some change in their lives. It also gives parents a break.

The year in brief

The reporting period 2023-2024 was a busy year. Our 14 project workers engaged with 54 service users, and delivered almost 14,000 hours of direct contact. The complex nature of the referrals we receive means that we must constantly review our training needs and the skill base of our team. To this end, we completed a bespoke safeguarding training module for our staff to ensure that adult safeguarding is given the priority it deserves. We also undertook an assessment to ensure that our service meets the needs of our client base as effectively as possible. A key component of this has been, and will continue to be, ensuring that the voice of our service users is heard, loud and clear.

The Outreach model in action Tony, a young man of 21, has a diagnosis of OCD and ASD. He left school at 15 due to bullying issues and anxiety. He lives with his parents and two siblings in an isolated cottage, which means he has no peer group and seldom leaves the house. However, Tony is a talented artist and on a one-to-one basis, he is an extremely polite and wellmannered person who offers very engaging company.

Our EOSS case worker began their sessions with Tony almost two years ago and they provide an exemplar of the Outreach model in action. The case worker would collect Tony from home, always allowing time to engage with his parents, and then take him on various excursions to places he wanted to visit, as well as suggesting new locations and activities.

Tony’s OCD compulsions present a huge challenge to him, and mean that he must complete many different rituals each day to ground himself. Yet he always makes a huge effort to be ready for Extern staff and he has responded extremely well to nature walks, forest trails and art therapy, all of which form a part of our engagement with him. This has resulted in Tony making great improvements.

Mentoring for young people that goes Above & Beyond

During 2023, we launched an insightful new report highlighting the positive impact that Extern’s mentoring support has on the lives of young people.

The report,

Above & Beyond , was compiled by Dr Gail Neill and Dr Mark Hammond from the Centre for Youth Research and Dialogue at Ulster University. It is an invaluable resource for our mentoring service; offering important insights into the work we do and the positive impact this has on the young people we support.

Extern and mentoring

Mentoring is an essential skill that Extern’s youth workers draw on as part of their day-to-day work with young people, particularly across our two mentoring-focused projects:

• Moving Forward, Moving On – designed for young people aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), this programme supports them in finding opportunities and gaining qualifications.

• Mentoring (Children Looked After) Project – This community-based programme supports young people aged between 10-17 years who are ‘looked after’ within the care system, helping them to develop skills, improve relationships and maximise their potential.

Research: aims and goals

The primary aim of the research was to develop a theoretical understanding of youth mentoring which would further support and improve our delivery of these vital services to young people living within the care system and/or seeking support with training and employment. Dozens of staff and young people took part across a number of focus group sessions.

A pressing need

Government statistics show that there were around 18,000 young people classed as NEET in Northern Ireland from April to June 2023. Another 3,624 children and young people were in care. These alarming statistics show just how crucial mentoring services are at this time, offering an important level of support to vulnerable young people.

A unique approach

The research makes clear that Extern’s ‘holistic’ approach to mentoring enables us to inhabit a challenging middle ground between attending to the formal goals of our programmes, while also valuing and investing in the informal and relational aspects of mentoring.

What we learned

The research revealed a number of key insights, including:

• Extern has an approach to mentoring which was seen to go ‘above and beyond’ the boundaries of typical mentoring models and remits of their funders.

• This ‘above and beyond’ approach played a crucial part in supporting young people more effectively as it communicated a genuine sense of care and value.

• Extern’s holistic approach to attending to the wider needs of each young person (e.g. food, safety, accommodation etc.) was just as essential in supporting young people as was meeting the official goals of the mentoring programme.

A word of thanks

We would like to thank Dr Gail Neill and Dr Mark Hammond for their excellent work on this report. We appreciate their sensitive and professional approach to working with our young people and staff in gathering the information and presenting it in such an articulate and insightful way.

“We have to deal with issues such as drug addiction, poor mental health and housing problems before we can start progressing the young people into training, education or employment.”

Extern Mentor

Laying a Pathway to success for 25 years

Not everyone finds it easy to fit within the traditional models of education and training. Some of us need an alternative approach to make a successful start in the world. For 25 years, Extern’s groundbreaking Pathways Project has been providing just that.

Over 4,000 qualifications…and counting

Pathways is a Belfast-based alternative Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) programme for young people, aged 14-16, who may be facing difficulties with a conventional school or classroom setting, as well as those at risk of offending, or entering into care or custody. Since its inauguration in 1998, this inspirational project has offered a lifeline to over 750 young people trying to choose their path in life, whether that be further education, training or employment.

A life-changing project

Pathways offers English, Maths and ICT up to GCSE level, along with Prince's Trust education and training. The programme also emphasises personal and social skills through a well-being scheme. Its over-arching purpose is to unlock the potential in every one of our young people and energise their hopes and dreams for their futures.

Our 25-year Celebration

To mark 25 years of the project’s success, a special celebration event was held at Girdwood Hub in North Belfast. The all-day event was attended by hundreds of people, including former pupils of Pathways, as well as their families and friends.

Project Manager Ceri O’Reilly, who has worked with Pathways for over 20 years, said: “So many of our young graduates have gone on to enjoy success in their lives thanks to the support they have been offered through the programme and the hard work and dedication of our wonderful staff team.”

Woodn’t it be nice…

Thanks to a very generous donation, five of our Pathways students were enrolled on a Level 2 occupational studies course in woodwork skills from September 2023 until graduation in June 2024. This course is the equivalent of a GCSE pass grade A-C.

As well as vital work experience and an industryrecognised qualification, this woodwork programme has given our young people the opportunity to build a portfolio of work which will support their career opportunities as they move forward, including the potential to fast track onto an apprenticeship scheme.

And there’s more…

We are an organisation which goes above and beyond to meet the needs of our young people and this is reflected in our ‘Continuum of Care’. This approach allows young people to move seamlessly from one stage of their education to the next, in line with their changing educational needs and aspirations. Through this, we support young people across a range of ages and stages in their lives, from primary school years through to young adulthood.

Pathways in action

“I was expelled from my mainstream school at 14 because of my reaction to bullies. I spent over 18 months out of education and rarely left my house. I started Pathways in September 2023 and although it took some time to get used to the longer days and the amount of classes, I completed all the qualifications on offer and maintained a yearly attendance level of 99%. I was worried about what would happen to me next so my mum approached staff who made an OAR (Over Age Retention) request to the Education Authority on my behalf. Good News …. I got it �� I am now a year 13 (sixth year) in Pathways, I’m taking on more responsibility in a leadership role with my peers. My mental health has improved, my confidence is at an all-time high and my family are delighted that I get to stay somewhere that I love. Pathways’ staff are amazing, nothing is too much trouble, and they really understand where you are coming from without being judgemental. Now all I need is a Year 14!!”

Johnny Year 13 Prefect @ the Pathways Project Belfast

“Pathways is about allowing the individual to grow, to fall in love with education again, to be able to feel successful in their outcomes, and for their families to feel they have an opportunity to see their child shine.”

Caroline Rutherford, Manager, Extern

Acknowledging Extern’s Support Services

Extern’s frontline teams make an incredible impact on the lives of people who come to us for support. But they don’t do it alone.

Our Support Engine

Working away behind the scenes are colleagues with specialist skills in IT, Human Resources, Data Protection, Learning & Development/Employee Wellbeing and Finance. And let’s not forget the staff in Audit & Risk, Safeguarding, Communications, Contract Management and Administration.

Why our Support Services matter

A Force Multiplier is a factor that dramatically increases the effectiveness of a group. Our support service colleagues act as Force Multipliers, which means that by performing their functions effectively and providing the right frontline support, they enhance our overall ability to deliver Extern’s services to those who need them. We face formidable challenges from increasing demand for our services and ever-tightening budgets. Our support services are critical to helping Extern address these difficulties, now and into the future.

Investing in our People

One of the corporate highlights of our 2023-2024 reporting year was the achievement of a Silver Standard Investor in People (IIP) award. We had previously held a Bronze award, so our elevation to a

IIP is not a soft option. It demands a considerable amount of time and the willingness to take a rigorous and honest look at ourselves. An IIP accreditation might give us a slight edge in competitive tenders, but our primary goal in undergoing the IIP process is to gain collective insights into how well everyone in our organisation thinks we are doing and to identify areas where we need to improve.

Into action

Extern’s promotion from Bronze to Silver standard IIP accreditation is a resounding accolade for what we have accomplished to date. Our organisation has always endeavoured to be at the forefront of the charity sector when it comes to looking after our people and we must continue to do so. The 2023-2024 IIP work was invaluable and while it proffered many learnings, there are four priority areas that we will continue to develop:

• Recognising and rewarding people: Extern is nothing without its people and we will continue to review and update pay scales and pay structure subject to affordability.

• Developing Leadership and Management capability: we will ensure that we have clearly defined career paths for staff wanting to become managers and services staff wanting to progress through services.

• Ensuring communication is cascaded effectively: positive messages about individual and team performances, successes and achievements will be shared across the organisation on a regular basis.

• Having the right people at the right time: we will actively advertise all opportunities and benefits internally and externally and proactively promote the organisation as a fulfilling place to work. We will make our recruitment process more applicant friendly and review our recruitment strategy to ensure we attract high quality candidates as cost effectively as possible.

Diversity Inclusion

Extern supports people from many different backgrounds, situations and contexts. We strive to maintain an environment that promotes the principles of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and we are committed to embedding these in our practices, policies and organisational culture. We hold a Bronze Diversity charter mark and maintained this accreditation during 20232024, with the aim of progressing to silver status in the near future.

“There is loyalty to services, people go above and beyond.”

Jonathan Carroll, Director of People and Organisational Development

A Menopause friendly employer

As part of our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Extern supports a menopause friendly work culture where no one need be afraid or embarrassed to talk about this subject and where employees have the confidence to ask for help and support if they need it.

DETAILS

Chair

Aideen D’Arcy (from 23 November 2023)

Allen McCartney (retired 23 November 2023)

Directors

Ian McAvoy

Stephen Leach

Eavann Murphy

Dr Joan Broder (appointed 1 January 2024)

Paul Doran (appointed 1 January 2024)

Stephen O’Boyle (appointed 23 December 2023)

Jim Daly (resigned 23 November 2023)

Company Secretary

Colin Hayburn (from 23 November 2023)

Stephen Leach (until 23 November 2023)

Management Team

Colin Hayburn, CEO

Leslie Ann Scott, COO (from May 2023)

Jonathan Carroll, Director of People and Organisational Development

Pauline Flynn, Director of Finance and Corporate Services

Sharon Hearty, Director of Policy and Development

Deirdre O’Driscoll, Director of Services RoI

Principal Bankers: Bank of Ireland

4-8 High Street, Belfast BT1 2BA

Auditors:

Moore NI

Donegall House, 7 Donegall Square North Belfast BT1 5GB

Company Reg No: NI618684

Principal Solicitors: Worthingtons Solicitors 24-38 Gordon Street, Belfast BT1 2LG

Registered Office

Hydepark House, 3 McKinney Road, Newtownabbey BT36 4PE

EXTERN GROUP BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Allen McCartney

Allen is by profession a Chartered Electrical Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology with degree qualifications in both electrical engineering and corporate leadership. He has had a distinguished career at Director level in Northern Ireland Electricity and Viridian Group and brings a wealth of experience from previous public sector board appointments in the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority the Department for Regional Development, and the Legal Services Agency Norther Ireland. He is a Lay Magistrate and an Assessor for Norther Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency.

Aideen D’Arcy

Having graduated from Queen’s University, Belfast with a BA, Aideen undertook an MSSc in management studies as well as gaining professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Housing and the Irish Council for Social Housing. A dynamic and highly experienced professional with over 30 years’ experience working in social housing at a senior level throughout Ireland, Aideen initiated a number of award-winning housing projects. She has a proven track record of working collaboratively with commissioners and communities to deliver positive change.

Ian McAvoy

Ian lives in Belfast and was educated at MCB and London University. After graduating in economics Ian studied accountancy. After a spell in practice, he became the Finance Director of a leading Irish brand and was promoted to Chief Executive, holding that position for 16 years. He has much expertise in strategic planning, transformation, finance and marketing. Ian was Chair of PlayBoard, Vice Chair of Sport NI, Director of Sport NI, and is presently Vice Chair of Ark Housing. He has a keen interest in rugby and football, initially as a player and now as an administrator, and holds the position of Chairman of Rugby at Queen's University, Belfast. He is married to Lynne with three grown-up children.

Stephen Leach

Stephen, from North Down, is an experienced professional with a background in the Civil Service, specialising in negotiations such as those leading to the Good Friday Agreement. As Chair of the Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Board, he spearheaded significant reforms, including the establishment of the Youth Justice Agency and modernised legislation. His extensive experience also includes roles as a Non-Executive Director for the Health and Social Care Board and service as a Parole Commissioner and Northern Ireland Commissioner on the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Eavann Murphy

Eavann holds degrees in HND Computer Science, Masters in Marketing Management, and ACCA Diploma in Accounting & Finance from the University of Ulster. Currently, Managing Director for the Wholesale Division at eir Group and founding Chair of the eir Group Brand Council. With extensive corporate experience in banking and telecommunications, including roles at Bank of Ireland and Vodafone. Also served on the Board of Governors for Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology. Completed the Institute of Directors Chartered Directors Diploma in 2021

Joan Broder

Joan has over 40 years experience of developing, delivering and managing a range of services for adults, children and parents / carers across the island of Ireland. Upon leaving school, Joan took up a post with the Civil Service in Dublin before completing a degree in Social Administration. Joan subsequently held several positions including residential Social Worker, Director of Supporting Families and interim CEO of a charity. As a self-employed consultant Joan has experience of undertaking reviews, evaluations, tendering expertise, project management as well as acting as chair of the NI Degree in Social Work Partnership for a 5 year period

Paul Doran

Paul brings extensive experience to his role, having served in various capacities within the Probation Service in London and Belfast including Probation Officer, Area Manager, Assistant Director, Deputy Chief Probation Officer and Director of Rehabilitation. In 2018 he took up the role of Director of Rehabilitation with the Department of Justice until his retirement in 2022. Academically, he holds qualifications including an Advance Diploma in Management Practice, Masters in Social Work, Diploma in Social Studies, and Bachelor of Social Science. He was joint founder of the Irish Probation Journal, is a registered social worker and is a Fellow of the Probation Institute

Stephen O’Boyle

Stephen is from Galway and attended NUI Galway where he studied Commerce and went on to become a Fellow Member of Chartered Accountants Ireland having trained with one of the big four Accountancy practices. Since then, he has been living and working in Dublin in the banking sector across multiple roles including Corporate Banking, Credit, Retail Banking, Recovery, Strategy, Governance & Compliance and Mergers & Acquisitions. He is a qualified Financial Advisor and Member of the Institute of Bankers of Ireland. Stephen has several years’ experience in lecturing in Accounting and Economics on a part time basis. Stephen has completed a Masters in Risk Management and Corporate Governance.

Charity Commission No. NIC103226

HMRC Charity No. NI00263

Jim Daly

Jim is from Clonakilty, Co.Cork. He is a qualified teacher ad former school principal who has successfully completed his studies with the Institute of Directors to become a chartered Director. Jim spent 16 years working as a public representative and announced his intention to retire from politics in 2020 while serving as Minister of Mental Health & Older People. Jim has a keen interest in children’s welfare and education and recently completed studies at UCC in Trauma Informed Care. He is currently a non-executive Director of a number of private and not-for-profit boards as well as providing consultancy services to a wide range of businesses, especially in the health area. He is currently the CEO of the Private Hospitals Association.

Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating an Income & Expenditure account) for the Year Ended 31 March, 2024