Xplode Magazine Annual Report 2018-2019

Charity Number: 1155789

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Annual report

Contents 1.

Legal and administrative detail

2. Structure, governance and management 3.

Financial Review

4.

Statement of trustees’ responsibilities

5.

Independent examiner’s report

6. Accounts

2

Story of Change: Tibby, 19

I volunteer because it makes me feel part of a community of people who share the same interests and the same level of aspiration.

It also gives me the motivation to move forward and do bigger and better things.

Without volunteering I would not have been able to do half the things I do today; I never would have thought I could be a part of a magazine for a start!

Not only have I seen a difference in myself but the other people around me who also volunteer, I have seen their visions and ambitions shape into something else.

I was proud when I took my interview to become a part of Xplode and after that every little thing I did as a part of Xplode only made me prouder of myself because I was taking my writing and personal views forward onto a platform I had tried so hard to reach initially.

From writing articles and posting them online, to taking part in the magazines fashion shoots and writing for upcoming releases, I have really loved each and every experience.

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Legal and Administrative Detail KEY PEOPLE

Chair Miss S Malji Vice Chair

Mr E Jankowski

Treasurer Mr K Malji Trustee Mr A Toorawa Trustee Miss L German

REGISTERED OFFICE

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

BANKERS

Chief Executive Officer

Mr S Atcha MBE

Charity Support Executive

Miss C Bennett

Xplode Magazine, Suite 106, Miller House, 47-49 Market Street, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 7NS.

KM Accountants, 1st Floor, Block C, The Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG.

HSBC UK Plc, Victoria Square, Bolton, BL1 1RJ.

4

Structure, governance and management GOVERNING DOCUMENT Xplode Magazine (Bolton) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with the registered number, 1155789. We are governed by a constitution that establishes the objectives and powers of the organisation.

OBJECTIVES As stated in our constitution, Xplode acts as a resource for young people up to the age of 22 by providing advice and assistance and organising programmes of physical, educational and other activities as a means of: a) Advancing in life and helping young people by developing their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals; b) Advancing education; c) Relieving unemployment; d) Providing recreational and leisure time activity in the interests of social welfare for people living in the areas of benefit who have need by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, poverty, or social and economic circumstances with a view to improving the conditions of life of such persons.

We also aim to advance education through the promotion of non-formal educational programmes for and by young people, working with them to develop their full potential.

Details of services and activities delivered during 2018/19 are set out further in this report.

APPOINTMENT OR RENEWAL OF TRUSTEES New Trustees are elected by existing trustees at any point in the year and there are no restrictions on who can be nominated. New Trustees are supported through mentorship and an induction process which includes details of their responsibilities, Charity Commission publications and the governing document. All Trustees are encouraged to meet Xplode’s volunteers and beneficiaries.

All Trustees give their time freely and are reimbursed for out of pocket expenses. Trustees are encouraged to disclose all relevant interests and register them with the CEO and withdraw for decisions where a conflict of interest may arise.

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ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE The Board of Trustees meet at least 4 times per year and are responsible for the governance of the organisation as set out in, but not limited to, the constitution. Decisions on the day to day running of the organisation are taken by the Chief Executive and senior management team.

The Board receives regular reports from the Executive. Decisions and matters with significant implications on the organisation are brought to the Board. These include: • • • • •

Policy Development Organisational Priorities Service Development Risk Identification (management, mitigation and review) Brand and Public Relations Development

RISK MANAGEMENT Xplode Magazine (Bolton) has conducted a review of major risks to which it is exposed and where appropriate, systems and procedures have been established to mitigate these risks.

Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations within premises occupied by the organisation and these are periodically reviewed.

Staff and volunteers are advised of compliance with media law and regulations to minimise any risk with copyright, libel and slander within our magazine.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are carried out for all members of staff, trustees and volunteers who regularly work with children and vulnerable adults, in line with our safeguarding policies.

Targets for the reach and impact of projects are built into delivery plans and are monitored regularly.

A monthly review of financial details, pipelines of income and maintenance of funds allows the organisation to ensure sufficient income to cover expenditure.

The Board of Trustees do not consider any of Xplode’s activities as harmful or detrimental to the public and the risk management process, including all policies and procedures, is kept under regular and close review.

XPLODE’S RESTRUCTURE The Trustees set out their strategic vision during the financial year ending 31 March 2019. As part of this vision, the organisation aims to strengthen and expand its’ work in the coming years. It was agreed that Xplode will re-brand in the 2019-2020 financial year with the following renewed vision:

“A country where youth leads - young people feel listened to, part of their communities and ready to make change through skills development opportunities.”

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Story of Change: Chloe, 18

Volunteering has had a major impact on my life.

It has opened up many opportunities at college and university.

It has also allowed me to gain skills which I’ve been able to put on my CV. I’ve made lots of friends, and I’ve joined in on lots of things like the Bolton Food and Drink Festival and training sessions and I’ve gained so many important life skills from confidence to communication.

My most proud moments as a volunteer has to be when I interviewed celebrity chefs at the Bolton Food and Drink Festival - I felt like a real journalist and important.

Another thing that makes me proud is having my work published in the seasonal magazines.

Seeing my name next to my work, read by so many people, really makes me feel proud of what I’ve done.

7

Priorities, Achievements and Activities SKILLS. POTENTIAL. CHANGE. Xplode Magazine, when established in 2011, was just a magazine - set up by a group of friends aiming to tackle negative stereotypes of young people. Today, Xplode is Greater Manchester’s leading youth-led charity for 12-22 year olds giving them opportunities to develop themselves and their communities.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES SKILLS ENRICHMENT

EMPOWERING POTENTIAL

INFLUENCING CHANGE

Immersing young people into new and challenging environments to develop and learn new skills through seminars, xchange trips, training sessions, work experience and mentorship.

Enabling young people to develop as world-class citizens through increased responsibility, opportunities and recognition. We do this through youth-led projects, co-design and pathways to progress into senior roles.

Influencing decision making across society through elevated youth voice opportunities. We work tirelessly to improve perceptions of young people, challenge decision makers, board representation and regular research.

“

I feel particularly proud of the time when I interviewed Dawn from Working Wardrobe. As an aspiring journalist, this gave me first hand experience of what it takes to create a successful interview and how to turn this into an article afterwards. As somebody not often confident enough to take a firm lead, this developed my confidence and I’m proud that I was capable enough. - Megan, 19

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SKILLS ENRICHMENT The publication, Xplode Magazine, is our vehicle for skills development and youth voice. It is a tool for young people to express themselves, gain experience and support their CVs. Young people involved in the magazine not only write, design or photograph, they lead it, too from the planning to the delivery, young people are at the heart of the magazine.

The in-print magazines cover a variety of topics carefully striking the balance between popular content and ‘life lesson’ content. Music, fashion and entertainment are heavily featured alongside more ‘serious’ pieces covering mental health, employability and crime.

The magazines are distributed to high schools, ASDA Stores, youth centres, libraries and independent shops across Bolton, Bury and Manchester.

Having their work printed and showcased across the region, young people feel believed in, listened to and equipped with motivation and skills for their futures. Not only does the magazine benefit the young people involved in creating it, it benefits the wider readership with its positive ‘life lessons’ content written in a way that young people can relate to and act upon.

The young people who volunteer with the magazine receive regular skills training workshops and ‘industry insight’ sessions where local, regional and national organisations deliver handson workshops offering an insight into their industry. These sessions also offer our young people the opportunity to network with leaders and professionals who they can then contact for work experience and mentorship opportunities.

newspaper 38

volunteers created each magazine

Thumbs-up 20

young people on work experience

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EMPOWERING POTENTIAL We believe in a society where the contributions young people make to their communities are valued, supported and recognised. Young people taking practical action in the service of others is central to their futures - it is linked to social mobility and not only supports the young people involved, but the community around them.

With far too many young people going to jobs for experience and getting turned down for a lack of it, Xplode has been offering opportunities for its’ young people to act as employability champions - once they are trained by industry, they deliver peer-to-peer led workshops in youth settings. The training covers CV’s, interviews, recruitment processes and job searching.

Over the course of the programme, Xplode volunteers have trained over 3,500 young people in a variety of settings from schools and colleges to the National Citizen Service and youth clubs.

In addition to the Employ programme outlined above, 4 times per year, Xplode’s young people design and deliver a short-term high-impact social action project. Working with our crosssector partners, they are creating real change in their communities and developing a whole host of skills from leadership and time management to planning and marketing. The first social action project was inspired by a volunteer who wanted to tackle child illiteracy in Greater Manchester: the team organised a book gifting day, established a partnership with the central library and organised crafts events. In the end, over 300 children had access to a book they owned and had also accessed the library service to start their reading journey.

1466 COMMENTS 12 300+ BUILDING

young people trained in employability skills

young people involved in the design and delivery of Social Action Projects

STAR

Books handed to disadvantaged children

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INFLUENCING CHANGE Xplode is the ‘Official Media Partner’ to the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s Youth Combined Authority. The Youth Combined Authority brings together a diverse group of young people who live, study and work in the region. They are responsible for critiquing, developing and championing policies of the Combined Authority. Xplode’s young people attend regular meetings to have their say and report on the GMYCA’s activities through the magazine and social media channels.

Xplode is committed to developing the next generation of charity leaders through trusteeship opportunities. 18-24 year olds account for less than 0.5% of all charity Trustees. At Xplode, they account for 100% with access to training, mentoring and development opportunities. Xplode has been advising a number of organisations over the past twelve months on their youth voice opportunities.

Xplode’s young people, through multimedia journalism, have influenced a grant programme focussing on hate crime. By interviewing a diverse group of Bolton residents and presenting their findings to Bolton CVS (grant administrators), they were able to change the grant programme to be more reflective of the needs of the population.

Co-design is central to projects that involve young people. Xplode’s volunteers co-designed a mental health grants programme and were involved in the assessment stage to ensure that all of the successful applicants had youth voice embedded within their projects.

newspaper

4.08 BILLION views of press coverage that Xplode has curated over 12 months.

£1.4m Lightbulb

Social Value

11

Story of Change: Clara, 17

Volunteering with Xplode has allowed me to meet new people, benefit my community and spread my message across the local area.

It has really helped me become more confident in both writing and social interaction with others my age, but also older.

I’ve developed my own skills and it makes me feel better about myself at the same time, alongside the benefit it has to others.

My proudest moment as a volunteer was chairing the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s Youth Combined Authority meeting where I led the discussions on important issues such as mental health, history and radicalism, as well as developments Greater Manchester’s ‘Curriculum For Life’.

On top of this, it allowed me to meet influential politicians including The Mayor, Andy Burnham.

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MBE FOR XPLODE FOUNDER

22-Year-Old Saeed Atcha became the youngest recipient of an MBE in Her Majesty The Queen’s New Year’s Honours List, 2019 for Services to Young People and the Community in Greater Manchester. Saeed organised a ‘Thank You’ celebration event after his visit to the Palace to celebrate the Volunteer, Supporters and Staff at Xplode.

Longstanding supporter of Xplode, The Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Mr. Warren Smith attended and said: “This is a special evening.

What Xplode has achieved led entirely by young people is truly remarkable. I challenge all of you in this room to use the skills that you have unlocked to better our communities.”

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Our Supporters

HOW YOU CAN HELP...

We’re always on the lookout for organisations and individuals to support our work through mentoring young people, sponsoring our events and publications, providing venues and other in-kind support such as marketing, professional services and impact measurement.

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Financial Review As per Charity Commission guidance for CIO’s, we have completed a receipts and payments accounts which has been examined independently. The accounts and examination can be found overleaf.

PRINCIPAL FUNDING SOURCES Our principal funding sources are through grant income, donations and the sale of training and media production. In the financial year ending 31 March 2019, the following grant-making organisations generously supported our work: • • • • • • • •

Esmee Fairbairn Foundation Paul Hamlyn Foundation Bolton Council Community Empowerment Fund Garfield Weston Foundation Zochonis Charitable Trust The #iwill fund Hill Dickinson Foundation The Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund

RESERVES POLICY The Board of Trustees’ examination of the charity’s need for reserves concludes that in order to allow the protection of current activities and the meeting of day-to-day responsibilities a sum is needed.

In view of the commitment made to service users, the optimum level of free reserves would be running costs for three months including magazine print. In the event of reserves needed to be used, Xplode can bow out gracefully with a final publication.

Unrestricted funds are showing signs of declination and the charity is actively seeking new sources of income, through income generation in order to continue to provide a broad range of services to meet the needs of young people. In the previous annual report, the Board of Trustees agreed to start generating income by way of the sale of training sessions and multimedia production which has occurred this year. It is the Trustees’ vision for the Executive to further develop Xplode’s fundraising strategy.

The Trustees at this stage consider that £6,500, from unrestricted funds, should be set aside for reserves and wish to increase this to £15,000 in the upcoming financial year to cover three months running costs.

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Statement of trustees’ responsibilities The Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements for each Financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity. In preparing these reports, the Trustees are required to: • • • • •

Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed; Prepare the financial accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate To presume that the charity will continue in business.

The Trustees are also responsible for ensuring that the charity has appropriate systems of internal control across the organisation. They are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy, at the time, the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements follow best practice. They are further 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 systems of internal control are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute reassurance against material misstatement of loss. Internal control processes implemented by the Trustees include: • • • • •

Agreement of policy and service development; An annual budget approved by the Trustees; Regular consideration by the Trustees of financial results; Delegation of authority to appropriate levels of management; Identification and management of risk.

By order of the Trustees dated 14 May 2019

S. Malji

Saimah Malji Chair

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Independent examiner’s report on the accounts I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2019 which are set out on pages 18 and 19.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT As the charity’s Trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. Accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. The accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Mark Heaton FCCA FCIE DChA KM Chartered Accountants 1st Floor, Block C The Wharf Manchester Road Burnley BB11 1JG 14 May 2019

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Receipts and payments accounts Xplode Magazine (Bolton) - 1155789

Receipts and payments accounts

FOR THE PERIOD For 7 APRIL 3131MARCH the period: 2018 07 APRILTO 2018 to MARCH 2019 2019 Receipts and Payments

Unrestricted funds

Restricted funds

to the nearest £

Receipts

-

Grants Advertisement Donations Sales

Sub total Asset and investment sales

Sub total

-

Payments

Accomodation & services Volunteer Management IT & Software Communications & Marketing Magazine Print & Distribution Travel & Subsistence Legal & Governance Stationary & Postage Staff Salaries & Costs

Sub total

to the nearest £

to the nearest £

Total funds

Last year

to the nearest £

to the nearest £

- 779.00 15,015.16 700.00 - - - - 16,494.16

-

74,946.00 - - - - - - - 74,946.00

-

- - - - - - - - - -

----

-

----

-

----

-

--

91,440.16

9,322.61 13,310.46 1,058.47 2,840.85 3,703.00 8,039.88 3,673.45 2,040.16 61,680.21 105,669.09

-

- - - - - - - - - - -

9,322.61 13,310.46 1,058.47 6,840.85 6,345.00 10,039.88 3,673.45 2,040.16 61,680.21 114,311.09

----

-

----

-

Total receipts

Endowment funds

16,494.16

74,946.00

-

- - - -

-

4,000.00 2,642.00 2,000.00 - - - 8,642.00

-

-

74,946.00 779.00 15,015.16 700.00 - - - - 91,440.16 - - - -

-

93,190.00 2,500.00 2,858.00 225.00 - - - - 98,773.00

-

---

98,773.00

11,903.69 12,321.64 3,073.84 8,599.07 2,762.00 4,859.53 17,059.00 363.46 48,297.83 109,240.06

Asset and investment purchases -

----

Total payments -

8,642-

105,669.09

-

--

7,852.16 -12,427.00 12,427.00 7,852.16

-30,723.09 12,427.00 18,472.63 176.54

-

- - - - -

Sub total

Net of receipts/(payments)

Transfers between funds Cash funds last year end

Cash funds this year end

-

-

- - - -

109,240.06

114,311.09

-22,870.93 -

- -

30,899.63 8,028.70

-

-10,467.06 - - -10,467.06

18

Receipts and payments accounts FOR THE PERIOD 7 APRIL 2018 TO 31 MARCH 2019 Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Categories

Cash funds

Unrestricted funds

Details

to nearest £

Bank

(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))

Khalil Malji Treasurer Investment assets 14 May 2019

176.54

-

- -

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

- -

-

176.54

-

7,852.16 OK

Unrestricted funds

OK

Restricted funds

to nearest £

-

- -

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

- -

-

Fund to which Edward Jankowski asset belongs Vice-Chair 14 May 2019 -

Fund to which liability relates

Signature

to neares

13,700.00

Cost (optional) - -

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

The Board of Trustees’ would like to thank law firms Dentons and Cooley for their- pro bono - support which has to a substantial decrease in legal spend this year. We would also like to thank Google, Adobe and The Mill Group for pro bono products and support.

Fund to which The Trustees’ also Cost (optional) Details asset belongs note that travel expenditure has increased due an increased geographical footprint of work.

- Assets retained for theat financial year end.

Debtors stand at £20,400 charity’s own use - -

Signed by one or two trustees on

Endowm funds

-

BRIEF NOTES TO ACCOUNTS

Liabilities

OK

to nearest £

6,700.00

Debtors (Unpaid Invoices)

Details

to neares

-

Details

Details

Endowm funds

to nearest £

7,852.16

Total cash funds

Other monetary assets

Restricted funds

-

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

-

- -

-

- -

-

- -

Print Name

Current va (optiona

-

-

Amount due (optional) - -

Current va (optiona

When du (optiona

19

Date o

Charity Number: 1155789

Xplode Magazine Suite 106, Miller House 47-49 Market Street Farnworth, Bolton BL4 7NS info@xplodemag.co.uk xplode.co.uk