annual review 2016

challenge and change

I would like to open my introduction to this year’s annual review by offering my heartfelt thanks to Kathryn Uche who resigned as Chief Executive after seven years with us. Her contribution to CAYSH – growing the charity substantially and successfully launching a profi table social enterprise all while steering CAYSH through some very choppy waters – was genuinely outstanding. I and all the Trustees are truly grateful to her.

The process to recruit a new Chief Executive started in October 2015 and gave the Trustees the chance to think anew about what was needed to lead CAYSH. An important lesson from the past fi ve years is that constant challenge and change in our sector is now the norm. Our appointment of Ann Tighe as Chief Executive in June, with her background of achievement in high level managerial and entrepreneurial roles in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors, will ensure CAYSH increases its positive impact on the lives of young people in our perpetually changing environment.

2015-16 was full of challenge and change elsewhere too. The expiry of some service delivery contracts reduced the scale of the charity’s operations in the year – most notably for private rented sector access services. We started the year half way through a painful but necessary back-offi ce staffi ng restructure which was completed in October. While we were sad to say goodbye to some good colleagues, this delivered the expected benefi ts in terms of central effi ciencies.

CAYSH Enterprise CIC – our Community Interest Company – focused on consolidation during the year which was an essential step in its development. In all businesses managing growth while maintaining quality is a challenge and this is magnifi ed in the services sector. The CIC generated a signifi cant profi t again for use in the charity’s activities.

Overall CAYSH contracted during 2015-16, but in doing so became more robust and more fi nancially sound. The Board wanted to ensure the organisation was solid and sound before the new Chief Executive took up post and we have done this. Now our mission is to embrace and harness this constant change to ensure we help more young people facing homelessness in south London to enjoy successful futures. To do this we will continue to improve what we do well, move into new areas where we feel we can make a contribution and develop our work force so that we help young people get on and succeed despite the challenges they face.

Bob CookChair of Trustees

I am delighted to introduce CAYSH’s latest Annual Review for 2015-16, my last as Chief Executive. Ann Tighe takes the helm in June and, having gotten to know her pretty well, I am sure CAYSH will continue to thrive and develop in the best possible way for young people facing homelessness.

2015-16 was a year of highs and lows. We restructured at the start of the year, losing 13 posts and many longstanding colleagues to return us to good fi nancial health by year end. We renewed Supported Lodgings contracts with Royal Greenwich and re-won the contract to deliver Supported Housing and Lodgings for young people at risk of homelessness in Sutton, but we also ceased Private Rented Sector (PRS) access schemes specifi cally for young people and two Supported Housing projects deemed surplus to requirements.

While this was going on my team provided safe homes in Supported Housing in Croydon and Sutton for 268 young people and 134 in Supported Lodgings in Bromley, Croydon, Royal Greenwich and Lewisham. Along with the 1405 that we advised in our YOS, Drop in Zone, Restoring Families, Floating Support and PRS services, I am sure they all have better futures ahead as a consequence.

CAYSH Enterprise CIC continued to do important and diffi cult work safeguarding young people in CAYSH’s services and people in the services of other providers. Their contribution was again substantial and their income bolstered by offi ce share rental income from Crisis, and Sutton and District Training.

CAYSH has been the Mayor of Croydon’s Charity of The Year during 2015-16 providing a rollercoaster of awareness-raising opportunities about youth homelessness and its links to mental ill-health in young people. The fundraising activities have provided rare treats amongst mainly diffi cult diary appointments this year and I will be eternally grateful for the light hearted moments this brought. It was brilliant and refreshing to witness the generosity of people giving their time and donations so willingly.

During all the years of great challenge and change my staff team have continued to perform at the highest levels. The last fi ve years have seen a succession of challenges and last year was no exception. This testimony to the staff here will long outlast my tenure as CEO and I will take this one last opportunity to thank every single person that I was lucky enough to count as a colleague during my seven years with CAYSH.

Kathryn Uche Chief Executive

Challenge and change

1 Initial Contact Service meets and

signposts but is not in itself an advice service.

Male 30Did not reoffend 73%Remain in service 8

Female 8 Did not reoffend 100%Remain in service 1 Moved into/remained in

supported housing 31

Remain in service 2

Other 2

Returned to/remained with family 28

Restoring Families Service

Type of Service Service Name LocationPeople helped

Supported Housing Supported Housing - Stage 1 Croydon 102

Supported Housing Supported Housing - Stage 2 Croydon 66

Supported Housing Supported Housing - Stage 3 Croydon 17

Supported Housing Semi Independent Accommodation 16+ Croydon 27

Supported Housing Supported Housing Sutton 56

Supported Lodgings Standard Lodgings Croydon 41

Supported Lodgings 1st Base Lodgings Croydon 34

Supported Lodgings Standard LodgingsRoyal

Greenwich27

Supported Lodgings ELAN SE London 32

Total number of young people provided with supported accommodation 402

Floating Support Young Adult Floating Support Croydon 44

Floating Support Restoring Families Croydon 61

Floating Support Youth Offending Service Housing Support Croydon 36

PRS Access Support CRIAS and CRIAS LightCroydon, Kingston,

Sutton140

Youth Housing Advice Drop in Zone – Initial Contact Service 1 Croydon (13601)

Turnaround Centre Drop in Zone – Specialist Housing Advice Croydon 1124

Total number of young people provided with support without accommodation(excludes Initial Contact Service) 1405

Year in numbers

People receivingaccommodationservices 402

People receivingPRS services 140

People receiving 141

Who we helped

People receiving 1124

This is not just any redecoration…When Marks and Spencer offered to improve our seven bedroom property in Selhurst, we couldn’t say ‘yes’ fast enough! We were delighted they had selected us as one of 24 London-wide charities for their ‘24-in-24’ programme (organised by Unity PR).

M&S wanted to work 24 hours but helpfully adapted around the sleep requirements of service users. Their staff and our resident-volunteers redecorated, carpeted and furnished the communal living room and smartened up the garden too. They also plied our residents (and staff!) with tasty M&S food throughout and we hope they’ll make a habit out of supporting our work.

Year in reviewA double helping of lodgingsOur commitment to delivering the right services for young people facing homelessness was demonstrated once again by us re-winning and expanding the Supported Lodgings service we deliver in Royal Greenwich.

These type of services are better suited to newly homeless and/or vulnerable young people, and in Royal Greenwich we provide housing and support for 16-17 year olds.

Costing less than supported housing and with better outcomes for young people, this service benefi ts our commissioners, service users and the wider community.

With a 50% increase in placements for service users and the creation of a new lodgings service for Looked After Children in the borough, we continue to lead the way in delivering services with the best outcomes for young people and cost effi ciencies for funders.

Sutton engagement looks promisingThe renewal of the contract to provide Supported Housing for young people at risk of homelessness in Sutton refl ected a slightly reduced number of service users but with signifi cant changes in practice to ensure the best possible outcomes. In essence, it made more sense.

For the fi rst time - but certainly not the last - our service model includes providing specifi c, dedicated ‘engagement’ staff and resources to ensure outcomes like ‘getting active’ and ‘enjoy and achieve’ are supported more effectively. Dedicated staff working the hours when young people are not at college or work for example and a ring-fenced budget for activities are included. We have also agreed to mix up the accommodation model and introduce Supported Lodgings in Sutton ensuring the right type of home as well as the right type of support is available for young people in Sutton.

High quality services that shine like silverIn December we were delighted to be awarded the Advice Quality Standard certifi cation – the quality mark for independent advice organisations. The award of this accreditation is a fantastic refl ection on the work of the Drop in Zone team and the quality of the advice they provide to young people (and others) who face homelessness and other challenges.

We were also very pleased to retain IIP Silver status in January following a rigorous assessment. The standard defi nes what it

takes to lead, support and manage people well for sustainable results – exactly what CAYSH intends for the young people it works with. Working to this standard helps ensure CAYSH refl ects the latest workplace trends, essential skills and effective structures required for great performance.

Alas the review came too early for our newly updated Competency Framework which we hope will help

ensure Gold award in three years’ time. Given the challenges we face in this sector the re-award is

testimony to the collective staff team here.

Mayor’s Charity of the YearWe are delighted to have been Lady Mayoress of Croydon’s Charity of the Year along with Mind in Croydon and thank Patricia Hay-Justice for the honour.

It gave us a year long opportunity to raise awareness, talk more about the link between homelessness and mental ill-health as well as to raise some much needed funds.

Home sharing is good!When that nation’s best known charity for single homeless people asks to fl at-share, you don’t think twice.

Crisis moved in to share desk space and facilities of our new head offi ce. This ‘temporary’ arrangement worked just like similar residential ones – Crisis are staying longer than expected while their Croydon Skylight is completed. But like all good tenants they paid their share of the rent and bills which helped our fi nancial situation. We have benefi ted from sharing space with expert professionals dedicated to helping those sleeping rough and provided real motivation to our frontline staff.

We were also joined by Sutton and District Training (SDT) who also moved in to share our Head Offi ce for the academic year. SDT utilised the Enterprise Zone space Monday to Wednesday to deliver vocational and ESOL training to young people. Their clients brought an amazing energy to the place three days a week which everyone benefi ted from.

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Case studyXenos’ storyWhen I was 16 my mum asked me to leave home. We had been fi ghting for months about the company I was keeping – people who were “up to no good” – and she’d had enough of the trouble that surrounded them. I suppose they were a ‘gang’ and they were defi nitely not good for me and because I have autism they saw me as someone they could manipulate.I packed some essentials in a suitcase and went to Croydon Council who sent me to Croydon Turnaround Centre. I was assessed by CAYSH’s staff there and then interviewed by Social Services, who at fi rst thought it best if I stayed at home. My mother and I had to attend again to each put our case to Social Worker and then they agreed that it wasn’t good for me or my mum for me to return.

I was placed in Supported Housing run by CAYSH. My fi rst placement was in Thornton Heath, not a huge distance from my mum’s, but far enough. I had a planned meeting every week, my worker popped in quite often to see how I was and they were on the end of the phone whenever I needed them.

Since my childhood I was quite independent. My parents used to send me and my sister to Jamaica for six weeks every summer to keep the family togetherness and I’d learned to be without them. I knew how to cook and clean for myself pretty well.

Aside from my studying, I had decided to keep myself to myself from now on to avoid getting with the wrong crowd again. I was moved to a new address near enough to the college and took up my studies, which I liked. I had two different sharers, one was great all of the time and the other was great but not so interested in housework as I would have liked.

Since I was young I’ve been interested in buildings, their design and construction, and I had enrolled at Croydon College to study BTEC Introductory Construction and the Built Environment Level 1. The course also involved practical skills like plumbing and brick laying which I enjoyed. My support worker stayed in touch regularly and made sure I was OK and everything was fi ne. I continued to keep myself to myself and concentrate on my studies and re-enrolled the next year to study Carpentry and Joinery Level 1 and Site Carpentry Level 2 along with the BTEC Extended Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment Level 3.

I had made an appointment with the Connexions worker that visited the College and they had told me I should consider University as I wanted to become an architect. I went to a few open days and after I’d passed my exams I received 3 offers. I chose University of Westminster to study BSc (Hons) Architectural Technology instead because it had the most promising career options at the end of my degree.

I had also just turned 18 which meant I had to move on from CAYSH’s Supported Housing service and in to a Care Leavers supported housing service run by another organisation. It was challenging. I changed address and had a new worker who I wasn’t on the same wavelength

with straight away. I found it hard to understand where she was coming from and also hard to trust her. It wasn’t great for a while although we got there in the end and she did help me sort out my DLA and Freedom Pass applications.

When this service came to an end the Council tried to fi nd me suitable move-on accommodation because of my situation, but wasn’t successful. I ended up in a private rented place in south Croydon with fl oating support – provided by CAYSH! I knew my case worker (Vanda) from my previous time with CAYSH and it was good to have that familiarity.

From day 1 she helped me sort out benefi ts, arrange medical appointments, assisted with applications for various things. She could always fi nd time to help and support me. She identifi ed stuff for me to do so such as sports societies although I am still looking for the ideal choice. I used a gym for a while and even had a personal trainer for a bit but I stopped that to focus on my degree.After a few months I was able to take up an offer of a 1 bed fl at in Crystal Palace from Wandle Housing Association and keep Vanda as my Floating Support worker.

In 2015 I found a work placement with Bell Associates, an architectural practice in Croydon, which was really good experience. I had projects to work on and experienced pressure of deadlines. It also confi rmed for me that I wanted to do this for my work. I worked one day a week until the summer and three days a week during the break.

While I was doing my degree there were days when I doubted myself and days when I knew I could have done a better job as well as days when I knew I’d done really well. The way the results are scored gave me information about where I had done well and where I had not done so well which was good.

Right at the end of my degree I was involved in an end of year Architectural Technology Exhibition with my lecturer and she already knew I’d got a 2:1 but she couldn’t tell me until it was offi cial. I was told that I was at the borderline of getting a 2:2 but had decided to give me a 2:1 due to previous coursework and so when it was confi rmed I was delighted.

The Graduation ceremony was the place it sunk in, stood there with family and friends around me, that I’d achieved what I should have done and done well. I have had a few interviews but am struggling with only a year’s worth of experience where most architectural practices want more like three. I’ll just have to keep applying.

If I could talk to someone in the same situation I was in when I was sixteen, I’d tell them to keep focussed on what they want in life (which is what CAYSH encouraged me to do) and not let bad infl uences or diffi cult family situations get in your way.

Financial review

Contracts Work 45%Concierge Services 31%Charitable Activities 24%

Income

The year ended 31 March 2016 has seen the natural expiry of some contracts and a predicted reduction in contract values; the number of units we operate and therefore tandem reduction in rental income and staff establishment.

These changes have predominately been driven by a need for commissioners to reduce and reshape the services they outsource and our agility in fi nding effi ciencies in our delivery.

The continued good performance of our Community Interest Company saw a signifi cant contribution to the Charity of (£45k) which helped to ensure the group ended the year with a surplus of £84.5k (up from £15.6k for 2014-15).

IncomeCAYSH income during the year was £4.677m – an overall decrease of 15.7% compared to the previous year (£5.5m). The largest source of income remains Local Authority contracts income (formerly Supporting People) and this was reduced by 7.8% during the year. Rental income was reduced as a consequence of reduced accommodation resulting in total Supported Housing income reducing by 13.5%.

Other key contributors to reduced income were an agreed reduction of the supported lodgings contract value (5%), a major reduction in the PRS Access service grant of 90.7% (to £23.2k) and the expiry of a Homeless Link grant accounting of £11.3k.

ExpenditureFor the year ended 31 March 2016, in line with anticipated reductions in income, we reduced costs by 17.2% to £4.58m (compared to £5.53m for 2014-15).

Staff costs remain the largest element of CAYSH’s expenditure. A staff restructure was completed on 1 October 2016 and therefore the savings in a full year are higher than refl ected in this report. The majority of effi ciencies were found in central services which were reduced by 11.5% during the year.

Future PlansCAYSH remains committed to delivering effective, affordable services for young people facing homelessness and other challenges. The key to growth in the future lies in greater diversifi cation of our income streams, attaining a healthy balance between commissioned income, grants and donations, and developing enterprise activities. This will be the major focus in the next three years. In addition continued monitoring of fi nancial controls, improved reporting will ensure resilience in managing debt and fi nancial planning.

A key feature of our growth strategy is to continue to pursue suitable strategic partnerships to secure future funding opportunities and to seek Local Authority contracts across London and the south east of England.

The fi nancial impact of moving to the new Head Offi ce has now been fully absorbed and reserves have increased at 31 March 2016.

Supported Housing71%Lodgings and Floating Support 16%Advice & PRS Access10%Governance2%Cost of Generating Funds 2%

Expenditure

Thank You!Housing providers

Funders

Grant makers

Other contributers

Former Lady Mayor of Croydon Patricia Hay-Justice and everyone who made donations to her two charities (of which CAYSH was one).

All those who donated via Justgiving.com

tel: 020 8683 0227 info@caysh.org www.caysh.org

Lodgings householders

Huge thanks to our householders who provide lodgings services across South London, as well as invaluable care and support, to makea difference to the lives of young people.

Registered Charity No. 1026822

Registered Company No. 2802109

© CAYSH 2016 E & O E

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