Helping People to build better lives... one step at a time

Key Unlocking Futures Annual review 2016/17

KEY UNLOCKING FUTURES LTDRegistered Charity Number 1154772 Company Limited by Guarantee registration 8699413

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2017

The charitable Trustees during the year to 31st March 2017

Gwen Crawford ChairJanice Bennett Vice Chair & TreasurerVictoria CrossleyViolet BarnardLynne CubbinKevin MordueKaye GroganJanet HaleBeryl Rhodes

Independent Examiner/Auditor: KPMG LLP St James’ Square Manchester

Bankers: Barclays Level 11 20 Chapel Street Liverpool L3 9AG

Registered Office: Sumner House King Street Leyland PR25 2LW

For more information about Key’s work and its services contact:Ursula Patten on 01772 678973 or ursulap@keyyouthcharity.org.uk or visit our website keyyouthcharity.org.uk

Our Mission is: Helping people build better lives

Contents

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Creating our future...one step at a time

Success in a challenging environment

Helping people build better lives - one step at a time

Service successes

Key’s services

What service users achieved in their own words

Great staff are the key

What stakeholders say about Key

Annual accounts

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support for individuals is key

I am extremely proud of what Key has achieved over the last year.We have worked with over 1,000 people in Lancashire, helping them totransform their lives in a myriad of ways. Key to this success as ever,is our small army of motivated and committed staff and volunteers who on a daily basis put their best foot forward to make Key’s Mission of‘Helping people to build better lives’ a reality.

Key’s belief and passion that everyone can be supported to make lasting change is at the heart of Key and this is evidenced by the fact that last year 97% of service users reported that Key’s services are good or excellent.

Our service users tell us that we operate with professionalism delivering services that help them to put positive strategies in place. Service users repeatedly share that we get results even where others have failed. They say that it is important that we care about them as individuals and treat them with respect.

The organisation continues to show resilience and adaptability despite the many challenges in the external environment. I remain confident that Key will continue to punch above its weight in providing high quality services for people in need. Key is flexible and keen to work in partnership as we have a belief that by working with complementary organisations, together we can do more. There are a number of exciting new partnerships that are highlighted in the report.

Best wishes

Ursula Patten(Operations Director)

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a fond farewell

2016-17 has been another busy and eventful year for Key. The long-term local authority and other funding cuts are continuing to have their effects on young people and families, and Key is doing its best, wherever it can, to fill the gap and keep going. We believe that services like ours are needed now more than ever, and we also believe that our flexibility and commitment to service users, combined with the ingenuity will help us to survive and thrive.

There are a number of events that took place during the year that I would particularly like to mention.

Jan Bennett, one of our longest-serving trustees who was with us almost from the start, stood down as trustee. Jan could always be relied on for wit, wisdom and great cake, as well as her excellent sense of humour and devotion to Key’s mission. Thank you Jan - Key will long remember you with great fondness!

We were very pleased that during the year Progress Housing Group (PHG) took the decision to pilot a Critical Tenancy Support service using Key to deliver this service during 2017/18. This is a great example of PHG and Key starting to work more closely together for Key to deliver services that PHG tenants need.

Unfortunately during the year our Family Support contract came to an end - it had been a difficult year particularly with regard to getting referrals through, but despite the problems the service delivered excellent results. We are looking forward to the start of a new partnership led by Child Action Northwest, so we will continue to support families with a focus on improving children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. This is an area in which Key now has a valuable track record of knowledge and experience, and we see this as being a potential growth area for the future as families struggle with a variety of social and economic challenges which place them under increasing strain.

During the year Key was thrilled to be awarded a Co-Op Community Fund Grant, and we also received funding from Helping Hands at Leyland Trucks. We are really keen to attract more corporate funding, and believe that Key is a potentially excellent way of helping private businesses to achieve their Corporate Social Responsibility objectives. This is something we will try to build on during future years.

Key has always believed in the importance of partnership and we are really pleased that our external partners tell us that Key is a good organisation to work with. As a small charity working alone Key would struggle but because we have such strong relationships and a collaborative approach, we believe we can achieve more than the sum of our parts! Many thanks to PHG, our funding partners and commissioners, and the many other agencies that we work with.

I am sorry to say that this is the final annual report I will prepare as Chair of Key, as I am due step down from the trustees board in September 2017. I have very much enjoyed my time with Key, which is a fabulous charity. For the final time, I want to thank trustees, volunteers and staff for their continued service during very difficult times, and for their good humour, energy and commitment. It has been a privilege to serve Key for a very long time. I feel very happy that I will be succeeded by a new Chair - Lynne Cubbin - who has worked with young people and families for many years, and who has the experience and passion for what we do to take the organisation forward during the difficult times ahead.

Best wishes to Lynne, to Ursula and the team of staff and volunteers, as well as to those past and present whom it has been an honour to work with over the years.

Best wishes

Gwen Crawford(Chair)

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helping people build better lives - one step at a time

What follows is an overview of our achievements over the last year.

Nest lancashire - support for young victimsOver the last year Key as part of a wider partnership has piloted work to support young victims of crime funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner. The external evaluation of this service by Cumbria University said: “Nest Provides a well-defined and accessible service that is also flexible and person-centered. High quality key work has had a significant impact on the lives of young victims of crime.” Sadly, despite this success the service was tendered as part of a broader contract to support all Victims of Crime across Lancashire. Although Key was part of a strong bid, unfortunately it wasn’t successful and Key’s staff member has transferred across to Victim Support who is the new provider.

Another new contract - Critical Tenancy SupportDuring the year Key have worked closely with PHG to see how tenants may be supported by Key to resolve the issues that are putting their tenancy at risk. PHG have taken the decision to fund a pilot service that will be provided by Key. The support workers will work in a holistic way not just considering the presenting issue but working alongside the tenants considering their strengths and needs using a wider perspective in order to motivate the tenants to make lasting changes. We look forward to reporting on how this has worked in our annual review next year.

Another new partnershipCentral to Key’s ethos is the need to work in partnership. We are pleased to say we have been successful as part of a collaboration led by Child Action North West is winning the Lancashire County Council Early Support Contract for Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing. The contract starts in April 2017 and we are looking forward to working closely with Child Action North West and its other partners to make the collaboration a success. For Key, this support will be set within a family context and will have much in common with Key’s previous Family Support contract. (see below).

Retaining a quality accreditationKey is committed to providing high quality services and we were delighted to retain the international quality management standard ISO 9001:2008 ear-lier in the year, demonstrating that we follow processes as part of a quality management system with a focus on continuous improvement.

Family supportThe funding from Lancashire County Council to fund Family Support as part of the Early Support Core offer came to an end at the end of March this year. The service has been a victim of austerity cuts. Having said this the Family Support team has achieved excellent results and some of the achievements are highlighted further on in the report. Staff have worked tirelessly on a contract that is predominantly payments by results. This hasn’t been without its challenges but Key has strived to put young people and families at the heart of this work despite the payment limitations.

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Service successes

Service user satisfaction

Across all Key’s services we collect information to see how people who use our services rate us:

Service statistics and outcomes 2016/17

Total number of people using Key’s services

Homelessness prevention 86% with a positive housing outcome

Employment coaching 95% entering employment training or education 80% of whom sustained it for three months or more

Family support 99% of families who engaged with support demonstrated some positive change as tracked using Outcomes Star measurement tools

Family conflict resolution 100% of families reported a reduction in conflict and increase in positive communication

Service users rate our services as good or excellent

Service users reported an increase in self-esteem

Service users reported feel-ing happier than when they

first came to Key

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1,039

97%

92%

95%

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Housing Drop In: Practical and emotional support for young people who are homeless or want to explore their housing options.

Pre-tenancy Training: Provides informal training in small groups to help people learn the skills to manage their tenancy.

Tenancy Support: Support is provided to tenants placed by Fylde Borough Council in temporary accommodation. Support provides assistance with daily life skills and support to obtain longer term accommodation.

Critical Tenancy Support: Support for Progress Housing Group’s tenants who are at risk of losing their tenancies.

Employment Support: Support for young people to build confidence so that they can find and keep a job or complete training or qualifications.

Family Conflict Resolution (Mediation): This service helps families to find ways to reduce conflict and get along better. Our mediators help families to think about what is going wrong and what they would like to change.

Emotional Health and Wellbeing Support: To provide preventative and early intervention support to children and young people with emotional health and wellbeing needs. This support can involve the whole family and can work with a wide range of challenges.

Counselling: If someone is having a tough time it can really help to talk. Counselling gives time and space for someone to explore the issues that they are dealing with.

Locations:• South Ribble• Chorley

Locations:• South Ribble• Preston

Locations:• Fylde

Locations:• South Ribble • Fylde• Chorley

Locations:• South Ribble• Chorley

Locations:• South Ribble• Chorley

Locations:• Preston • South Ribble• Chorley • West Lancashire• Fylde • Wyre

Locations:• South Ribble

Lets Talk

services

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What service users achieved in their own words

A whole new worldNathan received a number of services from Key. He had had a difficult start in life being brought up by parents who were drug addicts. Nathan was helped with a move into supported housing and then onto Key’s Employment Coaching Programme. Nathan was not in training or employment and although he had excellent ICT skills he struggled with his attitude, confidence and motivation. Employment Coaching helped in a staged way including interview skills, work experience and practical things such as a bus pass and interview clothes. Nathan achieved his goal and is now working as an ICT apprentice having been successful in a highly competitive process for a national organisation. Nathan said: “The way Key support people is brilliant. You don’t get many services as good and friendly as Key. I feel as if what Key has done has really helped me gain vital life skills that I can now apply to my future”. This is a massive endorsement as at the start of support Nathan felt he had no future.

A future with positivity Rachael received help from Key’s Mediation service and said: “We had had very poor experiences with another service, however Key are a shining example of how things should work. Our situation was assessed and very quickly positive strategies were put in place. I would like to thank Rosie for saving my family (this may sound dramatic) she has been a constant shining light. We are now a family able to think before we act. We can see through the fog and plan for a future with positivity”.

A place of my ownI met Jude at a low point in my life; I had been admitted to hospital with a viral infection and had other health conditions that affected my mobility. I was just about to move house when I became ill, my sister returned the key to my property whilst I was in hospital and effectively made me homeless as I lost the property I was to move into. From the moment I met Jude in the homeless unit she put me at ease, she understood all my needs and helped me through the process. I have a new flat with Jude’s help. “One happy bunny”!

Starting to enjoy life Sarah was a young lady whose family received support from Key. Sarah’s mum and dad were on the autistic spectrum and were very focused on keeping their children including Sarah safe. This was taken to its extreme and as a result was making Sarah anxious to the extent that she couldn’t interact at school and she struggled to go to new places. Sarah and her family were supported in a range of creative ways including storytelling, game playing and planning visits to new places. This reduced the worry of the whole family including Sarah. Her reduced anxiety enabled her take part in ‘show and tell’ for the first time at school and to go to new places. Sarah said: “I feel really proud of myself now and daddy shouts less.” Grandma said: “Everyone is just so much more relaxed, they are trying new things and starting to enjoy life”.

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What service users achieved in their own words

Volunteering makes me happy Rosh a young volunteer for Key said: “I used Key’s services for a number of years having had a difficult childhood which eventually led to me becoming homeless. Key gave me so much that I wanted to give something back. I wanted to work with troubled young people. Volunteering for Key is helping me to learn loads. The more I learn the more motivated I am to learn more. Even if I am having a bad day being able to help someone else makes me feel good. Young people really listen to me as they know I am honest and that I have been where they are and have come out the other side. I love being able to listen to them and help them to see things differently”.

Ready for a place of my ownJack, was referred to pre-tenancy training when he was living in temporary accommodation in Preston. At the start of the training he said he was unsure of what his next steps would be and worried about what the future held for him. Jack engaged enthusiastically with the course and said: “I have a much better understanding of my responsibilities now as well as those of the landlord. I feel more confident about my ability to secure and cope in a tenancy. I know my options and have a certificate to show landlords that I will be able to manage my own tenancy. I am ready now to move into my own flat”.

I am healing When Justina got help from Key she was cutting herself almost every other day. It was the only way she knew to release the anguish she felt after suffering abuse as a child. As part of support Justina kept a journal, learnt a variety of distraction techniques that kept her safe as well as using the medium of art to explore her feelings. School was supported to apply a number of small changes to her school day that made a vast difference to her sense of wellbeing. At the end of support she had managed to stop cutting. She said: “I still have good days and bad days but now I have other ways of coping which mean I don’t need to cut myself anymore”.

Not on my own Adele has used Key’s Drop In Services this year and said: “It can be really lonely living on your own. I come down to Key to meet with other people. Some of the people at the Drop In have become my friends. There is never a day the same at Key. The staff at Key are like my second parents. They help me to talk about what is going on in my head and I am getting better at making decisions that are good for me. This doesn’t always happen but staff never turn me away. They help me think about what went wrong and to learn from it. It stops me feeling as low knowing that I have people who are there for me.

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What service users achieved in their own words

I am really strongZac was emotionally exhausted and distraught when he started counselling with Key. He had felt trapped in a family with parents who rarely got on and often said hurtful things to him. The words they said were hitting him like bricks. Zac said: “At counselling I have learnt to wear my invisibility cloak and now their harsh words just bounce away. I have learnt that the difficult things I have experienced have made me really strong”.

A plan is in placePatricia came to Key desperate for support with her teenage son Darren who had a range of special needs including autism and ADHD. Everyday was a battle with both her son and the school which he attended. The school was struggling to work with his special needs and was noticing the behaviour rather than the underlying causes. Darren was sent home or to exclusion on almost a daily basis. As a result of support from Key Darren will have an Educational Health Care Plan in place for the new academic year. Mum feels that at last she has been heard and special measures to help Darren succeed in school are in place. Patricia said: “Key provided invaluable support and advice. They listened well and educated me”!

great staff are the key

Key’s purpose is to help people build better lives. This is only possible with a talented team. This year we are pleased to have retained our Investors In People accreditation. We were extremely pleased with how Key’s staff perceive working for Key:

• 100% of respondents felt that the organisation lived by its values• 100% felt empowered and involved• 100% felt that performance was managed well• 95% felt that work is well structured• 95% felt that we are delivering continuous improvement.

These results are particularly pleasing as it has been a year of great uncertainty in terms of funding and the continuation of contracts. The results show that Key is performing well against its value of being a great place to work and it continues to inspire loyalty within its team.

An additional in-house staff survey again demonstrated an ethos of commitment to Key with 100% saying:

• They care about Key• They are treated with respect• Their team is well led• That communication is strong.

“I have had good and bad managers when I have worked for other

organisations. At Key I feel really lucky. I am expected to perform well and I am not micromanaged. I also get support and advice to do things

even better.”

shining a light on counselling at key

Key offers a counselling service to young people many of whom have experienced homelessness. Counselling is also available to adults who in most cases have used Key’s other services. This year we thought that we would shine a light on this service. Key’s service is run by a dedicated band of volunteers and although it is a small service it achieves a great deal. We wanted to explore what counselling has meant for clients at Key.

Clients reported that they valued the fact that they had someone that they could trust and who was there for them. They expressed that they had been able to open up and to discuss things that they had never discussed before.

Those who received counselling told us that the pace was important and that having time and not being pushed was vital. Clients expressed that they felt in control and that they could explore whatever areas they chose. People tell us that it is important that Key sees them as individuals and not just a homeless person.

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“I can be myself in counselling.”“Counselling was liberating, it

became easier to talk about topics

that you normally wouldn’t.”

“I know that I can talk

about anything and feel

compfortable and safe.”

“There is a holistic approach to issues

and I have not been pushed to come to

conclusions. I can speak at my own pace

and tackle issues as I see them.”

“It is quite difficult to express

different emotions that come with

talking about situations. I am never

made to feel pushed and can always

go back if and when I am ready to

talk about a situation.”

what stakeholders say about key

Following on from our results last year that showed 100% of stakeholders felt that we were working hard to achieve our aims, the following are a selection of comments from stakeholders that show we are continuing to provide high quality service for a very vulnerable group of people.

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“Mediation and Counselling from Key is essential providing young

people positive ways in which to improve, in many cases, very

damaged relationships. There has been some very successful work

in supporting young people with complex family issues along

with often their own anger management issues. They come highly

recommended.”

“We have used Key many times with high levels of success.

It is a service that we value greatly. Key offers a great Mediation and Family

Support service that helps all involved get back on track. The case workers are

firm but fair, friendly and supportive and they work hard to put some “early

intervention” strategies into everyday life to help both the young person and

their family build up resilience skills so that a small problem

does not escalate into a much larger one.”

“As a school we have been very fortunate to work with staff

from Key. The work they have done with both parents and

children has completely transformed the lives of these

families. Children who we were very concerned about, after

the intervention provided through Key, are now thriving. The

support they are able to provide is very tailored to meet the

needs of individuals and families. It is fantastic to have access

to this support and we would find it hard to meet the needs of

our more vulnerable families without Key.”

ANNual accounts

Key accounts show that we know how to manage short-term contracts and demonstrate resilience in our financial planning. Management of cash flow remains critical especially when working to deliver payment by results contracts.

The growth in income during 2016/17 is as a result of growth in a number of areas including the Nest Young Victims Service, Growth in Family Support a Big Lottery grant. Key continued to make timely decisions in terms of staffing requirements to ensure that staffing levels reflected the demand for our Family Support Contract which is predominantly payment by results. Contracts secured during the year will be seen in an increased income and expenditure forecasts for 2017/18.

Key’s reserves remain in line with policy. Reserves are held to cover redundancy, sickness and running costs at a level between 3-6 months. The reserves are needed to meet the working capital requirements of the charity. The Trustees feel that this level of reserve is necessary to protect the charity’s services in such uncertain times.

Income and Expenditure 2015/16 2016/17

Income £300,624 £369,645

Expenditure £269,810 £362,862

Total Funds c/fw £141,624 £148,407 Having undertaken an annual review of the charity’s compliance with the provisions of ‘Good Governance - A code for the voluntary and community sector’ the Board has concluded that it meets the provisions set out in the Code.

(The full accounts and auditors accounts can be found on the Charity Commission website).

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