VAI Annual Impact Report 2021/22

Contents Annual and Impact Report 3 Introduction By Joe Irvin, OBE, Chair Of Trustees 4 Vision / Mission / Values / Our Strategic Aims 5 Staff / Trustees / Volunteers 6 Our work during the year as part of our new 5 Strategic Aims 7 Strategic Aim 1: To support the development of Islington’s Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) 8 Strategic Aim 2: To empower Islington’s communities 22 Strategic Aim 3: To enable volunteering 26 Strategic Aim 4: To facilitate a stronger VCFS voice to influence policy 33 Strategic Aim 5: To work in partnership across the VCFS and all sectors 36 Finance Summary for the year ended 31st March 2022 38 2 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

Annual and Impact Report April 2021 – 31 March 2022 Who we are Welcome to Voluntary Action Islington. We are a registered charity (charity registration no: 291890) that has been delivering services in the borough for over 50 years. Our work We are Islington’s umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector. Our role is to: y Support the development of local charities and community groups that are providing essential services to Islington residents; y Build community connections through our Volunteer Centre by providing a borough- wide volunteer brokerage service – connecting local people to local volunteering opportunities; y Work in partnership with Islington Council and other public sector partners on key areas such as challenging inequality, promoting health and wellbeing, and community safety. We put equality and social justice at the heart of all we do because we are passionate that everyone in our community has the best possible opportunities to succeed in life. Working for a fairer Islington by supporting community and voluntary action. Annual and Impact Report 21/22 3

Introduction By Joe Irvin, OBE Chair Of Trustees We are delighted to be celebrating our I am confident that continuing to work with 50 years of service by Voluntary Action our local VCFS, our partners in the Council, Islington. For over five decades we have been Health authorities and charitable funders, supporting voluntary activity in the London as well as the many residents who volunteer Borough of Islington to benefit local residents. each year, we will once again show the VCFS at its best for many years to come. The past two years dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic have been tough for In this report we explain some of the work we everyone. But VAI and the local voluntary, have done in the past year and the beneficial community and faith sector stepped up to impact it has had on the local community. I meet this challenge – and ensured that the just want express massive thanks to everyone people that needed the help the most got it. - members, partners, supporters, volunteers, staff, and trustees- who have made As we emerge from this crisis, we face new that possible. demands arising from the cost-of-living crisis, societal divisions, refugees from war Joe Irvin OBE and poverty and increasing health concerns across all sections of our community. 4 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

Over the year the staff and trustees reviewed VAI’s mission, vision, values and aims and this annual report reflects these strategic changes Our Vision y Positive: building on strengths, A thriving voluntary and community sector not just focusing on problems in Islington: enriching people’s lives y Inclusive: valuing the importance and building stronger communities. of diversity and equality y Collaborative: building partnerships Our Mission and co-designing solutions To strengthen our local voluntary and Our Strategic Aims community sector’s ability to deliver services effectively and to promote y To support the development of social justice. Islington’s Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) Our Values y To empower Islington’s communities y Effective: creative, energetic y To enable volunteering and responsive y To facilitate a stronger VCFS voice to y With Integrity: honest, professional influence policy and respectful y To work in partnership across the VCFS and all sectors Annual and Impact Report 21/22 5

Staff Trustees Antony Bewick-Smith - Development and Barbara Joan Ludlow (until December 21) Partnerships Manager (until August 21) Colin Adams Atika Zahra - Resource Centre Manager Emma Victoria Hutchins - Vice Chair (until August 21) Hussain Ahmed Charlton Brown - Local Wellbeing Networks Jorge Llorens - Treasurer Co-ordinator Joseph David Irvin - Chair Diane Corsial - Finance Officer Josephine Mary Langdale - Vice Chair Kay Kelleher - Business Development Ken Hettiarachi Manager (until November 21) Philip John Kelly Louis Mears - Information and Santa Gascoigne Communications Officer Marta Aparicio - Volunteer Services Manager Volunteers Meera Jobanputra - Information and Communications Officer and then Resource Justyna Kniec - Resource Centre Assistant Centre Manager Nadine Johnson - Volunteering Advisor Navinder Kaur - CEO Sofina Begun - Volunteering Advisor Ruth Miller - Volunteer Outreach Officer Sota Onozuka - Volunteering Advisor Tim Adams - Volunteer Recruitment Officer Yvette Ellis - Development Officer 6 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

Our work during the year as part of our new 5 Strategic Aims We are actively involved in developing and influencing local policy at a strategic level, ensuring that the borough’s VCFS is a key partner for a fairer Islington. We identify trends and issues facing the sector and use these insights to advocate for and develop solutions in partnership with the VCFS and cross sector colleagues to support a strong, thriving, and independent VCFS that is able to play a central role in the borough. We also provide strategic leadership to promote volunteering in Islington’s VCFS. We do this by staying abreast of regional and national developments in volunteer management and translating these to the sector; and providing an accessible and visible online and physical presence where people interested in engaging in volunteering activity can find out about and register for volunteering opportunities across Islington’s VCFS. Annual and Impact Report 21/22 7

STRATEGIC Support Voluntary, Community AIM and Faith Sector Development 1 During this year, our main activities included: 1a. Capacity building and 1b. Advice, information, and support organisational development support In July 2021, we were pleased to secure a Throughout the year we: further 3 years core funding to enable us to y Responded to 195 requests for support support the local VCFS – mostly small groups and advice from local groups. and grassroots organisations. y Held 16 advice sessions in which 37 different groups attended. As part of our forward plan, we have taken into y Provided advice and support to 59 consideration what the VCFS fed back through different groups outside of the structured Islington Council’s capacity building review advice sessions. carried out by Locality in early 2021 as well as y Worked with 96 different groups via zoom our own insight from what VCFS organisations meetings, in-person, through telephone have been telling us and what we have calls and emails. observed through our service delivery and The info graphic shows the number of the consultations. Our aim is to work more closely advice and support we provided in the top 4 with the VCFS to help address inequality in the most requested topics. borough which have been hugely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 8 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

Advice and Support Sessions 81 58 18 20 Funding and General Starting-up an Registering as fundraising organisational organisation a charity development* or company * Planning, governance, financial management, legal structures, and policies & procedures Annual and Impact Report 21/22 9

1c. National Lottery 1-to-1 surgeries 1d. Funding booklet & Funding updates In partnership with the National Lottery We updated and published two Funding Community Fund (TNLCF), we hosted booklets this year (July 2021 and January 1-to-1 funding advice surgeries every 2 2022), both with over 100 funding months. These 1-to-1 sessions aim to help programmes, and we introduced a new organisations make better applications to format for the booklet in which we added new TNLCF Reaching Communities funding categories and an easy link to each section. programme. In this period, we hosted 5 The booklets were promoted on VAI’s email sessions in which a total of 22 organisations newsgroup which has 675 subscribers and attended. added to our website. We also collated and disseminated over 50 organisations applied funding updates keeping the sector up to date 10 for funding on the latest funding opportunities. 1e. Online Workshops were successful with the I. ‘Getting Back on Track’ – April 2021 3 Awards for All funding The aim was to review the impact of the totalling approximately past year – and how the pandemic affected £30,000 the VCFS and what it has meant for small voluntary and community organisations. organisations are It was an opportunity to take stock and being assessed for the assess the current environment and plan 2 Reaching Communities for the coming year, including developing a funding programme. funding plan for the year ahead. In total 11 organisations attended the session. 10 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

Evaluation feedback from participants: The feedback from this session was very positive, 85% of the 85% participants rated the ‘Getting Back on Track’ workshop (April 2021) of the participants highly and said that the session had achieved its main objective. rated the ‘Getting They all felt that they had learnt about planning and developing their Back on Track’ funding and fundraising focus. workshop highly II. Finding the Funds - July 2021 – Online Participants were shown how to use the Islington Funding Toolkit, a powerful funding search engine which groups can use to search 43 for any type of funding. This event also coincided with the release of the latest July 2021 funding booklet, so the event also showed the delegates participants how to use the funding booklet for better results. The attended the session was recorded, and available on the VAI YouTube channel. ‘Finding the Funds’ The link for this event and the funding toolkit is on the VAI website workshop so groups have permanent access to this. III. Writing Better Funding Applications – February 2022 An in-person fundraising workshop for people and groups new to 13 fundraising or those who hadn’t had much success in the past. The people attended workshop was supported by the National Lottery Funding Officer the ‘Writing Better for Islington, who was on hand to answer questions at the end of Funding the session about the best ways of addressing questions on the Applications’ National Lottery application forms. workshop Annual and Impact Report 21/22 11

Evaluation feedback from participants y Being better prepared to write Feedback from the ‘Writing better funding funding applications applications’ training workshop showed that y Having a better understanding all participants found it useful, and they felt of outcomes that the main objectives of the session were y Being clearer about the need for t achieved. Some of the key takeaways from he project the session that groups reported were: y Demonstrating need for collecting evidence y Being more structured in their approach to writing applications 1f. LinkedIn Training for VCFS also incorporating new, small, grassroots organisations – April 21 organisations into our membership and In order to support VCFS organisations partner sphere. to grow their network and professional 1g. Youth Provision Consultations – connections and to improve relative digital July 21 literacy within the sector, our Local Wellbeing We held 2 consultations in July, with 26 Network Coordinator and resident LinkedIn organisations attending over the 2 sessions. enthusiast delivered free LinkedIn training. This took place in April with a total of 21 We consulted youth providers to find out registrations. The training workshop covered how we can best support them and the work the fundamentals of LinkedIn, exploring its they do. We explored capacity building and purpose, functionalities, and advantages support needs; strengthening networking when it comes to building a professional amongst groups and how we can support network and individual or company profile. youth workers in the support of young people This informal workshop helped to strengthen going forward. relationships with existing partners whilst 12 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

1h. Make it Happen – Small Grants for Local Ideas – November 21 We worked with Peabody, Cripplegate (as Islington Giving), Southern Housing Group, Hyde, Newlon, Help On Your Doorstep (HOYD), and Octopus to develop this borough-wide micro grant offer to residents to apply for £500 grants to bring a community project to life, and how local voluntary and community sector organisations can support residents to apply. 1i. How to Write a Property Plan – May 21 In partnership with leading UK property advice charity, the Ethical Property Foundation we offered this free property webinar run by experienced surveyors and property advisers. Organisations learnt how to write a simple, well thought out property plan to secure the future of your organisation in a COVID-19 world. Participants received an information pack with the opportunity to obtain free follow-up expert advice. This event was part of the 2021 National Programme for Property Education, bringing free property training to local groups in London and across England & Wales. Annual and Impact Report 21/22 13

Cross Sector Partnerships We worked in partnership with a variety of agencies to deliver capacity building support to the VCFS: Big Alliance: We work in partnership with LBI Young Islington – Universal Youth the Big Alliance by referring groups needing Work Tendering Workshops: VAI hosted 2 specialists support from them such as workshops co-designed with Young Islington, marketing, legal and finance. to provide information and support to groups working with children and young people and Cripplegate Foundation: We work in interested in the Council’s new youth work partnership with Cripplegate Foundation offer and tendering opportunities. on their Islington Community Chest fund. VAI promoted this fund three times during Russell-Cooke: Law firm which provides free the year and provided advice support to 14 telephone helpline for VAI members on issues groups applying for this fund. relating to running a charity. This service was promoted monthly on VAI’s Newsgroup. We Funders Network: This partnership is made referred 6 groups to this service. up local capacity building organisations and funders brought together by Islington Council The National Lottery Community Fund: to support the co-ordination of capacity We work in partnership with this funder building support to the local. Going forward and organised one to one surgeries for we hope to be more active in providing more groups to access free advice on their effective communication about the capacity funding applications with a National Lottery building and volunteering offer available to the Community Fund Officer. sector as well as work more effectively with partners to ensure gaps and needs are being met, and feed in what groups are telling us they need. 14 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

“VAI showed encouragement and “Many thanks for your help and performed with professionalism advice you give us. Your help is and excellence towards very much helpful to us, and we MMARAP throughout these appreciate VAI for your hard work awkward moments with their in supporting us. Big thanks” quality of advice and support. I’d like to gracefully applaud A & C Shining Star Enterprise Yvette and Marta for their support in seeing MMARAP Through VAI’s advice and support, continue throughout those this small group was awarded funding from years, as we positively head Awards for All and the Local Initiatives Fund. towards 2023. VAI - You’ve been amazing.” Jonathan Buffong, CEO, Mixed Martial Arts Reform And Progression (MMARAP). VAI has supported MMARAP since it established in 2012, especially during the pandemic in 2021/22. Annual and Impact Report 21/22 15

Our Reach Membership Services During the year, we grew our membership to 531 local organisations. Going forward we will be reviewing our membership offer and 531 will work on improving our services to our membership organisations membership. VAI and its Volunteer Centre have 6,310 followers on Twitter. We have also increased our Instagram followers by 20% to 629 from the previous year. 6,310 Newsgroup twitter followers The VAI Newsgroup increased from the previous year to 675 local groups/ organisations. This is a platform where the shared local news about their services in Islington. Upon request, we also disseminated 675 news and information from our council and newsgroup subscribers public health colleagues. In 2021-22, 532 news emails were shared using this platform. 16 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

Newsletter Our newsletter went out on 16 occasions throughout the year to the VAI Newsgroup and our members. In the newsletter we 473 focused on 7 topics – VAI News, Funding, Volunteering in Islington, Health and newsletter subscribers Wellbeing, Inequality, Local Information and Online Training and Events. Here is the link to all the newsletters sent out last year: https://vai.org.uk/voluntary-action-islington- newsletters-2021-2022/ Website Our website had over 37,000 visits from groups/organisations accessing a range of capacity building and organisational 37,000 development information/resources and 37,000 website visits from events to support the in the delivery of their services. groups/organisations Annual and Impact Report 21/22 17

VAI Resource Centre VAI manages a Resource Centre which acts as a community space for training and events and provides permanent and hot desking space to 24 groups and organisations. During the year, we worked hard on providing a safe and secure Centre during the pandemic. We also upgraded the facilities, Wi-Fi and digital equipment, to make the space more comfortable and friendly for hosted organisations and visitors. Hosted organisations We provided over 35 permanent desks and hot desking facility to 24 charities, especially small groups/organisations. Our hosted organisations include local, regional, national and international equalities organisations: y Action for Race Equality (formerly Black y ALAG – provides valuable social and Training and Enterprise Group - BTEG) emotional support for autistic adults – ARE’s mission is to end racial inequality. who do not have a learning disability but ARE believes that the contribution of nonetheless can become vulnerable due all communities makes a nation, builds to neglect and lack of support; dynamic local communities, generates y Al-Asharaf Community Welfare wealth and improves well-being; Association – offer a range of activities y ACTSA – a campaigning organisation that for the local community including stay and works for rights, equality and development play activities for parents and their children across Southern Africa, and created by the such as one to one support services; UK Anti-Apartheid movement; interpreting services and outreach services including home visits; 18 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

y Betknowmore – a leading provider of gambling support and training services across the UK; y British Institute of Human Rights – a UK-wide charity working with people, communities and public bodies to make a positive change through human rights; y Change Communications - provides support for statutory and partners to develop a Communication First approach and inclusive services; y City Year – a youth social action charity which challenges 18–25-year- olds to tackle educational inequality through a year of full-time voluntary service; y Gendered Intelligence – exists to increase understanding of gender diversity and improve trans people’s quality of life; y HealthProm – support vulnerable children, women and families disadvantaged by poor health, disability and social exclusion; y HEAR Network – a pan-equality network of London equality and human rights voluntary and community sector organisations. HEAR works on issues that are pan-equality and intersectional, where the working together can reduce discrimination and improve access; Annual and Impact Report 21/22 19

y Islington Refugee and Migrant Forum – Conference, Training and a refugee-led, independent organisation, Meeting Room Facilities which was created to act as a common During the year, we have supported voice for refugees, to improve their quality 36 charities, including small groups/ of life and support their integration into organisations on 235 occasions, providing the community; them with training, conference, and meeting y Migrant Voice – a migrant-led national rooms facilities. organisation building a community of migrant voices to speak for ourselves and “Change call for justice for all; Communication y Sapphire Foundation – work involves moved into the VAI empowering, equipping, inspiring, training, mentoring, motivating and educating Resource Centre in March 2021. It young people aged 5 to 30 years old is a comfortable but professional through literature, events, media and space providing us with access programmes; y SERA – As a membership organisation to meeting rooms, excellent wi-fi, they act as a hub for red-green politics and a fantastic central location. across the UK, with active local branches The staff at reception are very raising the profile of environmental issues in their area; helpful and welcoming to our y Universal Ease to Redress – a non- colleagues and those who use governmental and not-for-profit our service. And of course, the organisation based in London and aims to promote human rights and to tackle costs are very reasonable!” poverty and injustice, at both the national and international levels. Change Communication (Charity) 20 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

“The City Year UK “There are so many team are users of different room options the meeting rooms at at Voluntary Action VAI. We appreciate the Islington. They have a room professionalism, facilities and to suit every need you might flexibility that the VAI team shows have. It is so easy to book a us. The provision of the meeting room which takes the hassle out rooms is a terrific resource for of organising meetings. Meera charities organisations such as and the team are always on hand ours to be able to access.” to help ensure the room and CityYear (Charity) requests are met where possible, perfect location for internal and “The booking system is easy, external meetings.” accessible with competitive prices. I would also like to BetKnowMore (Charity) suggest that local refugees and migrant organisations should be encouraged to hire VAI venues and facilities as much as possible, and that will help to bring them closer and be connected with VAI.” Islington Refugee and Migrant Forum (Charity) Annual and Impact Report 21/22 21

STRATEGIC Empower Communities AIM 2 During this year, our main activities included: 2a. Inequality Task Force Our CEO described the purpose of the campaign in the Islington Life magazine – Our CEO is a member of this Task Force https://islingtonlife.london/discover- which was set up towards the end of 2021 islington/blog/lets-talk-islington/ by Islington Council to help shape the boroughs longer term strategic priorities. 2c. Local Wellbeing Networks (LWNs) Other representatives include Executive Members, Councillors, Schools, GPs, NHS, Exciting new partnership with Octopus London Metropolitan University, TUC and The Community Network New Economics Foundation, with facilitation We developed an exciting new partnership provided by New Local. with Octopus Community Network and 2b. Let’s Talk Islington through this partnership secured funding from the Council for the development of the LWNs, creating a new route/mechanism for We engaged VCFS partners in this initiative promoting community voice, connecting spearheaded by Islington Council to help VCFS, public sector and residents and using engage local residents in building a more this partnership to co-deliver services. This equal future for the borough by identifying new area of work is part of the Islington their most pressing priorities. Council’s ‘Fairer Together’ initiative to 22 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

increase collaboration between services and A key milestone of the project involved 2 to provide a platform for community voice. stakeholder meetings held on 23 and 24 February 2022, which were attended by In January 2022, VAI and the Octopus over 30 senior level delegates from the local Community Network finalised the planning authority and the voluntary, community and and development of the LWN in the three faith sector. More information is available at localities of the borough – North, Central and https://vai.org.uk/local-wellbeing-networks/. South Islington. Community Organisers and Change We have focused on raising awareness of and Makers Programme securing support for and engagement with Recruitment began for the training of 45 the delivery model which includes community Islington community members to become organising and self-sustaining networks in all Community Organisers as part of the Local three localities. Wellbeing Network strategy to empower resident voice and engage localised Local Wellbeing Networks communities. This strategy engaged Monthly Meetings various demographics and used a data- The main aims of the monthly network informed approach to ensure a diverse and meetings are to connect all local services, representative group of Islington participants, groups, and organisations, collaborate and prioritising equity for marginalised voices co-deliver initiatives to tackle local health previously under-represented and overlooked. inequalities and to capture community voice, More information is available at https://vai. ensuring no one gets left behind. org.uk/community-change-makers/. Annual and Impact Report 21/22 23

Summary of the wider impact of this work with English as a second language. The We are delighted to report that from an initial flyers with the support of the Networks and investment of £30,000 to facilitate the creation organisations were distributed to libraries, of the Local Wellbeing Networks in the three community cafés and restaurants, as well as Locality Areas in Islington, the collaboration tube stations in the borough. between VAI and Octopus Community Network has, in the first year secured a Aligning the Hyperlocal Vaccination financial contribution of £141,132 to realise Programme to the development and delivery the potential of the project, forging new of these new networks has ensured targeted, relationships with the Peabody Trust, and with joined up working and in some cases first Public Health Islington. time collaborations between Healthwatch Islington, Diverse Communities Health Voices A successful funding application to North (DCHV), Octopus Community Network, Central London Commissioning Group led by Islington Faiths Forum, Islington Refugee VAI and supported by Public Health Islington and Migrant Forum, Age UK Islington and enabled us to adopt a more localised and Manor Gardens Welfare Trust. The Octopus community approach in the roll out of the Community Network have also been able to vaccination programme in wards with the create paid employment for three Community lowest take up of the vaccination with key Organisers who have been trained through partners supporting this work including the programme and who are now co- the Islington Refugee and Migrant Forum, designing and co-delivering community- Islington Faiths Forum, Healthwatch Islington, based health and wellbeing outreach activities and the Octopus Community Network. This in collaboration with three of Islington’s partnership helped to shape and deliver the Community Hubs - St Lukes Community response using a range of communication Centre, Holloway Neighbourhood Group and tools including flyers translated in the 7 most the Light Project International, along with pop spoken languages in the borough: Arabic, up events at Mildmay Community Centre and Bengali, Polish, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Brickworks, for example. and Urdu, thus helping to reach residents 24 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

Borough-wide (on-line) Health and Wellbeing Network With a view to ensuring inclusivity and widening participation around the theme of health and the LWN, in February 22, with funding from Public Health, we created the borough-wide Health and Wellbeing Network, to support further the engagement of VCFS in the COVID-19 vaccination programme, especially at a hyperlocal level, and to respond to the growing need for clear communications between the VCFS and across sectors especially in the area of mental health support services for residents. We are grateful to Public Health Islington for providing funding for this Network. Going forward, in the Year 2 Delivery Plan, we propose that this Network is developed to become the meeting point and collective voice for all 3 Local Wellbeing Networks and be recognised as a means for Islington Council, Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, the Integrated Care Board, and others concerned with health and wellbeing commissioning, to engage in co-production and co-delivery with the and local residents. Annual and Impact Report 21/22 25

STRATEGIC Enable Volunteering AIM 3 During this year, our main activities included: 3a. COVID-19 Vaccination Programme 3b. Volunteering Opportunities VAI continued to work in partnership with The COVID-19 vaccination programme Age UK, Manor Gardens Welfare Trust, the received most of the registrations of interest Islington GP Federation and North Central from volunteers, followed by befriending, food London NHS as part of the roll out of the bank and admin roles. vaccination programme. During the year, VAI processed 1,200 3c. Developing our 3-year registrations of interest from volunteers Volunteering Strategy to support the COVID-19 vaccination VAI carried out a volunteering survey where programme at the mass vaccination sites at we received 56 responses from our member the Emirates and the Business Design Centre, organisations. This survey and subsequent supported the recruitment and co-ordination work in the year has helped us to gather of volunteers at the local clinics in Islington insight into the needs of the VCFS. We will including Bingfield and Hanley Clinics. build on this going forward and provide a registrations of interest more effective volunteering support offer to 1,200 for COVID-19 vaccination our members. volunteering opportunities 26 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

During the past year VAI had a small team of volunteers assisting us in delivering some of our activities. The volunteers supported the customer service of VAI Resource Centre and assisted with our Volunteer Centre brokerage service. They arranged face to face meetings with potential volunteers, supported the online Volunteer Fairs and promoting volunteering opportunities across Islington. By volunteering for VAI, the volunteers gained valuable work experience which resulted in two of them accessing paid employment. Annual and Impact Report 21/22 27

Case Study 1 - Sofina Begum (volunteered at VAI in 2020 and 2021) “Volunteering at VAI was a great opportunity for me to expand my skills in an office-based role. I wanted to get back into employment after being unemployed for nearly six years because I am a full-time carer for my son. VAI has helped me to gain confidence and learn about what I want to do in the future. I have worked with an amazing team and a very friendly and understanding manager who I worked with daily. It has helped me boost my confidence as well as gaining new experience to fill in the big gap in my CV. Volunteering has helped me fill in the gap I had for being unemployed almost 6 years. It helped me to get back into employment and get a good reference. It has benefited me to explore what I want to do and by volunteering and looking at other sectors has helped me to know what I want to do in the future. I have learned and gained confidence working with other people. I have also helped and supported others volunteers working in VAI, which made me feel comfortable helping others as well as gaining knowledge whilst working in VAI. The volunteering role has got me into paid work at the NHS which I am very grateful for the role and the team I worked with. I believe volunteering anywhere will open doors for you in life and employment.” 28 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

Case Study 2 – Davide Nichesolo “I had been off work for a while due to depression. My GP suggested volunteering as something that could have a beneficial effect on my recovery. I did so Google “volunteering in Islington” and the top result was the Link to the VAI website. I decided so to take advantage of your drop-in sessions and it was there and then I did apply for the post of Volunteer Receptionist and also for the post of Volunteering Brokerage Volunteer. I volunteered at VAI for 18 months and it was great. I had a fantastic supervisor and a great manager. Volunteering gave me back my confidence and I strongly believe that being volunteering twice a week did very much contribute to me having a more positive attitude towards life and eventually recovering from my depression.” What kind of things learned whilst volunteering helped you in your life or with getting a paid job? “It wasn’t much about what I did learn that made the difference, in my opinion, was the supportive atmosphere and professional approach of VAI staff that really made the difference. However, if you really need a list here it is: y Using professional publishing software i.e. Canva and MS Office Publisher y Becoming proficient in professional e-mail writing and using MS Outlook y Using Twitter and TweetDeck to schedule tweet I would like to add that experiencing helping people to achieve their full potential did really make an impact on me and it was the very reason for which I decided to change my career and become a Support Worker. I am now working full time for a charity that helps people affected by Homelessness on rebuilding their lives.” Annual and Impact Report 21/22 29

3d. Increasing volunteering y 1,200 volunteers registered as marshals opportunities across the borough and stewards for the COVID-19 On-line Volunteering Fairs Vaccination Programme. VAI hosted 3 online volunteering fairs (June 3f. Developing inclusive and diverse & October 2021 and February 2022) in volunteering opportunities (funded by partnership with Volunteer Centre Camden, Coram Beanstalk) to support the recruitment of volunteers W e ar e look in g online. An average of 20 organisations and 70 We developed a volu for n te e r s in you r ar e potential volunteers attended each fair. partnership and a! I h a v e th o ro ug h enj ly o yed th received funding from tra e ining a nd h a v lea e rnt s o m uch 3e. New volunteers and volunteering Coram Beanstalk to . Can y ou s p ar e a f ew h ou r s a w l ee oca k l t o p h r e i m l a p r a y s ch ool i n s p i r e ch undertake a piece i l d r en t o roles registered as part of the b ecom r e ead er s 9 ? 8 % of v ol u nt e of research, looking e brokerage service w rs ou l re d c omme nd u s t at what were the a o fri e nd. F in d u s o n barriers preventing lin y 1,232 new volunteers registered with the e Volunteer Centre, bringing a total of 3,855 local people in O r c al l : 0 20 7 7 29 4 0 volunteers registered; Islington (living 87 y 36 new groups/organisations registered in postcodes N1, N4, with our Volunteer Centre, bringing the N7, N8, N19) in engaging with the Coram total of organisations registered to 299; Beanstalk volunteering opportunities to y 203 volunteer roles were promoted, most support Islington primary school aged children of which were looking for one or two with their reading. 15 local VCFS organisations volunteers, but there were some roles were consulted, and recommendations on related to the COVID-19 response that how to adapt materials and help recruit needed hundreds of volunteers; volunteers from all our diverse communities were made to Coram Beanstalk. 30 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

1,232 36 203 3,855 new volunteers new groups/ volunteer roles volunteers registered organisations promoted registered at the registered Volunteer Centre 3g. Volunteering Outreach (funded by 3h. London Volunteer Centre Network Peabody Trust) We continue to be active members of the We have been working in partnership with Network facilitated by London Plus. Network Peabody Trust to create new volunteering members share best practice among opportunities in South Islington over a other things. two-year period. 3 local volunteers were trained up to help Peabody Trust residents find volunteering opportunities. One of the main aims of this project is to improve the residents’ wellbeing and employability skills as well as improve community cohesion. Annual and Impact Report 21/22 31

3i. Celebration of Volunteering – The Volunteer of the Year Award were Volunteer Award of the Year (VOYA) presented to the successful volunteers which In June 2021, we organised an online event was sponsored by Double Tree Angel Kings during Volunteers’ Week to celebrate and Cross. You can the winners and their stories recognise the efforts of our volunteers who here: https://vai.org.uk/volunteers-of-the- delivered vital work as part of the COVID-19 year-2021/. Vaccination programme roll-out and those who usually volunteer but were not able to due to the pandemic. The Mayor Cllr Gallagher; Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North; Orla O’Neil, COVID-19 Vaccine Programme Service Manager, GP Federation; Paul Reddish, CEO Volunteering Matters; Mohsin Shafi, North Central London NHS; Colin Adams, Octopus Community Network; Vanessa Freeman, Food Bank Co- ordinator, Brickworks Community Centre; Melissa O’Carroll, Volunteer Coordinator, Tollington/Hillrise Mutual Aid; Tessa Havers- Strong, Director of Forum+ acknowledged the huge efforts of the volunteers across Islington who made the COVID-19 Vaccine roll-out Ian Spencer - Volunteer of The Year programme a huge success. Some of the volunteers’ stories can be found at https://vai.org.uk/volunteers-week-2021/. 32 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

STRATEGIC Stronger Voice AIM 4 During this year, our main activities included: progress of Islington’s Challenging Inequality Strategy. The second part of the event 4a. Mental Health Awareness Week – focused on how organisations could more May 2021 effectively evidence and demonstrate their impact. 120 organisations registered for the Given the rise in mental health issues resulting event with over 90 attending on the day. from the pandemic, we hosted an online ‘Wellbeing for All’ event on the 12 May 2021. 4b. Islington Council and VAI Cllr Una O’Halloran, Executive Member for Community Conversations – Community Development opened the event. Online Events The aim of the event was to promote the During the year we started to take a more work of the and highlight the inspiring work of active part in the Community Conversations, some of the organisations providing mental helping to set the agenda and co-chairing the health support in the borough. Talk 4 Health; series with Cllr Sue Lukes, Executive Member Sunnyside Community Gardens, The Stress for Communities. We hosted 5 conversations Project, HNG; The Peel Direct Action Project, during the year with a focus on winter Islington Mind, Chance UK, Age UK Islington, planning; and how to support residents in Mixed Martial Arts for Reform and Progression their COVID-19 vaccination journey. (MMRAP) and Head Held High. Healthwatch Islington talked about the ambition and Annual and Impact Report 21/22 33

A standing item was from our Public Health experiences of community safety in the Islington colleagues who provided briefings borough. We promoted widely and hosted on the COVID-19 vaccination programme an in-person focus group for the and other to inform and engage the wider VCFS in the partners on the 29 September which was implementation of the vaccination programme chaired by Cllr Sue Lukes. and we prioritised other winter planning which 4e. LBI Good Work – What’s the system helped raise awareness of key Public Health change we need to see happen? What messaging and how to best support the VCFS part do we all play? – September 2021 to disseminate messages to local residents. Our CEO represented the VCFS at the An event hosted by Council colleagues to following workshops as well as supporting support Good Work in Islington. The session the engagement of the wider VCFS in the explored this by hearing from other Good development of council strategies: Work campaigns in Manchester and Sheffield, researchers who are active in this area, and 4c. Progressive Procurement – July 2021 will engage businesses, trade unions and An online discussion event on how community voices based in Islington to find procurement can generate real social value out specific barriers and areas where Islington and achieve sustained community benefits. Council can play an active role. 4d. LBI Violence Reduction Strategy – The purpose of the discussion was to identify September 2021 2-3 potential pilot projects. Capabilities in Academic Policy Engagement (CAPE) led on As part of the Councils new strategy, this with the aim that they would go on to look we supported the ‘Violence Reduction to fund an initiative up to £25k that supports Engagement Week’ to engage with and researchers, businesses and the local communities and get their feedback so authority to collaborate on this issue. that it reflected their views, knowledge and 34 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

4f. Integrated Care Board (ICB) VAI alongside Healthwatch Islington represent the VCFS on the ICB – the partnership responsible for the integration of adult health and social care in Islington. The North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group is transitioning to the North Central London Integrated Care System, and VAI, Healthwatch and other VCFS partners from across NCL are in the process of developing a strategy to support effective partnership working between the VCFS and the public sector. Our other Islington partner is Help on Your Doorstep. VAI contributed to the development of the VCS Alliance – which brings together Camden, Barnet, Enfield, Haringey and Islington’s infrastructure organisations and other specialist organisations representing the most under served communities across NCL. Annual and Impact Report 21/22 35

STRATEGIC Strengthen Partnerships AIM 5 Much of our work to strengthen the voice of the VCFS as per our fourth strategic aim also falls within this aim. In this section we have concentrated on the work we are involved in to develop and support VCFSE organisations working with children and young people. During this year, our main activities included: 5a. Young Islington Networks – North, young people and providers; opportunity Central and South to access a wide range of statutory We supported the development of the partners such as Education, SEND, Health, Council’s Young Islington Networks bringing Community Safety, Youth Justice, Targeted together VCFS providers of children and youth Support, early Help and Social Care young people’s services. The aims of the departments for info and support. Networks are to provide an opportunity to y opportunities for young people through a access: well promoted collective offer. y Information, funding and capacity building y professional resources and information opportunities promoted through the to improve practice, support work and network; onward referrals for those that who provide y free training, space for meetings and specialist services. activities; conferences and workshops on a wide range of topical issues for 36 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

5b) Young Islington Networks Inclusion Project To support the development of the Young Islington Networks, we secured 1-year funding from Islington Council to support the engagement and participation of Islington’s diverse VCFS in the 3 Networks and the Universal Youth Work Offer. Our particular focus is to encourage and support the participation of small groups and grassroots organisations especially those working with Bangladeshi, Somali and Turkish young people and supporting VCFS groups representing these communities in developing their youth work practice and their strategic engagement with the Networks. Annual and Impact Report 21/22 37

Finance Summary for the year ended 31st March 2022 The details on the following page are a summary of information from the financial statements as independently audited by Goldwins Chartered Accountants, 75 Maygrove Road, West Hampstead, London, NW6 2EG. This summary may not contain enough details to allow a full understanding of the financial affairs of Voluntary Action Islington. The full financial statements are available upon request from Voluntary Action Islington and can be downloaded from our website www.vai.org.uk The financial statements are also submitted to the Registrar of Companies and the Charity Commission. Bankers: Unity Trust Bank plc, Nine Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2HB. 38 Annual and Impact Report 21/22

Finance Summary for the year ended 31st March 2022 Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Total £ £ £ Income from: Donations and legacies Charitable activities 75,000 75,000 Community Development 41,132 41,132 Member Services and Support 4,939 4,939 Sector Development and Volunteering 75,781 199,334 275,115 Investments 7,478 7,478 Other 4,282 4,282 Total income 116,913 291,033 407,946 Expenditure on: Charitable activities Community Development 14,020 2,434 16,454 Member Services and Support 4,274 63,304 67,578 Sector Development and Volunteering 33,869 253,768 287,637 Total expenditure 52,163 319,506 371,669 Net (expenditure) income before net gains (losses) on investments 64,750 (28,473) 36,277 Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 48,524 219,909 268,433 Total funds carried forward 107,709 213,036 320,745 BALANCE SHEET (fund balances) at 31 MARCH 2022 Restricted funds 320,745 Unrestricted funds: Designated funds 50,509 General funds 162,527 TOTAL FUNDS 320,745 Annual and Impact Report 21/22 39

Our funders Public Health Islington Working for a fairer Islington by supporting community and voluntary action