The Big Help Project Social Accounts 2016-2017

Big Help Project- Social Accounts 2016 – 2017

A message from the Rt. Hon. George Howarth, MP for Knowsley. A recent survey jointly carried out for the Trussell Trust by researchers from Oxford University and King’s College London, highlighted some key statistics about those who have to turn to foodbanks for help: two thirds have a family member with physical or mental health problems; two in every five were experiencing problems with benefits; one in every six were in part-time or insecure employment and; single males are the most common group in need of their service. These statistics serve as a timely reminder of the insecure existence of many people and the appalling inequality that exists in our society. The Big Help Project here in Knowsley is a hugely important response to insecurity and inequality. It is, moreover, an evolving approach: not only does it enable people to feed themselves and their families; it also helps people to find employment; access the enormous possibilities that can come from being connected online; provide the basics for new babies and; helps people climb out of the vicious cycle of indebtedness. The examples provided powerfully show that, with a little help and encouragement, people can turn their lives around and realise their potential. A powerful testament to the importance of the project. It is an engine for change that helps people positively turn their lives around. I have to confess that, when I first met Barry Cooper at the beginning of the project, although I could see the importance of he what he wanted to achieve, I was sceptical about the prospect of turning a good idea, born out of a strong Christian commitment, into an achievable goal. I am glad to say that, as the Big Help Project rapidly evolved, my scepticism quickly evaporated. As he would be the first to point out, however, it is not a one-man band. The support of others with the same shared vision and commitment to the service of those most in need has been key to the success of the project. I share the ambition of those associated with the project to reach a time when it is no longer needed. In the meantime, on behalf of our whole community in Knowsley, I am proud that we have the benefit of a safety net which fills the space that is increasingly vacated by the state.

Rt. Hon George Howarth MP

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A message from Dr Barry Cooper “Welcome to the Social value report 2017, for the Big Help Project. This document was commissioned to summarise the impact that our work has had upon individuals and the wider community. The report will look at quantitative and qualitative data and will evaluate the difference we have made to the community we serve. It will review the first few years of our organisation, taking stock of what we have achieved and the difference we have been able to make. The Social Value Report generates a natural pause for my colleagues and I to reflect upon five-and-a-half years of growth and change. When we started Knowsley Foodbank in the autumn of 2011, I could not have foreseen that myself and others would have the opportunity to serve so many people across many different sections of the community, addressing issues such as debt, parenthood and unemployment, as well as food crisis. The people I have met, and the resulting pooling of resources, ideas and energy, have helped the Big Help Project become the holistic, creative and progressive organisation that it is today. Our achievements are a testimony to the support we have received from funders, trustees, staff, the local government sector, local dignitaries, businesses, schools and countless individuals. They also stand as a tribute to 100+ volunteers, who help deliver our services six days a week across Knowsley and the surrounding area, and who are often the first point of contact for clients in desperate circumstances. Thanks to these people, we have been able to obey the Bible’s command to: “Speak up for the people who have no voice, For the rights of the down-and outers, Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute! (Proverbs 31:8-9, The Message) Writing this Social Value Report not only reflects the work done to date, but highlights scale of work still to be done. We simply do not know for how long our work will be required, but the need for our services currently shows no sign of abating. The Big Help Project rightly acknowledges that, in modern Britain, there should not be a need for foodbanks. We also acknowledge that no single issue is to blame. However, as that need is there, we will strive to feed the hungry, to help and empower the vulnerable and the voiceless in our community, and to pray for a day when the foodbank is no longer needed. Thank you for taking the time to read this Social Value Report; I hope that you find it informative and inspiring.” Dr Barry Cooper Founder and CEO, the Big Help Project 3 Big Help Project- Social Accounts 2016 – 2017

Table of Contents Section 1 Introduction...... 6 1.1 The Big Help Project’s Vision ...... 6 1.2 The Big Help Projects Values ...... 7 1.3 The Big Help Projects’ aims ...... 7 1.4 The Big Help Projects’ Objectives and Activities ...... 7 Section 2 Social Accounting methodology and scope ...... 10 2.1 Planning ...... 10 2.2 Methodology ...... 10 2.3 Sources ...... 11 2.4 Stakeholder mapping and involvement ...... 11 2.5 Stakeholders and consultation approaches employed: ...... 12 Section 3 Knowsley ...... 13 3.1 The operating context of the Big Help Project ...... 13 3.2 The role of the Big Help Project ...... 14 Section 4 CORE SERVICES ...... 15 4.1 Knowsley Foodbank - A holistic approach to addressing poverty ...... 15 4.2 Knowsley Foodbank - why is there a need? ...... 15 4.3 How it works ...... 15 4.4 Knowsley Foodbank Data (April-March) ...... 16 4.5 Client story ...... 17 Section 5 Jubilee Debt Advice ...... 18 5.1 Delivery model ...... 18 5.2 The operating context ...... 18 5.3 Client Stories ...... 19 5.4 Funding...... 19 Section 6 Next Steps ...... 20 6.1 The operational context ...... 20 6.2 Outcomes ...... 21 6.3 Client stories-client E ...... 21 Section 7 Baby Basics ...... 22 7.1 Operational context ...... 22 7.2 How does it work? ...... 23 7.3 Client Story-client G ...... 23 Section 8 KEY FUNDED PROJECTS ...... 24

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8.1 GetConnected ...... 24 8.2 The three elements of GetConnected are: ...... 24 8.3 Digital Inclusion ...... 24 8.4 Working Futures ...... 25 8.5 Operating Context ...... 25 8.6 Client stories ...... 25 Section 9 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 27 9.1 Conclusions ...... 27 9.2 Recommendations ...... 27 9.3 Summary ...... 27 9.4 Jamie’s Story ...... 28 Section 10 Appendix – Social Value Checklists ...... 29 10.1 Social Impact – Key Aspects Checklist ...... 29 10.2 Governance and accountability ...... 30 10.3 Asset lock and use of surplus ...... 31 10.4 Financial sustainability ...... 31 10.5 Environmental sustainability...... 32 10.6 Economic contribution ...... 32 10.7 Compliance...... 33 10.8 Dissemination of Social Accounts ...... 33

“Trust is earned slowly but lost quickly. Being honest and trustworthy in all dealings with clients, stakeholders and partners is not an optional extra but essential to the work of the Big Help Project.”

The Big Help Project Aims & Values: Value 5 – “Integrity”

“It is not enough to do the right thing, one must be seen to be doing the right thing. This means accountability to umbrella organisations such as the Charity Commission, to governmental structures such as trustees and senior management, and to stakeholders such as funders and other partners.”

The Big Help Project Aims & Values: Value 6 – “Accountability”

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Section 1 Introduction

Welcome to the Big Help Project’s first social value report, covering the years from our founding in 2011, to March 2017. This report will measure the impact of our services upon individuals and the wider community, discussing the context behind each part of the project, and explaining how our work has supported people affected by these issues. Finally, it will bring statistics and clients’ own stories together with the common thread of the aims and values of the organization, summarising how we have demonstrated our faith and our shared humanity with the borough’s most marginalized people.

The Big Help Project, is a very different organization today from its early days as Knowsley Foodbank. At that time, we operated two days a week, giving food to local people in food crisis. In 2012, Jubilee Debt Advice became the first of a range of satellite projects that would combine to create a truly holistic service. This was joined by Next Steps employability service in 2013, and Baby Basics in 2014. In 2015, the Big Help Project set up a subsidiary trading company – Big Help Trading Co Ltd – to generate funding for the charitable projects. These core projects take a three-fold approach to alleviating poverty: • addressing the immediate crisis; • identifying the best way to support and empower clients; • and proactively challenging the systems and structures that drive poverty in the borough.

As the project has evolved, we have built a reputation for excellence in providing positive intervention that generates true change, rather than just nurturing dependence. These qualities have earned the respect of our community and peers, including the All Party Parliamentary Group on Poverty (Paul Goggins Award Runner up 2014), Commendation in the Knowsley Community Achievement Awards 2015, and being named as Social Enterprise of the Year at the Knowsley Business Awards 2015. Our team has grown to 30 staff and over 100 volunteers. The rate of growth of the organisation mirrors the increased needs of the community, due to social issues, economic crises and austerity measures. Throughout these changes, the core purpose has remained the same: to feed the hungry, wherever there is a need, without judgement or reservation.

Although Social Value involves the quantifying of impact, it is by no means the only way that we define success. Our aims state that real change is more than just a change in physical circumstances, and this is evidenced in the outcomes that are about more than money or numbers. Within this report are many stories which, although not directly quantifiable, have a value beyond price to us, and to the community, which give meaning and context to the numerical data contained within the report.

This report will summarise the first chapters of the ongoing story of the Big Help Project. Our story is part of a wider narrative of sweeping changes to the social, economic, political, and cultural landscape of the borough, the region and the country. Although our part is only small, we know it means the world to all those individuals that we have helped. We hope that we can continue to be a positive part of many more lives and can bring to life God’s commandment to love one another as ourselves. 1.1 The Big Help Project’s Vision The Big Help Project draws inspiration from the words of Nelson Mandela:

“Overcoming poverty is not an act of charity, it is an act of justice. Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome by the actions of human beings.”

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1.2 The Big Help Projects Values 1. Partnership - no more working in silos. The need is so great and resources comparatively few. The Big Help Project will always seek to work together for the good of others. 2. Dignity - people are not just a statistic or a problem waiting to be solved. They are human beings, made in the image of God and deserve to be treated with dignity. 3. Respect - everyone has their own story and unique contribution they can make to society. They have hopes, ambitions and dreams for the future that need to be respected, nurtured and encouraged. 4. Empowerment - not just doing things for people but enabling people to do things for themselves. Individuals often hold the key to their own destiny. 5. Integrity - trust is earned slowly but lost quickly. Being honest and trustworthy in all dealings with clients, stakeholders and partners is not an optional extra but essential to the work of the Big Help Project. 6. Accountability - it is not enough to do the right thing, one must be seen to be doing the right thing. This means accountability to umbrella organisations such as the Charity Commission, to governmental structures such as trustees and senior management, and to stakeholders such as funders and other partners. 7. Making a difference - there is a lot of talk in the world but not always much action. The Big Help Project will work to ensure that everything it does has a long-lasting effect upon those it seeks to support.

1.3 The Big Help Projects’ aims 1. Treat people with dignity and respect, not doing things for people, but rather empowering them to take control of their own lives 2. Accept and value people for who they are and without passing judgement on their circumstances, lifestyle or beliefs 3. Operate in God's strength and with his resources, understanding that true, life changing transformation is always more than just changes in physical circumstances 4. Work with others to help alleviate poverty in the borough of Knowsley and in the surrounding areas

1.4 The Big Help Projects’ Objectives and Activities Knowsley Foodbank Objectives • To feed people who are in food crisis • Help those in food crisis find a way out of current situation • To work with other agencies to support people in food crisis

By: 1. Making sure there is enough of the right food in the correct place to meet demand • Collections at supermarkets, schools, churches, offices • Correctly sorted and stored • Orders fulfilled and delivered • Distribution centres are welcoming and able to meet needs – training volunteers

2. Offering clients a listening ear • Signposting to services including Get Connected 7 Big Help Project- Social Accounts 2016 – 2017

3. Referring clients to other support agencies • We have up to date information • We develop strong relationships with agencies • We provide materials for signposting and referrals

Jubilee Debt Advice Objectives • Support clients to achieve financial stability or become debt free • Provide advice & support to relieve client stress around uncontrolled debt • Support clients to budget effectively to avoid future debt

By: • Discussing client’s current debt issues and informing them of the debt options available. • Provide local appointments and office based admin support (long-term). • Taking over correspondence with creditors. • Putting affordable repayment plans in place. • Taking clients through debt option – debt management, IVA, DRO and bankruptcy.

Next Steps Objectives • Provide Support into Employment, Training and Education • Work with External Agencies to Support Clients

By: 1. Working within a variety of foodbank distribution centres and community centres. 2. Taking referrals from Registered Social Landlords, job centres etc. 3. Working with clients on a 1:1 basis to create CV, apply for jobs, interview techniques, job search 4. Completing an action plan up dated at each 1:1 meeting. 5. Getting extra support for uniforms and work clothes. 6. Completing DBS checks and CSCS card applications. 7. Linking with a variety of housing trusts etc. to secure client funding. 8. Partnership building, creating jobs etc. through partner organisations.

Digital and Financial Inclusion Objectives • Provide skills and confidence to access online services • Provide advice and education to remove barriers to financial inclusion

By: 1. Removing barriers to participation. 2. Providing access to IT equipment to use online services - working on laptops/tablets. 3. Providing open-ended support, based in foodbank venues. 4. Completing discussions/assessments/demonstrations/practice to produce individual action plans. 5. Referring to banks/credit unions/college courses/job vacancies.

Baby Basics Objectives • Provide vulnerable expectant families and their baby with essential items • Alleviate stress/worry that comes from needing to provide those items • Reassure families that they’re not alone – people care • Provide useful accessible service to midwives and other frontline professionals

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By: 1. Appealing for, collecting, sorting and distributing donations. 2. Working with fulltime professionals to identify potential clients. 3. Locally purchase items that we run out of – especially new mattresses for each basket. 4. Getting baskets out to recipients in plenty of time for them to know that they have what they need. (usually 1 month before due date of baby). 5. Adding the personal touches – a greeting card, chocolates and personal items for mum. 6. Being a constant, reliable and easily accessible service. 7. Responding to referrals promptly – particularly in emergency cases.

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Section 2 Social Accounting methodology and scope

We wish these social accounts to do the following: • Showcase activity and demonstrate impact of the Big Help Project programme • Demonstrate how our activity links into Big Help Project values • Demonstrate the impact of our work to aid understanding internally and with external partners • Provide recommendations of how we can improve our social impact work in the future. 2.1 Planning The information in this report has been drawn from existing monitoring and reporting systems, and then combined with findings from additional consultation, to provide a picture of our performance and impact since 2011.

The report is underpinned by the principles and methodology developed and promoted by the Social Audit Network (SAN): • Clarify purpose • Define scope • Engage stakeholders • Determine materiality • Make comparisons • Be transparent • Verify accounts • Embed the process

This report will follow the Social Audit Network’s recommended format, to ensure that it complies with the underpinning principles. It will include information on methodology, scope of the report, quantitative and qualitative performance, and impact information on social, economic and environmental activities. 2.2 Methodology The report summarizes the achievements of the Big Help Project to March 2017. The Big Help Project recognised that the integrity of the report would be compromised if a robust methodology was not observed. Therefore, the Big Help Project considered each way a report of this type could be compromised, and applied the following controls: • Researcher bias. To mitigate against this, the researchers used a broad range of sources for both quantitative and qualitative data, drawing from Government agencies, NGOs, the press, independent reports, and reports from respected researchers in their respective fields. Online source hyperlinks are embedded into the text for use with the electronic version of the report • Author subjectivity. The report has been researched and authored by Big Help Project staff, but these staff are not directly involved in project delivery. • Subjectivity. In evaluating the social impact of the work of the Big Help Project, the authors accessed statistics from each project’s own records. Where the impact has been on an individual scale rather than quantifiable across a whole group, or where the data has been qualitative (for example, a client story), this has been clearly stated • Client confidentiality. All client stories and data are anonymized before publication, unless the client has given express permission for us to use their real name

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2.3 Sources The researchers used primary and secondary sources of data to compile these social accounts. Primary sources • Office of National Statistics Unemployment Figures • Department of Education G.C.S.E. results for 2013-2016 • 2015 Indices of Multiple Deprivation. Evaluating the Big Help Projects’ social impact against the Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2015 has added value to the researchers as this approach, using the Government’s own measures and indicators, will be aligned with the Government’s methodology when measuring relative deprivation, and any conclusions and recommendations that emerge from the analysis will be similarly aligned.

Finally, the report is populated with quantified social impact using data drawn from the operation of all elements of the Big Help Project. The population will be people resident in Knowsley and the surrounding area. The sampling frame will be those who qualify for assistance from the Big Help Project, and the sample will be people who access assistance from the Big Help Project. 2.4 Stakeholder mapping and involvement We have mapped each organisation that affects our work or is affected by our activity. Some of these have a greater influence and as such are positioned closer to Big Help Project on the following stakeholder map. This exercise was undertaken by the Big Help Project team and represents the current operating context.

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2.5 Stakeholders and consultation approaches employed: Stakeholders How were they involved or consulted Service users Written testimonies and verbal feedback gathered throughout the period Staff Written testimonies and verbal feedback gathered throughout the period Referral Partners Stakeholder survey to gather responses about partnership and contract/service delivery performance

“Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Jeremiah 29:7 – The Bible (New International Version)

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Section 3 Knowsley

Big Help Project has to date primarily operated in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley - a Metropolitan Borough within the County of Merseyside, and part of the Liverpool City Region. With a population of just under 150,000, Knowsley has a rich history of industry, innovation and commerce. But in the past three decades, Knowsley has experienced decline, leading it to be placed second in the Government’s 2015s Indices of Multiple Deprivation. Knowsley is the seat of the Stanley Family, who live at Knowsley Hall. Notable former residents include writer and television producer Phil Redmond, and actor Rex Harrison. 3.1 The operating context of the Big Help Project Knowsley was created as a place of opportunity and high quality of life between and after the World Wars. Knowsley as a borough came into being in 1974, but even before that date it had been the location of new industries and associated housing projects, as part of post-war investment and optimism. Major housing developments in Halewood, Page Moss and Huyton were designed to give people from the Liverpool slums a decent home, secure employment and opportunities for recreation.

However, a series of local and national circumstances over the years have seen the borough and its residents facing a range of difficulties. In the current climate of austerity measures following the economic crash of 2008, it is accepted that the North West in general, and Knowsley in particular, is an area of multiple deprivation, which has no clear, single cause or solution. Many Local Authorities have been subjected to budget cuts, and the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountability identifies that Knowsley experienced a cut in local authority funding of 10.9%, compared to a 3.2% increase for…Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire.

The table below summarises the various factors and impacts that have arisen, providing context for the Big Help’s operation. Indicators mapped against are those used in the 2015 Indices of Multiple Deprivation.

Table 1-Summary of Social Changes and potential impact on the Big Help Project client group

Indicator Social change Impact Health Increased life expectancy Aging population, increased pressure on finite resources. Income Recession in 1992 and financial crash in 2008; expansion and eventual Recession in 1992, 2008, end of the Imperial Preference reform of the Welfare State; implementation of the National System Preference system’ after joining the ECM in 1972; Minimum Wage in 1998; emergence of zero-hour contracts welfare reform act 2011 Employment See above Industrial decline in the North; closure of BICC, recessions in 1990s and 2008 Housing Introduction of Statutory Right To Buy - October 1980 Meant that social housing could be bought by the tenant. Allegedly is a causal factor in the reduction of social housing stock. Social Security and Housing Benefit Act 1982 Introduction of Housing Benefit The Housing Act 1988 Began the deregulation of private sector rents, reduced protection for tenants removed the right to independent assessment of "Fair Rents". The eligibility of students aged under 25 for HB was substantially cut. The Localism Act 2011 Removal of rent cap for RSL; Introduction of probationary tenancies

Welfare Reform Act 2012 Instigation of the SRS (bedroom tax’ Post-war investment in housing Creation of new housing stock Living environment Crime Crime and Disorder Act 1988-Section 5 Gave responsibility for implementing the Act to the relevant local authority-potential for that implementation to be compromised in the event of budget constraints in the future. Education and Implementation and then scrapping of the Tripartite system; The ‘Experimental education’ trialled in Knowsley; closure in 2016 Training National Curriculum. of last 6th form in the borough. 13 Big Help Project- Social Accounts 2016 – 2017

3.2 The role of the Big Help Project The Big Help Projects’ focus is on supporting clients affected by wider social change, challenging cultural attitudes, and speaking out to address prejudice towards society’s disadvantaged and marginalised. The table below demonstrates our intervention, aligned with the seven Indicators within the Indices of Multiple Deprivation, for ease of comparison. Table 2-Levels of Intervention of the Big Help Project set against the Indicators in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2015

IMD Indicator Level of intervention from the Big Help Project None Secondary-dealing with the Primary-dealing with the secondary consequences of the issues around the IMD issues around an IMD indicator Crime No direct or secondary intervention Health deprivation Disability- Knowsley foodbank and disability no direct Baby Basics role Living Environment- No direct Community RePaint scheme outside the home role. and Homes with Style

Income JDA Next Steps and Working Futures Living Environment- JDA Community RePaint within the home GetConnected (Digital Inclusion)-accessing price comparison sites Baby Basics Employment Next Steps and Working Futures

Education, skills and GetConnected training Next Steps and Working Futures Barriers to Housing GetConnected and Services

“Accept and value people for who they are and without passing judgement on their circumstances, lifestyle or beliefs” The Big Help Project Aims & Values: Aim 2 “People are not just a statistic or a problem waiting to be solved. They are human beings, made in the image of God, and they deserve to be treated with dignity.” The Big Help Project Aims & Values: Value 2 – “Dignity”

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Section 4 CORE SERVICES

4.1 Knowsley Foodbank - A holistic approach to addressing poverty Knowsley Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust national network of over 400 foodbanks, who last year gave over 1.2 million food parcels to people in food crisis nationally. Foodbanks give emergency food parcels to people who have no resources to buy food, and who would otherwise go hungry. Knowsley Foodbank receives food donations from the local community, through schools, churches, businesses, collection points in shops and banks, supermarket collections, and individuals. When Knowsley Foodbank opened in 2011, it operated two days per week from two venues in Kirkby, with one part-time member of staff and a handful of volunteers. In the first 6 months, Knowsley Foodbank fed 714 people. It now operates six days a week, at ten centres across Knowsley, employing staff and supported by over 100 volunteers. In the year April 2016 to March 2017, it fed close to 8,000 people.

We recognise that emergency food provision addresses only the immediate crisis, and that it is more important to address the underlying circumstances that have brought that client to food poverty. To do this, our foodbank clients have the opportunity to engage with other services provided (see section 8). This reflects our belief that true change is more than just a change in physical circumstances, and that people often hold the key to their own destiny. 4.2 Knowsley Foodbank - why is there a need? The emergence of foodbanks since the late 1990’s, and the growth in the number of foodbanks nationally over the past ten years, is the subject of debate. The Trussell Trust has conducted extensive, recent research on the demographics of foodbank use, the findings of which chime with Knowsley Foodbank’s own experiences. The increase in foodbank use coincides with the implementation of austerity measures, especially the Welfare Reform Act 2011 which set out sweeping, incremental changes to welfare policy. This included the removal or reduction of previously awarded benefit payments across many cohorts including the ill, the disabled and the self-employed. Research conducted by Loopstra in 2016 also indicates a “strong, dynamic relationship” between foodbank use and the increased implementation of benefit sanctions. The experience of Knowsley Foodbank mirrors national trends, with delayed/sanctioned benefits - or benefits that are inadequate to the outgoings an individual – strongly evidenced as being causal factors in needing to access a foodbank. However, the distinct features of Knowsley as discussed in 3.1 arguably make the borough more vulnerable to the challenges affecting most of the country.

Food crisis is a clearly visible indicator of poverty and social inequality. Evidence suggests that ongoing welfare reform will continue to be a factor driving foodbank use. For example, Trussell Trust have identified a 16% increase in foodbank use in areas where Universal Credit has been rolled out, compared 6.6% in areas yet to implement it. As such, the Big Help Project believes that the need for our services will continue for the foreseeable future. 4.3 How it works There are two ways that people can access emergency food from Knowsley Foodbank:

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4.3.1 Emergency Support Scheme (ESS) The scheme is funded via a Service Level Agreement with Knowsley Council, who also provide logistical support with referrals, lease and maintenance of a van, and funding for some staff posts. Clients apply to KMBC by telephone for support from the ESS, and are usually given an answer within two hours. Knowsley Foodbank then delivers a food parcel to the client at one of four convenient locations in the Borough.

4.3.2 Red Voucher These are issued by voucher holders to individuals in food crisis. Voucher holders include: schools, G.P. surgeries, agencies and organisations across the borough. Individuals can also request a voucher from the Citizens Advice Bureau in Huyton or Kirkby. Clients have three days to redeem their voucher, although this can be extended in extenuating circumstances. A voucher provides three-days’ supply of none-perishable food for each person in the household. We also strive to give clients fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and bread, which is directly funded by the Big Help Project. The table overleaf illustrates the key operational difference between the two types of voucher provision. Food for both schemes is stored centrally at Knowsley Foodbank’s Kirkby warehouse, and all stock in and out is logged on the Knowsley foodbank system, regardless of which type of voucher it fulfils.

Table 3-The Knowsley Foodbank operating models Details Emergency Support Scheme Red Voucher Open to Knowsley residents? Yes Yes Qualifying criteria applies Yes-must be in receipt of Yes-issuer must feel certain that there is qualifying benefits food poverty in the household. Redeemable at foodbank Only with an appointment Yes-just turn up distribution centres Redeemable at 1 Stop Shops Yes No Limited number unless can Yes Yes demonstrate ongoing engagement with a professional agency Includes help with gas/electricity Yes No Processed by KMBC Yes No Processed by Foodbank Yes Yes Logged onto KMBC system Yes No Logged onto Trussell Trust system Yes Yes

4.4 Knowsley Foodbank Data (April-March) Table 4-Knowsley Foodbank uptake figures

Year (April-March) Vouchers ESS Total people fed Food Food donated (kg) distributed (kg) 2011-2012 (6 months) 714 0 714 6,864 5,169 2012-2013 3160 0 3160 29,138 22,092 2013-2014 6318 2008 8326 53,034 52,500 2014-2015 6329 1744 8073 53,820 51,161 2015-2016 6348 1717 8065 57,216 56,091 2016-2017 3175 1177 7885 52,347 50,100

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Reasons for referral* to Knowsley Foodbank, April 2016-March 2017

Benefit Changes Benefit Delays

0%2%0% Child Holiday Meals 20% Debt 28% Delayed Wages Domestic Violence 0% 21% Homelessness 8% Low Income 18% 0% 0% No recourse to public funds 1% Other

2% Refused STBA**

*referral by self or by third party 4.5 Client story December 2016 “Mrs A used the foodbank in Kirkby for herself and four children. We were happy to help her and there were no problems. I saw her a few weeks later at a foodbank in Huyton, and she was very distressed. Her son had become involved in a gang, and it had led to violence in their home in Kirkby. The police had moved the family overnight as an emergency, and they were in a new house with nothing but the clothes that they were wearing. This was two weeks before Christmas. Mrs A left the foodbank in Huyton with enough food for a week for the family, plus lots of household goods, including a kettle. The foodbank team then worked with Big Help Trading staff and within 24 hours they all had clothes and within 48 hours they had a television and some additional furniture. We applied to the Radio City Toy appeal and over the next week Mrs A was given lots of Christmas presents for the children. A few days before Christmas we delivered a Christmas tree-along with lights and decorations. Mrs A needed to use the foodbank one more time whilst her benefits changed to take into account her change in circumstances. To use her words, “the Big Help Project was like my fairy Godmother and Santa’s’ little helper, all rolled into one!”

“Everyone has their own story and unique contribution they can make to society. They have hopes, ambitions and dreams for the future that need to be respected, nurtured and encouraged.” The Big Help Project Aims & Values: Value 3

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Section 5 Jubilee Debt Advice

Jubilee Debt Advice (JDA) is a free debt-management service, founded on the Biblical principle of honouring debts (Psalm 25), and keeping true to the Big Help Project’s aims of operating in God’s strength and empowering people to take control of their own lives. JDA has supported more than 300 people in their journey out of debt. JDA was founded in 2013 in response to the emergence of personal debt as a recurring and significant factor in causing food crisis. Demand for the service has grown steadily since then, (see table below). JDA clients between them have faced over £3m worth of debt.

Year (January – December) Number of new clients Growth YOY Overall growth 2012* 2 - - 2013 28 1300% 1300% 2014 57 104% 2750% 2015 90 58% 4400% 2016 140 56% 6900%

*This figure refers to the number of new clients from November to December 2012. The first full year of JDA operating is 2013 5.1 Delivery model JDA is delivered by a team of four qualified or trainee Debt Advisors, and is regulated by the Financial Services Authority. The service is affiliated with the Community Money Advice network. Clients can access JDA at a variety of locations, and the team also delivers weekly Debt Advice appointments for tenants of two Registered Social Landlords. This 1:1 delivery model provides the pastoral and emotional support that is important in any debt management plan. 5.2 The operating context The need for JDA is driven by multiple local and national factors. The use of zero-hour contracts makes budgeting impossible for many workers, while benefit cuts can drastically reduce incomes. Another significant driver of personal debt (as opposed to managed borrowing) is the “rent-to-own” market. The rent-to-own market is an example of the so-called ‘poverty premium’, defined as the notional amount of additional money that a poor household pays for the same goods and services over a year. This is also found in pricing structures for utilities and short-term borrowing (‘payday loans’). The CAB estimate that the Rent- to-own market grew by 131% from 2008 to 2016, representing 400,000 customers.

Our records also indicate that a key driver of increased personal debt in Knowsley is the impact of the Welfare Reform Act 2012. This act brought in a raft of changes to entitlement, awards, appeals processes and payment methods that combined to have a major impact on an area with high unemployment, high levels of benefit claims through sickness, and high levels of relative income deprivation.

JDA Adviser Carole Almond-Doherty describes how the Welfare Reform Act 2012 has impacted the clients she sees each day: “At Jubilee Debt Advice, we help anyone who is struggling with debt, but over the past few years we have seen the same issues with so-called ‘bedroom tax’, Universal Credit and, more recently, the benefit cap. The bedroom tax which came into effect in 2013 means that people who are under-occupying a property lose some of their housing benefit, which sounds like a small amount but when people are already on a tight budget it can be catastrophic. People on benefits are now required to pay a portion of Council Tax from their benefits, when in the past they didn’t have to. If any client has Council Tax arrears, a liability order of at least 18 Big Help Project- Social Accounts 2016 – 2017

£45 may be added to the debt. If arrears remain unpaid, the debt may be sent to bailiffs. The bailiffs add their costs to the debt, and they may be unwilling to accept affordable repayments. The final straw for a lot of people has been the benefit cap, where a household cannot claim more than £20,000 in benefits-that sounds like a lot of money, but it includes Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, which can vary across individual circumstances and entitlements, and between local authorities.”

5.3 Client Stories From over five years of supporting people with debt management, the team at JDA have seen first-hand the wide-reaching impact the issue of debt can have upon a person’s life. Here are some of our clients’ stories.

Client B “A client came to us after receiving a Suspended Possession Order for their home, and bailiffs were knocking. They had over £1,500 rent arrears and two bailiffs for Council Tax debts, as well as other debts. We worked with the bailiffs and their social housing landlord, going through our client’s income and expenditure and setting up payments with their creditors. We applied for and received a United Utility Trust Fund which wrote off their water debt. Our client has paid off the bailiffs and their rent arrears are now under £500. They are now paying all their creditors and essential expenditure with agreed affordable amounts. This has helped them to pay more rent arrears as each debt has been settled. They are now managing their finances and the rent arrears will soon be paid. This will mean their social landlords have a tenant who will pay their rent on time, incur no more court costs or extra administration tasks for their staff.” Paul Bartley, JDA Caseworker

Client C “Our client had to pay bedroom tax for his two-bedroomed property after his partner and children moved out. This lead to his income being reduced to under £80.00 per week. At one stage, he didn’t see his children (both under six, with one disabled) for a year. He also has mental health problems, affecting his memory, organisational skills and reading and writing. He had a suspended possession order after struggling to pay his bedroom tax, but needed two rooms for his children who stayed three days per week. His ex-partner did not contribute towards the cost of food or fuel for looking after the children. Moving to a one bedroomed property would mean not being able to have his children stay. When we started working with our client he wasn’t engaging with his social landlord and had no home phone or working mobile. He had been turned down for a Discretionary Housing Benefit because he wouldn’t move to any of the one-bedroomed properties he was offered. We liaised with his landlord, social worker, housing benefit, Healthy Homes and his sister. We wrote to the Chair of the Housing asking them to reconsider their decision to make him homeless. We gave them the full facts, and they did not make him homeless. He is now engaging with them, has applied for Discretionary Housing Payment and is paying off his arrears.” Debbie Butland, JDA Caseworker

Client D “Our client was behind with their rent and owed nine years Council Tax. The Council Tax payments had been sent to bailiffs. The amount they wanted would mean she wouldn’t be able to pay her rent arrears. We sent many letters to them and after a year they finally accepted affordable payments. Our client was then able to pay their rent and make payments to clear their rent arrears.” Kathryn King, JDA Caseworker 5.4 Funding We are grateful for the funding we receive for Jubilee Debt Advice from:

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Section 6 Next Steps

Next Steps supports people in overcoming barriers to employment, training or education. The Next Steps team work with people of all age groups and employment statuses, providing support for clients who are looking for work through its links with other employment programs and employers across the borough. The concept of a work ethic is one that appears in the Bible many occasions. The Bible takes the view that all work is of value, and that willing service in any field of work is a gift to the Lord; saying: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Colossians 3:23 (ESV) The Big Help Project aims to help people to take their place in the workforce and to fulfil their own potential for growth and service through secure, meaningful employment that best suits their strengths and abilities.

6.1 The operational context Knowsley has some of the nation’s highest levels of poverty, academic underachievement and unemployment: Education • Knowsley has the 23rd most deprived neighbourhood nationally for education, skills or training • Knowsley attainment at G.C.S. E is consistently below the national and regional averages. In the most recent data, provisional results for academic year 2015-2016, shows only 36.4% of pupils achieving 5+ Grades A*-C, compared with 56.6% for the North West and 57.7% nationally1 • Knowsley currently has no school 6th form provision-students who wish to study at that level need to travel out of the borough to continue their education, creating another barrier to progress Employment • According to the 2015 Indices of Multiple Deprivation, Knowsley contains the 22nd most deprived neighbourhood national for employment. • Unemployment represents missed opportunities for the unemployed person and wider community • Unemployment in Knowsley currently stands at 3,500 (5%). The real figure could be higher, as unemployment measures people who are claiming unemployment benefit. Those who are subject to benefit sanctions are not included in the unemployment figures. The number of people in Knowsley who are economically inactive is 27.7%, with over 1/3 (37.6%) classed as long-term sick (NOMIS Labour Market Profile, Knowsley, 2017) Training Unlike with Education and Employment, Knowsley does not have a marked lack of opportunity for training, in terms of courses and providers available. The issues that are likely to impact a citizen of Knowsley are barriers to accessing that provision, and are related to wider issues of poverty, poor or inconsistent education strategies and delivery, lack of motivation, and low confidence. Although these factors are not unique to Knowsley, they are more prevalent in the borough. Next Steps is strongly focused on working with the client to identify the barriers that they face. Staff then create a realistic plan as to how those barriers can be overcome, while providing any practical help, tailored guidance or other support that may be needed.

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6.2 Outcomes Since Next Steps started there has been over 627 positives outcomes. The distribution of these outcomes is as follows:

Type of outcome Number of outcomes* CV/application support 303 into volunteering 19 Onto courses 177 Referred to other organisations, such as the Princes Trust 84 Into employment 120 Into apprenticeships 17 Business start-up 15 *please note, the number of outcomes exceeds the number of clients, as a client can have more than one outcome

Next Steps has also worked alongside other organisations to help clients with health issues that they felt were barriers to their chances of gaining employment (including mental health issues, dyslexia and epilepsy).

6.3 Client stories-client E “We worked with a 17-year-old woman who was enrolled on beauty course at college but was not happy as she wanted to work as receptionist. We reviewed her CV which was short of some experience, so we arranged for her to do some volunteering with us on our reception and at one of our Foodbank Distribution Centres. We then helped her look and apply for reception apprenticeships. She also applied for a receptionist job and got an interview. She was very nervous, so we spent time doing mock interviews and gave her practice interview questions to use at home. She succeeded in her first interview was offered a second interview, in which she needed to show that she could use Excel spreadsheets, which she was worried about. So, we spent some time going over this with her. She passed her second interview and got to final two candidates. We continued to help with her confidence/self-esteem and practice interview questions and she passed her final interview and got the job in North Mersey Business Centre. Client F Another client had been made redundant after 30 years in an office job. We helped her with a CV, but she lacked confidence, having worked so long in one role. She was also struggling after a recent bereavement. We spent time helping build up rapport/confidence with her. She became interested in volunteering so she visited a couple of our foodbanks – which she loved helping in. As her confidence and interpersonal skills improved, she became a permanent volunteer, as well as securing herself a 16-hours per week cleaning job.” Cathy Connolly, Next Steps Caseworker

“Empowerment - not just doing things for people, but enabling people to do things for themselves. Individuals often hold the key to their own destiny.”

The Big Help Project Aims & Values: Value 4

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Section 7 Baby Basics

Baby Basics Knowsley was founded in 2014, and operates as part of a national scheme founded in Sheffield in 2009. It ensures that babies born into vulnerable situations receive the practical items they need for the first few months of life. Mums-to-be are referred to Baby Basics by professionals, often Community Midwives. When baby arrives, they receive a Moses Basket filled with toiletries, nappies, clothes, and a teddy. We also include a present for mum, and a card welcoming the baby into the world. Most items in the Moses Basket are donated by individuals and businesses, with some items being ‘topped up’ from Big Help funds to ensure every Moses Basket is of the highest quality. For some mothers, these are the only gifts they will receive for their baby.

“Children are a blessing and a gift from the LORD” Psalm 127:3, Contemporary English Version (CEV)

7.1 Operational context Austerity measures that have impacted women and children the most include the Welfare reform Act 2012, which amongst other measures brought in the abolition of the Discretionary Social Fund, which previously had provided crisis loans, community care grants and budgeting loans. Responsibility - but not statutory obligation - was transferred to local authorities. The Child Poverty Action Group criticised this change as representing, “the removal of a vital safety net at a time when the poor are experiencing huge financial pressures and cuts in their benefit entitlement… hard-pushed LAs* will not have the resources (in terms of funding, staff and organisation) to cope with the demand for assistance from poor and vulnerable residents.” *Local Authorities Research conducted in 2012 found that “substantial reductions in national budgets are leading to cuts in local services to prevent and protect against gender-based violence. These cuts in service provision are expected to lead to increases in this violence…”. M.P Alison Thewliss suggested that the situation in 2017 was in to be “absolute chaos. And it’s very vulnerable women who are at risk as a result of this”.

Knowsley has its’ own challenges that make the role of Baby Basics even more vital. The Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2015 calculates that there is an average of 95 children per LSOA (Lower Super Output Area) who are income deprived. Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council’s Child and Family Poverty Plan 2015-18, (Ong, J, 2016) states that child poverty levels in Knowsley are higher than England (18%), and second highest in the Liverpool City Region (Ong, J. Page 3). Knowsley Council also identifies that in 2013 (the most recent data) 10,205 children in Knowsley were living in poverty, representing 28.9% of all children in the borough. Of those children, 80% were in a single parent family, a key group for support from Baby Basics, and almost a third (3,240) of all children living in poverty in Knowsley were aged less than five years. The steady increase in clients of Baby Basics indicates a consistent and growing need for this service, with the yearly uptake figures illustrated in the table below:

Table 5-Baby Basics service uptake to end of March 2017

Year (April-April) Number of baskets distributed % Growth YOY % Growth since 2011 2014-2015 49 - - 2015-2016 54 10% 10% 2016-2017 72 33% 46%

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7.2 How does it work? As with all elements of the Big Help Project, Baby Basics works as part of a holistic approach. Referrals to Baby Basics usually come through Community Midwives, and occasionally through other health professionals. These referrals can often be a route to, or a result of, other interventions. This is best illustrated in the case study below:

7.3 Client Story-client G “A childcare professional from a Family Centre called to request food for a family she works with – a mum and her four children. In reading a confirmation email I discovered that the mum had just given birth a month early. Staff from the family centre had personally collected mum & baby from hospital, come here for food, was going to the chemist to buy formula and also had to collect the other children from mum’s friend. All of this while mum was despairing at home – wondering how she was going to manage. We were able to send the professional away with not only food but a Baby Basics starter pack too. So, together, we have all helped the mum and her children have a much more joyful evening, celebrating the arrival of their baby. The mum was overwhelmed, and sent a message of thanks to say that everything in the basket would go to good use.” Heidi Ferns, Baby Basics Coordinator

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Section 8 KEY FUNDED PROJECTS

8.1 GetConnected

GetConnected is our Big Lottery funded project that combines our foodbank provision with the Next Steps (Employability) and Jubilee Debt Advice services and digital inclusion support. GetConnected launched as a three-year project in 2015, and is delivered via outreach appointments and drop-ins at Knowsley Foodbanks’ distribution centres.

This approach gives clients the opportunity to access multiple services in one location, and to address interlinked issues that may be barriers to fulfilling their potential. Barriers may include crippling debt, and also not knowing how to access the internet, which can impact upon an individual’s material and financial circumstances, and also their sense of social inclusion, hope and confidence. This obviously runs counter to God’s plan for each of us. We put into action our faith in everybody’s potential to make a positive contribution to society through practical support. By reaching out to people, we live our aims and values of empowerment and operating within Gods strength and resources.

8.2 The three elements of GetConnected are: • Jubilee Debt Advice • Next Steps (incorporating Working Futures) • Digital Inclusion through Learn my Way 8.3 Digital Inclusion Our Digital inclusion support directly supports people by providing access to and training in the digital world. Across all employment sectors, digital literacy is considered a vital skill. Therefore, lack of digital skills creates a barrier to accessing employment opportunities. Poor digital literacy can also prevent people accessing key money-management resources such as on-line banking and price comparison sites that can help people get better deals on purchases and utilities. Digital skills are also vital for seeking employment and benefits. Many job opportunities are posted on-line, and the DWP often requires that JSA claimants undertake on-line job-search through Universal Jobmatch.

GetConnected provides free internet access and basic I.T. skills training through outreach at our ten foodbank distribution centres. Clients can gain a free qualification through the Learn my Way platform, as well as updating their C.V. and job searching with support from Big Help staff.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11ESV

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The table below demonstrates the impact of GetConnected in its first two years of operation:

Support/Outcome achieved Total clients Total clients TOTAL Year 1 (2015/16) Year 2 (2016/17) Gained access to internet 32 46 78 Received basic IT support & training 14 38 52 Received debt advice from JDA 81 70 151 Received employability support (e.g. help with 62 46 108 CV writing, job searching, interview techniques etc) Gained employment 3 7 10

8.4 Working Futures Working Futures is delivered by our Next Steps team, and supports people aged 16-29 who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) to progress into the labour market. It is part-funded by the European Social Fund and Youth Employment Initiative, and is delivered in partnership with VOLA Consortium and Greenbank College. Working Futures reflects our belief in the potential of all young people to find their role in society, and a conviction that with the right guidance and support, these young people can take charge of their own destiny. Confidence and resilience building are important parts of the process. Working Futures provides tailored support to clients. Our team gives the young person 1:1 support with identifying aspirations, devising a plan and putting it into practice. Actions might include opening a bank account and obtaining a National Insurance number, or obtaining qualifications and gaining work experience. Since launching in 2016, the program has recruited over 40 clients, with over 20 achieving a successful outcome, including full and part time employment, paid training positions and further education.

8.5 Operating Context • Locally, Knowsley has been the location for repeated ‘experiments’ in education, which has left the borough consistently underperforming in at secondary level. In the most recent data, provisional results for academic year 2015-2016, shows only 36.4% of pupils achieving 5+ Grades A*-C, compared with 56.6% for the North West and 57.7% nationally • 2016 saw the closure of the region’s last school Sixth Form • The 2015 Indices of Multiple Deprivation show that unemployment is a key issue in the area. 8.6 Client stories Client H “Client H engaged with our Working Futures programme having been expelled from school before completing his G.C.S.E.’s and being in and out of employment ever since. During our conversations about what he wanted to do – we talked about what had gone wrong for him. He was very reflective, and started speaking about things he was passionate about. Social Justice came out top, and I realised Client H needed a vocational pathway as well as a job.

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I researched Community Development Courses for Client H and came across an organisation called Uprising. Uprising have a nine-month leadership programme for 18-24-year olds called UpRising Core Leadership. It involves ‘access behind the scenes’ sessions with some of the UK’s most senior leaders that will help young people like Client H find his niche in the world. The course is in the evening and will allow participants to work while they are participating and completing. Client H attended interview for course and was offered an unconditional scholarship costing £2,500 providing he completes and graduates from a four week ‘Find your Power’ program in August this year.

Client H also needed work and an income and had been involved in various construction jobs too. An opportunity came up with LS Division Scaffolding Company who were looking to take on a paid trainee. I brokered a meeting between LS Division, Client H and a training funder, and the end result was Client H securing six months paid training with the company. We supported Client H to gain his CSCS card to ensure he was appropriately qualified to commence the new role”.

Client J “We started working with a young woman in January 2017 on the Working Futures Programme, and although progress was slow to begin with, each engagement saw a little progress. We discovered after many discussions that she would be best suited to outdoor work and preferably with animals. The Big Help Project has a good link with Knowsley Safari Park, and we contacted them to see if they could arrange any work experience for our client. We explained her background of having been in trouble with the Police, and her family being threatened with eviction by their Landlord due to her anti-social behaviour. The Park Manager carried out a risk assessment, and agreed to offer the young client a few hours with the Sealions Trainer under our supervision. Our client agreed to go and turned up on the day. It could not have gone any better – this young woman followed all instructions given – she showered the Sealions in the morning, checked the PH levels of the pool, cleaned the poo from the pool and carried out maintenance work of their display. We were so proud of her! The keeper then mentored her with one of the seals, ball throwing, fish feeding and she even allowed the seal to kiss her without too much hesitation. We were amazed at her natural capacity to work with the animals! The keeper was hugely impressed, and at the end of the experience has offered the client a regular voluntary work placement with her – which she agreed to. Since then her one-day per week volunteering has increased to three, and pending continued good behaviour in the community she will be placed on a paid training contract with Knowsley Safari Park at the beginning of June. Cathy Connolly, Working Futures Caseworker

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Section 9 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

9.1 Conclusions The conclusions arising from this report are: • That the Big Help Project delivers a vital service to people in Knowsley who are experiencing food crisis, financial crisis or who need support with preparing for their new baby • The Big Help Project’s approach has been demonstrably successful, as illustrated in the client stories • The need for the services of the Big Help Project are likely to increase, as further economic problems and austerity measures impact all of society, but especially those who have the least in the first place 9.2 Recommendations The recommendations arising from this report are:

9.2.1 Service delivery: • That the Big Help Project continues to deliver the existing model of primary and secondary interventions to support those experiencing poverty • That the model builds upon its holistic structure to deliver interlinked services to individuals in the Knowsley community experiencing food crisis, debt problems, unemployment, lack of training or education, or who are having a baby and are classed as vulnerable 9.2.2 Operational • That the Big Help Project establishes a framework for quantifying social value, in preparation for the new edition of this document, scheduled for 2019, and the next Social Value Report, scheduled for 2022 • As part of the framework, the following needs to be in place and to be continually updated: o Ongoing spreadsheet with established formulae for calculating economic value o Record keeping for National Minimum Wage bands for clients finding work through GetConnected, to simplify process for calculating wage value and N.I. generated by the Big Help Project when clients secure employment. This would remove the need to average out the NMW pay bands and would yield a more accurate figure

9.3 Summary Knowsley today is very different from the land of opportunity and hope that was envisioned by those who drove the social projects that created it. Bringing that vision back into a reality is one that requires social and political will beyond the reach and scope of the Big Help Project. However, what the Big Help Project can do is to engender change from the ground up, by bringing together partners across all sectors, and working holistically to give people the quality of life and prosperity that they deserve.

The Social Value Report is a snapshot of what has been accomplished, and it would be forgivable for us to look back upon all that has been achieved with a sense of pride. Through guidance and grace, we have had the privilege of being there to support people from many walks of life, who may have lost their way. We have helped them to get back on their feet and move towards a better future. We see the Social Value Report as a record, and also as a call to action: to continue to bring compassion and care to those who society increasingly leaves behind, and to work towards a future were all can access not only food, but opportunity and fulfillment. 27 Big Help Project- Social Accounts 2016 – 2017

Everything that the Big Help Project does has the clients at its centre. It is therefore fitting that the last word in this report should go to a young man who personifies everything that the project aims to achieve, and who demonstrates how what we do can be truly life changing, for those with the courage to make the most of it:

9.4 Jamie’s Story

“My name is Jamie, I'm 27. I have always been the type of person that’s confident, outgoing and ambitious. I gained a degree in business management and was excited about my future. Two years following graduating I found myself in a position that I never imagined I would ever be in. I was unemployed and without a penny. I felt depressed, ashamed of myself and at rock bottom. I tried to get help from the Job Centre but my payments from them where less than £33 per month after rent and most of this on power for my home. I got to a point where I couldn’t afford to buy food, so, with my head hung in shame I had to go to the foodbank. At the foodbank, I discovered the Big Help Project. They made me feel like could have hope again by boosting my confidence and making sure I could eat, have power in my home and help applying for jobs. I got an interview and they provided me with a suit, as well as help with getting to interviews. Most importantly they helped with interview skills, mainly boosting my confidence that I had previously lost. I got offered a position in a job that I thought I had no chance of getting. I put a massive part of this down to looking the part on my interview and the confidence I had been given by the Big Help Project. Everybody helped me there but Cathy and Monica. Without the close one to one help and guidance from them I dread to think of what position I would be in now, especially mentally. Thanks to all of the help I can proudly say that I am the assistant e-commerce manager at Alive and Dirty and am excited to what the future holds”. Jamie, June 2017

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Section 10 Appendix – Social Value Checklists

10.1 Social Impact – Key Aspects Checklist 1 People who work for us

Number Date/Details/Comment 1.1 Number of people: 23 Full-time 10 Part-time 13 Volunteers c.120 Directors (or equivalent) 8 Trustees 1.2 Examples of specific policies or Y N NA arrangements: a. employee contracts ✓ b. employee job descriptions ✓ c. staff appraisals / 1:1s with a line ✓ manager d. staff and volunteer induction ✓ training e. staff and volunteers continuing ✓ professional development f. grievance procedures ✓ g. disciplinary procedures ✓ h. equality and diversity policies ✓ i. equal opportunities ✓ j. pay differentials between the ✓ highest paid and the lowest paid k. family friendly policy ✓ Flexible Working & TOIL Policy l. work – life balance policy ✓ Flexible Working & TOIL Policy m. health and welfare policies e.g. ✓ No policy in place but principles are in place breastfeeding, physical exercise, healthy workplace n. employment policy around use ✓ No policy in place but we pay all staff living of zero hours contracts, Living wage as a minimum and do not use zero Wage, etc hours contracts. o. cooperative/staff/union – ✓ Annual SWOT analysis involving the whole management relations and staff team empowerment Open door policy. 1.4 Compliance: Give details of any external Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 standards (regulatory, legal, Health and Safety Executive statutory, industrial, etc.) Charity Commission regarding bodies that you comply Financial Conduct Authority with. Data Protection Act 1.5 Consultations, involvement and Y N NA Date/Details/Comment engagement of people: (It is

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expected that organizations will from time to time consult their employees and volunteers) a. consultation or involvement ✓ Annual SWOT with paid employees b. consultation or involvement ✓ Annual Stakeholder analysis with volunteers c. other ✓

10.2 Governance and accountability 2.1 Legal Comments Legal form of Registered charity, number 1141024 organization:

2.2 Formal partnerships Baby Basics, KMBC, One Vision Housing, VOLA, Greenbank College, CMA, Steve Morgan Foundation, The Connectives, The Trussell Trust 2.3 Quality systems The Big Help Project has applied for PQASSO Level 1. 2.4 Other ethical ‘features’ All staff are paid at the National Living Wage rate or above. 2.5 Examples of specific Y N NA Date/Details/Comment actions… Appropriate annual ✓ Charity Commission Annual Return and accounts return filed FCA annual returns (GABRIEL Reports) Annual General ✓ Not required by our mems and arts Meeting held Regular ✓ Quarterly Trustees meetings Board/Management Committee meetings Annual Report ✓ See charity commission website for compliance history published Membership ✓ increased/decreased 2.6 Compliance: Give details of any FCA Debt broker compliance external standards Charity Commission annual reporting and general governance compliance (regulatory, legal, Community Money Advice standards compliance for Debt Advice statutory, industrial, Trussell Trust compliance for Foodbank etc.) regarding general governance that you comply with. 2.7 Consultations and Y N NA Date/Details/Comment dialogue: 30 Big Help Project- Social Accounts 2016 – 2017

a. with members of ✓ the organisation b. with members of ✓ the Board or Management Committee c. with Advisory ✓ Body members (if appropriate)

10.3 Asset lock and use of surplus An ‘asset lock’ refers to degree to which you ensure that assets are retained for social and community benefit and that they are not used to directly and excessively benefit individuals. Within different organisations there are ‘degrees’ in which this happens or not. 3.1 Asset lock Y N NA Date/Details/Comment Asset lock included in the ✓ constitution 3.2 Examples of use of surplus: Y N NA a. no surplus made ✓ Surplus reinvested to enhance services and b. to reserves or re-investment ✓ facilities for the local community. c. to charitable purposes ✓ d. to employee bonuses ✓ e. to directors’ emoluments ✓ f. to other ✓

10.4 Financial sustainability 4.1 Accounts Y N NA Date/Details/Comment Balance sheet ✓ strengthened/weakened Profit/loss for year ✓ 4.2 Examples of policies on finance Y N NA Purchasing policy a. local suppliers ✓ b. Fair Trade Suppliers ✓ c. other ethical purchasing ✓ Payment terms (or payment ✓ practices) Tax policy/practice ✓ Assessment of financial and ✓ ethical risk Budgeting/planning ✓ 4.2 Compliance: Give details of any external We comply with all aspects of charity law, as required by the standards (regulatory, legal, Charity Commission. statutory, industrial, etc.) regarding finance that you comply with.

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10.5 Environmental sustainability This refers to your impact on the environment. 5.1 Environment policy Y N NA Date/Details/Comment Environmental policy in place ✓ Sustainability policy in place 5.2 Examples of environmental Y N NA practices… a. energy use: heat and light ✓ . b. energy use: transport ✓ c. consumption of materials ✓ d. re-use of materials ✓ The Big Help Project sorts all waste for recycling e. recycling of materials ✓ and then has it collected by KMBC f. waste disposal ✓ Environmental Services g. other ✓ Please list and refer to as appropriate] 5.3 Compliance: Give details of any external You may refer to specific, recognized environmental standards standards (regulatory, legal, they have adopted. Alternatively, they may submit a completed statutory, industrial, etc.) Green Office Checklist regarding the environment that you comply with.

10.6 Economic contribution All organisations have an economic impact where ‘economic’ is defined as exchange of goods and services. The economic impact of an organisation should not be seen as an end in itself but as a means to an end – social and/or community benefit.

6.1 Economic contribution Y N NA Date/Details/Comment Economic contribution explained Please refer to an explanation in your social – positive affect on inequalities accounts with assumptions 6.2 Examples of specific Y N NA procedures… Report on effect of purchasing ✓ No purchasing policy in place policies available Local multiplier effect of ✓ organization calculated Savings to public purse ✓ Next Steps-(since inception)-saving of >£360,000 calculated in JSA that would have been paid to Next Steps clients (under 25 rate), 120 clients for 52 weeks. The same clients, assuming 37.5 hours per week on National Minimum wage, calculated as an average of all three under 25 pay bands @£5.57 (excluding apprentice rate), would generate over £1.3 million in gross wages and a combined N.I. contribution (at Class 1) of over £40,000 towards future Contribution-based claims.

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Value of volunteer contribution ✓ c. £1800 per week/£93,600 for year 2016-2017 (assuming NMW for over 25’s @ £7.50 for 2 hours per week for c.120 volunteers*) Total inward investment ✓ attracted Cash and in-kind contributions to ✓ Foodbank-calculated as 1kg=£1.68, in 2016-2017 the community (April to April) 50.1 tonnes valued at £84,000. Since 2011, 237 tonnes valued at £400,000 Baby Basics- value of baskets given out 2016- 2017, 72 baskets @ £120 each**=£8,640. Since 2014 @175 baskets=£21,000 Combined value for 2016-2017=£92,640 Combined value since respective start dates=£421,000 6.3 Other financial, monetising and JDA-since 2012, £3m worth of debt managed, that would economic impact calculations otherwise have increased due to recovery costs Total calculated monetary impact £2.2 million *120 current volunteers; NMW and volunteer numbers/hours in previous years makes retrospective calculation prior to 2016-2017 unfeasible and inaccurate **average value as set by Baby Basics Sheffield 10.7 Compliance The Big Help Project fully complies with all aspects of legislation affecting the governing and operations of the business. It maintains comprehensive insurances for public and employers’ liability. Copies of all policies and procedures relating to the business are available from The Big Help Project, P.O. Box 135, Kirkby, Merseyside, L33 7TX. 10.8 Dissemination of Social Accounts Key messages will be distilled from these social accounts and published via the Big Help Project website at http://www.big-help.info/index.php. Full copies of the accounts will be available from the Big Help Project at P.O. Box 135, Kirkby, Merseyside L33 7TX