Annual report 17

ETHNIC
YOUTH
SUPPORT
TEAM
Annual Report 2016
Supporting BME young people across Wales

2
Welcome...
Contents
About us
EYST is an award-winning and unique
organisation set up in 2005 by and for BME
young people living in Wales.
Our aim is to support BME young people to
reach their full potential through a holistic,
targeted and culturally sensitive youth
programme including qualified youth workers,
innovative youth activities and a youth and
community centre. Since our establishment,
we have expanded to support BME young
people and their families, including refugees,
asylum seekers and migrant communities. We
also aim to increase public understanding of
BME young people and improve community
cohesion and integration. Since its
establishment, EYST has been fortunate to
have been granted funding from a wide
range of organisations, and with its main
offices in Swansea, now operates in
locations across Wales. EYST employs
12 full-time and 9 part-time members
of staff. EYST is a company limited
by guarantee (No. 6709767) and a
registered Charity (No. 1152486)
3 Chair & Director’s Message
4 Key Achievements
6 Belonging project
7 Family Link project
7 BME Sports Kickstart
8 Think project
9 Prevention of Extremism
9 Identity project
10 Chips, Curry & Cappuccino project
11 Volunteering project
11 Generation Give
12 Progression project
12 BME Voice project
12 BME Carers project
13 Syrian resettlement family project
13 Asylum Seeker & Refugee project
13 Mixtup
14 Financial Summary
15 Meet the team

Message from the
Chair & Director
It has been another very busy and challenging
year for EYST, but one which we end on a high
and positive note.
This year, we were honoured to win Third
Sector Employer of the Year in Chwarae Teg’s
first Womenspire awards, in recognition of
our support for women and gender equality
in the workplace. We also won first place in
WCVA’s Volunteer Photography competition.
Our pioneering Chips, Curry and Cappuccino
food diversity project exhibition had more
than 33,000 visits in the National Waterfront
Museum and we were also honoured by a visit
from First Minister Carwyn Jones.
However, this year, many EYST projects came
to an end, while the outcomes of new bids
were awaited. In the wider social climate,
the outcome of the EU referendum led to an
increase in anti-immigration rhetoric and racist
hate crime making EYST services more in
demand than ever. EYST staff have therefore
had an incredibly busy year, with many new
projects devised and funding applied for, as well
as tender opportunities responded to. This hard
work has ultimately paid off, and we are pleased
to report that during the year we gained new
funding and contracts to deliver work in new
local authority areas including Cardiff, where
we will be delivering anti-extremism work and
EYST
10YR
10 years of supporting \
BME Young People
across Wales
Carmarthenshire and Powys where we will be
delivering the Syrian Refugee Support schemes.
We now enter the new financial year 2016-17 in
a much firmer financial position, and with new
work being delivered in highly topical areas and
in new parts of Wales. With a growing staff and
volunteer base, the issue of quality assurance
is now a key strategic aim, and we are pleased
to report that EYST achieved Investors in
Volunteers Award in 2015, and has now
started working towards the PQASSO Quality
Assurance scheme.
As ever, we are hugely indebted to our generous
funders without whom our work would not be
possible.
Thank you, Diolch yn Fawr.
Rocio Cifuentes
Director
Momena Ali
Founder & Chair
3
www.eyst.org.uk

4 Key
Achieve
720
Facebook
likes
individuals
including
families were helped via
60 32 Family link project
We had
9,276
Visits to the after
school Drop In
centre over the
last year
140
Volunteers
completed
6,792
Hours of
Volunteering
1,350+
Twitter
followers
Winner
WCVA Photo
competition 2016
2038
945
advice sessions to
individuals via the
Asylum seeker &
Refugee advice
service
During 2015-16

ments
Achieved quality
assurance award
5
Helped kickstart 60 new
BME juniors & 40 new BME
seniors to start taking
part in 12 new regular
weekly sporting sessions
Received
33,000
Visits!
Exhibition
was displayed at the
National Waterfront
Museum
57
Young people
undertaking their
own research on
Swansea’s diverse
food heritage
Winner
Third Sector-Employer of the year
2016 Womenspire Awards
Young people supported through
the Progression project
49
challenging
racism awareness
workshops to
1180
children from
secondary schools
across Swansea.
we Delivered
13
91
group
workshops to
Muslim YP attending
EYST on the topic
of grooming, ISIS
& radicalisation,
increasing their
understanding of &
resilience to this risk
19
Young
researchers
9
84
One-day group
interventions to
Young increasing their
resilience to far-right
extremism
www.eyst.org.uk

Projects
6
Belonging
Helping BME children make more friends, participate more and feel more included
It’s made me
happy because
I get to come
out of the
house”
The Belonging Project is a brand new
Children in Need funded project which began
in September 2015, with the aim of increasing
the participation, aspirations, and sense
of belonging of children and young people
from minority ethnic backgrounds including
refugees and asylum seekers. Led by project
worker Shahab, and supported by sessional
workers Abel and Alex, the project has offered
three times a week after-school youth club
sessions, as well as one-to-one support, and
trips and activities including a residential
adventure weekend in Gower. In its first year,
38 young people have received one-to-one
support through the project, as well as over
200 who have taken part in project activities.
Otherwise, I would just stay
in the house and be bored”
38
Young people have received one-to-one
support through the project
Annual Report 2016

Projects
BME Sports
Kickstart
7
Family Link
2015-16 was another busy year for EYST’s Family Link
Project, supporting Swansea’s diverse families and
young people.
Funded by Welsh Government via Swansea City Council,
this project supports ethnic minority young people and
their families as part of Swansea’s Team around the
Family approach, utilising multi-agency support and
resources. EYST supporting young people and families
with many issues including fleeing domestic abuse,
help with school issues and racial discrimination, help
with parenting and overcoming isolation. Good links
with a range of partners including Police, Schools and
Social Services have helped us to deliver this project
successfully. 60 individuals including 32 families were
helped during the year.
It increased my Confidence
and I made new friends”
The BME Sports Kickstart project was funded by
Sports Council Wales in order to kick-start sporting
activities within BME communities in Swansea.
The funding was then distributed to smaller community
groups via Swansea BME Sports Forum, made up
of a range of BME and Sporting organisations. It ran
successfully over the year, helping to kickstart 60 new
BME juniors and 40 new BME seniors to start taking
part in 12 new regular weekly sporting sessions,
including Football, Table Tennis, Male-only and
Female-only Swimming, Female-only Kickboxing and
Ladies Exercise classes. EYST has now successfully
been awarded funding from Sports Wales for a 2 year
BME sports project working with Race Equality First,
South East Wales Regional Equality Council, North
Wales Regional Equality Council, and WCVA as the lead
partner.
www.eyst.org.uk

Projects
8
Think
Challenging racism & far right extremism
EYST’s Big Lottery Innovation Funded
Think Project ended in June 2015, marking
the end of a very successful 3 years.
The end of project conference held in
Cardiff’s City Hall was opened by Welsh
Government Minister for Communities
and Tackling Poverty Lesley Griffiths who
commended the project for its impact and
achievements. Over the 3 years, the project
worked with 438 young people from across
South Wales who were at risk of far-right
extremism. These young people took part
in a 3 day programme which gave them
information and understanding
about Islam, Extremism, Refugees and
Asylum Seekers using innovative contact
theory methodology. The project’s external
evaluation found that most young people
had highly negative anti-immigration and
anti-Muslim views at the beginning of the
programme, and that for 95% of participants
these views were completely turned around
by the end of the programme. This unique
and transformational programme is now
available to interested organisations via
www.thinkproject.org.uk Recent clients
include Gloucestershire Police and South
West Regional Prevent HE Forum.
Over the 3 years,
the project worked with
438
Young people from
across South Wales who
were at risk of far-right
extremism.
I am ashamed to say
that I did use to be
racist and didn’t like
people with different
skin colours who spoke
a different language.
But from this project
I’ve learnt that we’re
all human and we all
deserve the chance to
live a good life”
Think project participant
Annual Report 2016

Projects
Identity Project
9
Prevention
of Extremism
We were grateful to have been funded to continue
our work with young people at risk of far-right and
islamist extremism by Swansea City Council via the
Swansea Change Fund.
This work included one-to-one support for four young
people at risk of far-right extremism, 4 young people
at risk of Islamist extremism. We also delivered 9 oneday
group interventions to a total of 84 NEET young
increasing their resilience to far-right extremism.
Agencies receiving this intervention have included:
YMCA Swansea, Rathbone Swansea, A4E, Youth
Offending Service ISS Centre, Action for Children Little
Steps Big Steps Project. We also delivered 13 group
workshops to 91 Muslim young people attending
EYST on the topic of grooming, ISIS and radicalisation,
increasing their understanding of and resilience to this
risk. During the year we also delivered 49 challenging
racism awareness workshops to a total of 1180 school
children from 7 secondary schools across Swansea.
The Identity Project is a Welsh Government funded
project which seeks to help and support young people
across Wales with a range of protected characteristics.
In September 2015, EYST joined this partnership project
led by Swansea YMCA and working in partnership with
NWREN. EYST’s work under this programme is based
in Cardiff, Wales, based in Cardiff YMCA’s Plasnewydd
Centre, offering youth club sessoins, mentoring, oneone-one
work, ESOL classes and homework club. We
have started working in partnership with a range of
organisations including Grassroots, Fitzalan School,
Oasis and Trinity Centre and look forward to continuing
this work during 2016-17.
That terrorists are NOT Muslims as they claim to be”
Project participant
www.eyst.org.uk

Projects
10
Chips, Curry
and Cappuccino
Exploring the diverse food heritage of Swansea
How do you identify
your own culture? If
you’re born here, how do
you find your own? It’s
complicated. I don’t know
what my culture is. On
this project I’ve learned
how other people have
gained their culture. This
has helped me.”
Omar Khalil, Young Researcher
Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the
Chips, Curry & Cappuccino project involved
young people in researching and showcasing
the diverse food heritage of Swansea and
the diverse communities who have settled in
Swansea making their food a staple part of
the Welsh diet!
The project worked closely with the National
Waterfront Museum of Wales, who guided and
supported 19 young researchers to plan and
undertake their own research on this rich history
and heritage, focussed on four communities:
Italian, Middle-Eastern, Bangladeshi and Chinese.
Working with film-makers Burst Productions, they
filmed interviews with restaurant owners and
other members of these communities to learn
about and record their unique stories of migration
and coming to Wales. An exhibition of the film
and learning was then displayed at the National
Waterfront Museum which received 33,000 visits!
A teaching pack to share the project learning
was written with the help of St Helens Primary
School and distributed to every primary school in
Swansea to help Key Stage 2 children learn about
the positive impact of immigration to their city.
The young researchers are now planing another
project focused on their own histories of coming
to and living in Wales!
To download a Teaching
pack go online:
www.eyst.org.uk/ccc/
Annual Report 2016

Projects
Generation Give
11
Volunteering
EYST’s Volunteering in Wales-funded Volunteering
Project entered its second year during 2015-16, and
continued to engage and support a high number of
volunteers and volunteering hours.
42 new volunteers joined the 20 previously engaged
volunteers, to contribute a total of 3824 volunteering
hours through a range of activities including helping
young people in EYST’s youth centre to helping
refugees and asylum seekers write a letter or make
a phone call – in total more than 7000 individuals
benefitted from the support of volunteers. The volunteers
were extremely diverse, with approximately 60% coming
from a BME background, and the majority never having
volunteered before. The success of this project led to a
new 3 year project being funded by Lloyds Foundation
from July 2016 – the Refugees Contribute project –
which will specifically support refugees and asylum
seekers to volunteer.
Young BME Volunteers aged 14 to 25 have been
supported to volunteer this year, thanks to funding
from Gwirvol. The Generation Give project supported
diverse young volunteers to get involved in three key
areas: Homework Club, Heritage Volunteering and
Environmental Volunteering.
63 young volunteers got involved over the year,
contributing an amazing 2297 hours. 37 young
volunteers volunteered as youth tutors giving
approximately 500 hours of weekly one-to-one tuition
to 45 young people as part of the EYST Homework
club. Of the young volunteers, (78%) improved their
confidence; (71%) improved their knowledge; 42%
improved their training, and 93% improved their
experience. This project also delivered the winner of
WCVA’s Photography competition 2016!
It’s changed my
whole perspective
about life”
EYST volunteer
Winner
WCVA Photo
competition 2016
www.eyst.org.uk

Projects
Progression
12
57
Young people supported through
the Progression project
The Progression project is a brand new 4-year project which aims to help
marginalised young people into sustainable employment, through peer-led
support.
Launched in October 2015, funded by the Queens Young Leaders Programme,
and is a partnership project with Cwmbran Centre for Young People and
Tanyard Youth Centre. Since it started, we have set up a regular Job Club
at EYST, and have supported 57 individuals through group and one-to-one
support. 5 Young people have taken part in Peer Mentoring Training to enable
them to become Employment Champions, helping other young people move
into employment, education, training and volunteering.
BME Voice
BME Voice is a partnership project with Swansea Bay Regional Equality
Council and African Community Centre, and aims to engage BME
communities in Swansea in the Healthy Cities Agenda, improving their
health and their understanding of health issues.
Community fora have taken place on issues including Substance
Misuse, the Ambulance service, Sheesha and Cervical screening, with a
range of partners including ABMU, SANDS Cymru, and GPs Surgeries.
One-to-one support around access to healthcare has been provided to
around 80 beneficiaries over the year. The wider consortium is led by
SCVS, and the project is funded by Big Lottery Fund.
BME Carers
The ABMU Health board funded a part-time carers post again this year, which
enabled EYST to support 38 BME Carers and Young Carers.
EYST raised awareness amongst BME and refugee and asylum seeker
communities about the rights of carers, who often go unrecognised in many
cultures. EYST worked closely with other Carer support organisations including
Swansea Carers Centre and Carers Trust and took part in Carer’s Rights Events
during Carers Week. EYST also started hosting a Young Adult Carers Group at
EYST youth centre, to support young carers who are aged 18 to 25 who often
fall between services.
Annual Report 2016

Projects
Asylum Seeker &
Refugee Advice project
Following a successful pilot project, in July 2015 Henry Smith Foundation
began funding a 3-year Refugee and Asylum Seeker Advice Service in EYST.
Employing one full-time advice worker, supported by a team of volunteers,
during its first year, this service has offered an amazing 2038 advice sessions
to 945 individuals, who are recent arrivals to Wales and highly vulnerable.
Support has included sending letters or making phone-calls to Home Office
or Migrant Help, as well as help communicating with local services including
schools, doctors and housing providers. The success of this service is due to
its accessibility in terms of EYST’s location and premises, as well as the wide
range of languages spoken by the service staff and volunteers
Syrian resettlement
family project
EYST were awarded the contract to support newly arrived Syrian refugee
families coming to Swansea under the UK Government’s new Syrian
Resettlement Programme.
The programme commenced in February 2015 and is expected to run for 5
years. With the funding, EYST employed support workers to offer orientation
support to the families, assisting with all practicalities for their initial
resettlement, from helping to register families with schools and surgeries,
helping them access their benefit and welfare entitlements, as well as helping
them find volunteering and training opportunities, to ensure their long-term
integration in Wales. EYST were also awarded the contract to deliver the same
Orientation service to families in the two local authorities of Carmarthenshire
and Powys, and this work will commence over the summer of 2016.
13
Mixtup
The youth club for young people with mixed abilities had another busy
year, once again being awarded funding from Swansea Youth Bank for
youth-led volunteering. Mixtup also got involved in the new Children’s
Commissioner for Wales Community Ambassadors Scheme, being the only
youth group representing YP with disabilities. They also met the Queen
when she came to open the new Senedd in Cardiff. Mixtup also finally went
independent in 2016, and were successfully awarded funding from Children
in Need for a Youth Development Worker to take Mixtup to bigger and better
things! So goodluck and goodbye to Mixtup who is flying the EYST nest.
www.eyst.org.uk

14
Financial Summary
EYST Accounts - Year ended 31 March 2016
Income
Donations
Donations type 1 20
Grants receivable
Big Lottery Grant 250
Swansea Development Fund 23,443
WCVA 12,839
City & County of Swansea 45,125
Gwirvol Project 8,747
SYB - MixtUP Project 1,000
BBC Children In Need 40,184
Children & Young Peoples Fund 1,568
BME Voice Project 8,097
AMBU Grant 17,970
Esmee Fairbairn 40,000
Clothmaker Grant 3,250
Pears Foundation 4,990
Henry Smith Foundation 31,900
Heritage Lottery Fund 23,200
Queens Awards - Progression Project 13,570
YMCA Swansea - Identity Project 16,882
Syrian Vulnerable Persons'
Resettlement Scheme 14,263
YMCA Cardiff Innovation 2,000
Diversity Exchange 2,500
Interfaith 450
312,248
Training Income 8,728
Other Income 13,750
South Wales Police 9,920 –
32,398
COSTS OF RAISING
DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
Expenditure
Staff costs - Wages & Salaries 261,235
Operating leases - Plant & machinery 1,991
Establishment - Rent 33,279
Establishment - Rates & Water 1,212
Establishment - Light & heat 3,400
Establishment - Repairs &
maintenance 1,329
Establishment - Insurance 1,425
Establishment - Other 3,681
Motor and travel costs - Other 10,487
Legal & professional - Other 16,692
Office expenses - Telephone 7,606
Office expenses - Other 4,760
Depreciation 5,106
External staff costs –
Sundry expenses 367
Donations and sponsorship 720
Training expenses and tuition fees 2,587
Visits and events 12,099
Refreshments 1,250
Film production 6,600
Beneficiary payments 4,800
380,626
GOVERNANCE COSTS
Accountancy fees 3,962
Other financial costs 175
4,137
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets 8,835
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors 20,263
Cash at bank and in hand 51,875
CREDITORS:
Amounts falling due
within one year
72,138
1
0 (21,893)
NET CURRENT ASSETS 50,245
TOTAL ASSETS LESS
CURRENT LIABILITIES 59,080
GOVERNMENT GRANTS (6,842)
NET ASSETS 52,238
FUNDS OF THE CHARITY
Restricted income funds 52,036
Unrestricted income funds 202
TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS 52,238
TOTAL INCOME
344,646
TOTAL EXPENDITURE 384,763
NET OUTGOING RESOURCES
FOR THE YEAR (40,117)
Annual Report 2016

Meet the Team
Rocio Cifuentes
Director
Shehla Khan
Manager
Helal Uddin
Family worker
Nicky Nijjer
Project worker
Shahab Miah
Project worker
Zaffer Azad
Graphic Design
& Administrator
15
Sorupa Ali
Family support worker
Aliya Khalil
Asylum seekers &
Refugees advice Worker
Sadia Ali
Young females
youth worker
Lloyd Williams
Volunteer Co-ordinator
Jami Abramson
Project officer
Luthfur Ullah
Project worker
Mohammed Basit
BME Sport project Officer
Gonzalo Silvestre
Family support worker
Rena Ahmed
Family support worker
Abel Haftemariam
Youth assistant
Grateful acknowledgement of our funders & supporters
www.eyst.org.uk

Annual Report 2016
Supporting
BME Young
People across
Wales
design@eyst.org.uk
www.eyst.org.uk
/ethnicyouthsupportteam
/eystwales
info@eyst.org.uk
Ethnic Youth Support Team Units B & C, 11 St Helens Road, Swansea, SA1 4AB Tel No: 01792 466980/1
Reg Charity No: 1152486
Reg Charity No: 1152486