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Deputy Geoff Southern Chair, HSS Panel
By email
09 November 2022
Re: Health and Social Security Panel: Government Plan 2023-2026 Review Dear Chair,
Thank you for your letter dated 27th October regarding the proposed funding for Beresford Street Kitchen over the next four years in the Government Plan 2023-2026. We welcome the opportunity to provide comments on Beresford Street Kitchen in general and our views on the proposed funding.
b) In January 2021 a project was established by Ian Burns, Director General for Customer and Local Services, to deliver on the commitment agreed in the Government Plan "to work with the organisation to support the development of a financially sustainable business model for future years". It was agreed that progress needed to be concluded on developing a sustainable funding model by the end of June.
The project team included representatives from BSK, CLS and external parties: BSK: Gabby Ellmers, Val Cartwright, Paul Watson, Jonathan Le Maistre
CLS: Paul McGinnety, James Gow, Steve Jackson , Ian Burns
JET: Jocelyn Butterworth
Lloyds Bank Foundation/Jersey Funders: Katie Le Quesne
The following workstreams were agreed:
- Financial Review of 2019 Audited Accounts & 2020 Management Accounts
- Developing options/models for delivery of support to the crew
- Developing a sustainable business model
Each stream met on several occasions and considered various support models and business development areas. We found the project a positive and valuable exercise and we are grateful to everyone involved for their time and contribution. We felt supported and listened to by the CLS team throughout the consultation, and that they gained a thorough understanding of BSK's work and value the outcomes for the crew.
We had a separate project running from 2020-2021, funded by JCF, to develop an adult education programme to provide a structured approach to delivering life skills.
Both projects contributed to the development of a new 5-year strategy for BSK which was launched in summer 2021:
• To increase & diversify workplace training opportunities
• Provide a structured adult learning programme
• Provide personalised programme with clear pathways
• Structured transition and induction process
• Build community & employer partnerships
• Celebrate what we do and the difference it makes
• Diversify income streams and funding model
The CLS team were consulted on the strategy as it developed.
a) As part of the strategy redesign, for communication and internal reporting purposes, we separated and grouped our commercial activity under BSK Enterprises and our charitable activity under BSK Academy. The BSK Enterprises business model includes growth, particularly in high value low risk business streams, and sustainability over the course of the proposed funding.
BSK Enterprises:
2022 2023 Traded revenue £410K £510K Government of Jersey £235K £200K Funder £60k £80k Total income £705k £790k
We feel that the proposed funding is in line with what we requested to support BSK Enterprises whilst we progress to sustainability in this area.
BSK Academy
Within BSK Academy we provide education, training, and employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
We have 3 Training and Employment programmes. Discover is a highly supported 12-week induction programme that runs 3 times a year, with a small cohort of 5. Crew on the Ignite
programme access highly supported set weekly workplace training sessions within the BSK Enterprises, as well as the option of 2 education courses. Launch is a fixed 2-year contract where crew are employed to work within one of the BSK Enterprises in specific roles with significantly less workplace support. Crew will also complete the Flight course and attend external work placements before being supported into other employment, co-ordinating with other services as appropriate.
We currently have 50 crew with learning disabilities and/or autism in training and employment attending over 11,500 workplace sessions per year which is over 40,000 hours. 14 of the current crew are age 18-25. We do not have an upper age limit and the eldest crew member is 62.
• 100% of crew felt supported and listened to by the Beresford Street Kitchen staff
• 79% feel that BSK gives them the confidence to move into another role
• 82% have more friends since becoming a BSK crew member
• 79% feel more valued now
• Average 21% increase in life satisfaction since becoming a BSK crew member which takes the average life satisfaction score to above the average for a non-disabled islander
We co-produced the education programme with a pilot group of 4 crew members, 3 of whom left BSK for open employment by the end of the course. We formally launched the Learning for Life adult education programme in September 2021 with 24 learners.
Learning for Life provides a structured, classroom based, approach to developing skills for independent living and employability skills. All learners are actively involved in co-creating the curriculum and content. There are 3 learning levels with progression opportunities.
We have a 100% Retention rate of crew on the programme with all completing the first year.
• 54% of crew have made some progress and 25% have made solid or significant progress in Life & Community Skills since the start of the programme
• 50% of crew have made some progress and 33% have made solid or significant progress in Personal & Social Skills since the start of the programme
• 58% of crew have made some progress and 38% have made solid or significant progress in Employability Skills since the start of the programme
• 67% of crew have made some progress and 20% have made solid or significant progress in English Skills since the start of the programme
• 37% of crew have made some progress and 21% have made solid or significant progress in Maths 
Skills since the start of the programme
Since September 2022 we have 45 learners in classes this academic year.
Crew Plus is part of our holistic approach and includes enrichment, social and leisure opportunities, citizenship and making sure people have a voice that is heard in our user forum and crew social committee
We do not receive any government funding for the education, training, and employment programmes that we provide. We are in receipt of a £5,000 grant towards Crew Plus.
We currently have 46 people on the waiting list, many of whom applied in 2019. As part of the strategy, we are growing the number of opportunities and a further 15 crew will join in 2023 through the Discover programme.
The budgeted expenses for BSK Academy for 2023 are £637k. We raise approximately £200k annually through general donations and events and community fundraising. We need to try
to secure the remainder each year through applications to charitable trusts and
foundations. We have been very well supported from the outset however we cannot expect
to rely on major grants indefinitely. Major funders are reporting a substantial increase in funding applications in the current economic climate, and some have smaller allocations to distribute in each funding round.
Beresford Street Kitchen has been providing much needed training and employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities and/or autism for 5 years and education for over a year. We would like to start a conversation about potential funding towards BSK Academy from 2024 and plan to initiate these conversations with the relevant departments in the new year.
I hope I have provided sufficient information about Beresford Street Kitchen, the proposed funding, and the consultation process with Customer and Local Service Department. Please let me know if you require any further information.
Yours Sincerely,
Gabby Ellmers
CEO, Beresford Street Kitchen
