STARS Community Learning CIC continues to provide educational activities for children and young people in order to support them in developing key life skills and access opportunities that would not otherwise be available to them, in order to support them in moving successfully into adulthood and empower them in making change within the community. In order to subsidise the sessions, we have a catering arm to the business which provides low cost food, catering and bespoke cakes. During the year 2023-24, our company had benefit the local area in the following ways: We have worked with over 1300 children and young people to teach them cookery, science skills, arts and crafts, early developmental skills and sports among other skills. We have delivered 520 sessions for children and young people across 13 areas within County Durham. We have provided 722 children from disadvantaged backgrounds with free spaces for our sessions to enable them to have the same opportunities as their peers. We have offered 112 low cost takeaway days for families on low incomes to access. We have worked with 19 schools and organisations to better reach the children and young people in the local communities. Children and their families who have accessed our activities have also benefit from a healthy two course meal, snacks and free resources during holiday periods in order to support them during the cost of living crisis. We employ 3 young adults in order to support them in gaining work experience and providing a springboard to further opportunities. We have promoted social inclusion within the communities we have worked by ensuring every child can access our activities through high adult to child ratios, engaging activities and though offering free or low cost sessions. We have provided catering for a further 19 organisations which has in turn helped us to provide free spaces at our costed activities for those families that cannot afford to pay.

The company’s stakeholders are the children and young people, along with their families, who access our services, the schools and organisations that we work with and our staff. In order to evaluate our services, we ask all stakeholders to fill in a relevant questionnaire following their contact with us. This has helped us to build up a picture of the type of activities of interest and understand our customers’ needs. Through consulting with parents and children, we have found that our activities have had an immense impact on family life, the development of skills and knowledge, the levels of engagement with children and the ability to socialise with others. Families have requested that we look to further develop the work we do through engaging within the community and supporting them in being able to make change within their local area in order to benefit them further.

Stacey Deinali - £4,877 for managing day to day operations.

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration